Does grapiprant reduce osteoarthritic pain in dogs?

Vet Evid. 2026 Apr 14;11(2):vetevid-11-2-732. doi: 10.18849/ve.v11i2.732. eCollection 2026 Apr-Jun.

ABSTRACT

PICO QUESTION: In dogs with osteoarthritis, does grapiprant, compared with no grapiprant, reduce osteoarthritic pain?

CATEGORY OF RESEARCH: Treatment.

NUMBER AND TYPE OF STUDY DESIGNS REVIEWED: Two randomised controlled trials.

STRENGTH OF EVIDENCE: Weak.

OUTCOMES REPORTED: One study found that dogs with osteoarthritis given grapiprant were found to have significant clinical improvement in both owner assessed outcomes (treatment successes, pain interference scores, pain severity scores) and veterinarian assessed outcomes (total orthopaedic scores) when compared to a placebo. The second study of dogs with acute induced arthritis found no significant differences in vertical force ratios or veterinarian assessed visual lameness scores between dogs administered grapiprant and the control group.

CONCLUSION: These studies suggest that grapiprant reduces the impact of osteoarthritic pain on activities of daily living and orthopaedic scores in dogs but does not improve lameness associated with acute, severe osteoarthritic pain. Given the limited and inconsistent evidence, further appropriate studies are required to determine the efficacy of grapiprant in managing osteoarthritic pain in dogs. How to apply this evidence in practice The application of evidence into practice should take into account multiple factors, not limited to: individual clinical expertise, patient's circumstances and owners' values, country, location or clinic where you work, the individual case in front of you, the availability of therapies and resources.Knowledge Summaries are a resource to help reinforce or inform decision making. They do not override the responsibility or judgement of the practitioner to do what is best for the animal in their care.

PMID:42004409 | PMC:PMC13082424 | DOI:10.18849/ve.v11i2.732