OBJECTIVES: Osteoarthritis (OA) is commonly reported in the veterinary literature to affect 20% of dogs over 1 year of age. Does a health risk assessment questionnaire (HRA) for osteoarthritis identify a higher percentage of dogs in general veterinary practice? METHODS: Dog owners presented (previously undiagnosed and untreated dogs) to veterinarians in 9 practices in the United States (U.S.), ranging from the East North Central division of the Midwest (IN, IL, OH, MI) and South Atlantic division of the South (VA, NC). The owners were given a nine question OA HRA immediately preceding their appointment/exam with the veterinarian from fall 2014 to spring 2015. The OA HRA was administered to 504 owners of dogs greater than 1 year of age, presenting for routine preventative care or evaluation of lameness/stiffness. RESULTS: 188 or 37.3% of these were diagnosed with OA by the veterinarian using a clinical orthopedic examination +/- radiographs. The mean age of the dogs with OA was 7.61 years (R 1-20) and mean weight was 23.75kgs (R 2.1-90.9) with approximately equal neutered sexes represented. Dogs of numerous breeds and crosses were represented. Specific treatment for OA was recommended for 26% of the dogs diagnosed with OA. The primary reason for the veterinary appointment (stiffness or lameness) was identified by only 47% of dog owners where treatment was recommended. CONCLUSIONS: Osteoarthritis may be unrecognized by the owner and untreated by the veterinarian in almost half of the dogs presenting for routine care if an OA HRA is not used prior to routine care appointments. In non- specialty, veterinary practice if an OA HRA is used 37% of dogs over 1 year of age were diagnosed with osteoarthritis. This is higher than previously reported in the veterinary literature.