Antibodies to heat shock proteins of the 65 kDa group were demonstrated in canine sera and synovial fluid. This paper reports these antibody measurements in three groups of dogs with joint disease and compares them with those of a control population. Dogs with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) showed higher anti-heat shock proteins (HSP) antibody levels, in both their sera and synovial fluids, compared to the control dogs and these antibodies were predominantly of the IgG and IgM class; there was a significant correlation between IgM anti-HSP65 and IgM-rheumatoid factors. There was also a significant correlation between anti-HSP65 and antibodies to canine distemper virus, but only of the IgM class and the relevance of these antibodies to the overall pathogenesis of canine RA and, in particular, to the presence of canine distemper virus within the joint, are discussed.