Nutrition and Osteoarthritis in Dogs: Does It Help?

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Study by Bui and Bierer

Bui and Bierer [5] evaluated the efficacy of green-lipped mussel (GLM; Perna canaliculus), added to a complete dry diet, for alleviating clinical signs of arthritis in dogs. A blind, randomized, longitudinal study design was used, with 31 dogs exhibiting varying degrees of arthritis. Each dog was evaluated by a veterinarian, and joints were individually scored for degree of pain, swelling, crepitus, and reduction in range of movement. Summation of all scores for an individual dog comprised its

Obesity

Obesity can be defined as accumulation of body fat in excess of what is necessary to maintain optimum condition and health. This may be obvious in a grossly obese individual, particularly when obesity-related disease is present; however, it is less obvious in a patient that is overweight and otherwise clinically healthy but is at risk for obesity-related disease, such as degenerative OA. Quantitatively, obesity in dogs is generally defined as exceeding ideal body weight by 15% to 20% or more.

ω-3 Fatty Acids

Degenerative OA involves an inflammatory component; thus, it may be possible to modify the inflammation by nutritional components, specifically ω-3 (n3) fatty acids. Arachidonic acid (an ω-6 [n6] fatty acid) is incorporated into cell membranes; when metabolized, it yields prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and thromboxanes of the 2 and 4 series. Many drugs used to treat degenerative OA inhibit conversion of arachidonic acid to these eicosanoids. These n6-derived eicosanoids have, for the most part,

Antioxidants

The formation of free radicals as a consequence of cellular metabolism occurs constantly, but the potential deleterious effects are minimized by antioxidants. The balance between free radicals and antioxidant defenses is a key factor in preventing development of noxious processes at the cellular and tissue levels. Recent evidence supports the theory that excessive production of free radicals or the imbalance between concentrations of free radicals and antioxidant defenses may be related to such

Chondromodulating Agents

Chondromodulating agents are purported to slow or alter the progression of OA. These agents are considered to be slow-acting drugs in osteoarthritis (SADOAs) and can be subdivided into symptomatic slow-acting drugs in osteoarthritis (SYSADOAs) and disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs). Beneficial effects may include a positive effect on cartilage matrix synthesis and hyaluronan synthesis by synovial membrane as well as an inhibitory effect on catabolic enzymes in osteoarthritic joints

Other Dietary Compounds

There are many other dietary supplements, including herbs and other nutraceutic agents, that are recommended. Few, if any, have been evaluated in a controlled manner. Because of limitations of space, only a few are discussed.

Currently Available Veterinary Diets

Many over-the-counter dog foods contain claims of being “joint friendly” because they contain glucosamine, CS, and perhaps other ingredients theorized to be beneficial for joint health. There are four diets specifically formulated and marketed for dogs with arthritis: CNM Joint Mobility JM (Ralston Purina, St. Louis, Missouri), Prescription Diet J/d (Hill's Pet Nutrition), Mobility Support JS 21 (Royal Canin, St. Charles, Missouri), and Mobility Support JS 21 Large Breed (Royal Canin).

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