One of the crucial frequent matters over the lifetime of this weblog has been therapies for osteoarthritis in canines and cats. I’ve talked about prescribed drugs, acupuncture, electromagnetic fields, laser, and different therapies, however the bulk of the articles have addressed the most well-liked over-the-counter (OTC) treatments for this situation, dietary dietary supplements.
Dietary supplements are ubiquitous, really helpful by vets and utilized by house owners ceaselessly regardless of scientific proof that’s inconclusive or that outright reveals they don’t work. Over the time I’ve been protecting this subject, science-based drugs has offered new instruments for treating arthritis, reminiscent of using monoclonal antibodies to scale back ache and irritation in canines and cats. For many pets, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) additionally stay a protected and efficient remedy. There are additionally promising approaches, reminiscent of CBD and bodily remedy, which have some encouraging supportive proof, although extra analysis is definitely wanted for these. Regardless of this, pet house owners, and even vets, generally tend to stay with outdated OTC treatments which are unproven and even clearly ineffective.
The paragon for that is glucosamine/chondroitin. I wrote in regards to the poor proof supporting use of this complement in arthritis pets in the very first month of this weblog, June, 2009. At the moment, I stated-
There may be nearly no good high quality analysis on using glucosamine and chondroitin in veterinary sufferers. The most effective examine up to now, executed in canines, discovered a mixture of those brokers to be of no profit for sufferers with osteoarthritis. Additional analysis in animals with osteoarthritis is warranted, however presently the proof doesn’t assist using glucosamine and chondroitin in these sufferers.
Since then, the adverse proof has piled up, in people and in animals. My most up-to-date abstract in 2020 concluded-
The failure to seek out constant and compelling proof of clinically significant advantages after many years of intensive analysis strongly suggests such advantages are negligible or nonexistent.
Regardless of the seemingly minimal affect of such persistently adverse findings on pet proprietor habits, I really feel obliged to proceed to assessment the proof and encourage each vets and house owners to make use of therapies with actual proof of security and profit at any time when potential. A current systematic assessment (the best stage of proof accessible) has as soon as once more checked out glucosamine, together with a bunch of different diets and dietary dietary supplements for arthritis in canines and cats, and hopefully their findings will shift the zeitgeist a bit on how we handle this situation.
Barbeau-Grégoire M, Otis C, Cournoyer A, Moreau M, Lussier B, Troncy E. A 2022 Systematic Evaluate and Meta-Evaluation of Enriched Therapeutic Diets and Nutraceuticals in Canine and Feline Osteoarthritis. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Sep 8;23(18):10384.
The determine under illustrates the standard of proof for 5 classes of potential therapies. The proportion of research exhibiting the best stage of proof, an impact in contrast with a placebo (Impact), an intermediate stage of assist, enchancment over time with out such a comparability (Enchancment), or no impact in any respect (Non-effect) are proven.
The authors additionally evaluated the quantity and methodological high quality of the analysis exhibiting these results and offered conclusions on every intervention. Listed here are these conclusions-
This meta-analysis helps using omega-3 supplementation for the administration of canine and feline OA.
The outcomes of this meta-analysis [for cannabis] are promising, however additional investigation is required to find out the efficacy, doses, formulations and combos really helpful for the remedy of canine OA ache. Additional research may also be essential to conclude on using cannabinoids in cats since none have been carried out to this present day.
It, due to this fact, seems not possible to rule, this present day, on a sign for collagen in canine OA based mostly on the outcomes of this meta-analysis.
Like these earlier evaluations, the outcomes of the current meta-analysis led to the conclusion that chondroitin-glucosamine nutraceuticals shouldn’t be prescribed in canine or feline OA.
All the opposite nutraceuticals evaluated didn’t current enough proof of efficacy to determine on their indication.
I’m not naïve sufficient to think about that it will result in a widespread abandonment of glucosamine, however I hope that the constant buildup of proof over many years exhibiting that that is an ineffective remedy, and the lively suggestions in opposition to it by consultants in each human and veterinary drugs, will no less than discourage the substitution of this failed method for therapies with a lot better proof for actual results.