Dogs’ Arthritis Eased by Omega-3s

[Guest guest]

[vitalchoice.com]

 

-------------

Dogs, Arthritis, and Omega-3s: Trials Show Relief Two controlled

clinical trials find that fish-derived omega-3s provide substantial

relief and benefit to dogs with arthritis by Craig Weatherby

-------------

When people say arthritis they usually mean osteoarthritis. It's the

most common type of arthritis by far, and distinct from the relatively

rare autoimmune disease called rheumatoid arthritis.. Osteoarthritis is

associated with normal aging and with extraordinary joint stresses such

as those experienced by construction and other workers who kneel on hard

surfaces. Of course, dogs get osteoarthritis as well, and probably

suffer as much discomfort as people do. Aspirin and other

non-prescription remedies for the pain of human arthritis work pretty

well, but come with the risk of serious adverse effects, including death

from silent gastric bleeding. Humans and canines take different

arthritis drugs but the canine ones also come with risks of adverse side

effects. These include vomiting, loss of appetite, depression, lethargy,

and diarrhea and can include the serious side effects seen with human

arthritis aids, such as gastric bleeding, ulcers, and kidney or liver

problems. According to the Arthritis Foundation, glucosamine and

chondroitin supplements are safe and have shown benefit in dog studies

as have omega-3 fish oils5. Signs that your dog may have arthritis These

common symptoms of canine arthritis come from the Arthritis Foundation

(AF 2010):

- Weight gain

- Favoring a limb

- Being less alert

- Sleeping more

- Difficulty sitting or standing

- Attitude or behavior changes

- Seeming to have stiff or sore joints

- Hesitancy to jump, run or climb stairs

- Decreased activity or less interest in play And now confirming the

indications from previous studies1,2

fish oil has proved itself to be an effective arthritis remedy in two

randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials from Kansas State

Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine. Study #1: Effects of

omega-3s on weight bearing abilityThe first clinical trial tested the

effects of omega-3 fish oil on arthritic dogs ability to bear their own

weight without signs of lameness or pain3. The owners of 38 privately

owned dogs volunteered their arthritic canine pets for the

three-month-long trial. Among these dogs, 16 received a control diet of

standard dog chow, and 22 received a test diet of the same chow plus

fish oil, which constituted 3.5 percent of the food by weight a pretty

hefty dose. The investigators conducted periodic orthopedic evaluations

and force-plate analyses of the most severely arthritic limb of each

dog. Additionally, the dogs owners completed questionnaires to report

and characterize any changes in their pets arthritis symptoms. After 90

days, the fish oil group showed a significant 5.4 percent improvement in

weight-bearing ability, compared with 0.4 percent in the control group

(i.e., less than one-tenth as much improvement)). Improvement in a

measure called peak vertical force was evident in 82 percent of the dogs

in the test-food group, compared with 38 percent of the dogs in the

control-food group. In addition, according to investigators' subjective

evaluations, dogs fed the test food had significant improvements in

lameness and weight-bearing by the last day, compared with measurements

obtained on day one. The Kansas team penned this conclusion: At least in

the short term, dietary supplementation with fish oil omega-3 fatty

acids resulted in an improvement in weight-bearing in dogs with

osteoarthritis.3 Study #2: Effects of omega-3s on rising, walking,

playingThe second clinical trial was designed to assess the effect of

food enriched with omega-3s from fish oil on clinical signs of

osteoarthritis in dogs4. The test diet had much more omega-3s and much

less pro-inflammatory omega-6 fat than is usual for dog chow. This is

significant because omega-3s are generally anti-inflammatory, while

omega-6 fatty acids are generally pro-inflammatory. The study involved

127 pet dogs with arthritis in one or more joints. They were assigned to

be fed one of two diets for six months:

- Typical commercial dog food (control food)

- Test food containing 31 times more omega-3 fat than the control food,

and a 34-fold decrease in omega-6/omega-3 ratio, compared with the

commercial control food The dog owners completed a questionnaire about

their pets arthritis symptoms, and investigators performed a physical

examination and collected blood samples to test at the onset of the

study and at six, 12, and 24 weeks afterward. After the end of the

six-month trial, the dogs fed the test food had significantly higher

blood levels of omega-3s and significantly lower blood levels of a key

pro-inflammatory omega-6 fat (arachidonic acid) at every blood test.

According to the reports provided by the owners of the dogs in the test

and control groups, the canines fed omega-3-enriched food were

significantly better able to rise from a resting position and play at

six weeks, and showed an improved ability to walk at 12 and 24 weeks. As

the Kansas team wrote2, the test food raised blood concentrations of

omega-3 fatty acids and appeared to improve the arthritic condition in

pet dogs with osteoarthritis.4 There are many anecdotal reports

suggesting that omega-3 fish oil gives arthritic dogs relief but its

even better to have this kind of scientific confirmation. Sources

- Bauer JE. Responses of dogs to dietary omega-3 fatty acids. J Am Vet

Med Assoc. 2007 Dec 1;231(11):1657-61. Review.

- Budsberg SC, Bartges JW. Nutrition and osteoarthritis in dogs: does it

help? Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2006 Nov;36(6):1307-23, vii.

Review.

- Roush JK, Cross AR, Renberg WC, Dodd CE, Sixby KA, Fritsch DA, Allen

TA, Jewell DE, Richardson DC, Leventhal PS, Hahn KA. Evaluation of the

effects of dietary supplementation with fish oil omega-3 fatty acids on

weight bearing in dogs with osteoarthritis. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2010 Jan

1;236(1):67-73.

- Roush JK, Dodd CE, Fritsch DA, Allen TA, Jewell DE, Schoenherr WD,

Richardson DC, Leventhal PS, Hahn KA. Multicenter veterinary practice

assessment of the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on osteoarthritis in

dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2010 Jan 1;236(1):59-66.

- Arthritis Foundation (AF). Arthritis in Dogs. 2010. Accessed at

http://www.imakenews.com/eletra/go.cfm?z=vitalchoiceseafood%2C415408%2Cb1kJkvww%\

2C3711594%2Cbgq60q2