Diet & Supplements

This is a relatively new supplement made from a specific part of the oil of avocados and from soybeans. It is believed to promote cartilage repair and reduce inflammation within the joint. It has been shown to reduce pain in human osteoarthritis, and improve joint health in horses. However, there are no strong clinical trials looking at it in dogs with established naturally occurring arthritis. It has been suggested that it has a role in articular cartilage management while ensuring the dog receives other forms of pain relief if required.

Boswelia is extracted from the bark and resin of the Indian Boswelia tree (the same tree that the biblical anti-inflammatory frankincence comes from). A study has suggested 17/24 dogs had improvement in clinical signs when taking this resin.

This is from an Amazonian plant that has anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties, which has been found in trials to decrease the signs of arthritis in humans. This has not been proven in dogs.

At present, our position on the use of CBD-based supplement products is that there are currently too many uncertainties about whether CBD supplements are beneficial for dogs with osteoarthritis, as there is no suitable licensed animal pharmaceutical product on the UK market that has proven efficacy and established safety margins for dosing.

We have produced a CAM Owner handout which is available in to download in our Member Zone which provides up-to-date information on CBD, products, terminology, evidence and concerns which may help your decision making.

Chondroitin sulphate is extracted from mammalian cartilage, normally bovine tracheas. It is believed to provide structural components for helping to repair the articular cartilage, however there is only weak evidence of its effectiveness both structurally and in improving clinical condition of arthritis in dogs.

This is also known as gelatin and is made from collagenous structures of mammals such as bovine tendons. It is believed to supply proteins to help cartilage repair.

It has been found to reduce joint pain and improve mobility in some trials in humans, but there have not been similar trials in dogs.

This is a plant with a long history of pain relief properties, but has also been used for fever and allergies. A few trials in humans have found some relief in joint and lower back pain. The same trials have not been performed in dogs.

This is a protein that believed to have mood-elevating effects as well as having an effect on chronic pain in humans. The evidence is very weak and needs many more trials. There are no clinical trials to support its use in dogs.

This is the household name of an arthritis supplement for both humans and animals. It has been shown to potentially help repair joints as it is a building block of articular cartilage. However, there is much debate as to what concentration will actually reach the joint.

The well-respected GAIT study in 2006 suggested that glucosamine alone or with chondroitin sulphate did not perform better than placebo, whereas the Mayo Clinic suggests there is moderately strong evidence of its beneficial effect. The NHS will no longer prescribe it following a study that looked at evidence in a number of clinical trials.

There are some trials to show positive effects in dogs, however not enough to recommend it as a clinically effective anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, joint-disease modifier. There are also unanswered questions of how much would actually reach the joint to have the effects suggested.

If used, you should wait for a minimum  of 2-3 months before judging its effect.

Green lipped mussel contains both glycosaminoglycans which are structural within cartilage, and also high levels of omega-3s. It is clear from initial studies that the way the extract is produced is critical for its effectiveness. There is strong evidence of it having a mild to moderate positive effect on mobility and pain in dogs with osteoarthritis, but the number of suitable trials are still considered limited. There is evidence that a high daily dose is needed and that it can take 2-3 months to have effect.

Hyaluronic acid is a component of joint fluid that gives it elasticity.

Injecting hyaluronic acid into the joint has been found to improve the joint fluid’s physical properties, as well as protect the cartilage and act as pain relief and an anti-inflammatory. However, given by mouth it is not so effective as only 5% is absorbed through the gut.

This a commonly used natural anti-inflammatory. There have been a few trials in humans that have shown positive results, but the trials were not clinically strong. No trials have been performed in dogs.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are both classified essential fatty acids. Omega-6 are pro-inflammatory, whereas omega-3 are not. Supplementing with increased levels of omega-3 encourages them to replace omega-6 in cell walls. Therefore there is less omega-6 available for creating more inflammation in and around the joint. This will slow the progression of arthritis and reduce the clinical signs of pain and reduced joint function. The omega-3 fatty acids found to be effective in this role are eicosapentaenoic acid EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which are from marine-based sources.

There is substantial scientific evidence to support the above and recent studies have shown statistically significant mild improvement in owner perception of comfort and mobility.

There are only guidelines as to dosing (50-220mg/kg EPA and DHA, with suggestion of higher dosing for arthritis) and it is not known duration of treatment until effect, but one study showed owner assessed improvement 4 months after starting the supplement.

This is normally sold as a liver supplement, but it has been shown to have potential anti-inflammatory effects comparable to an NSAID in humans. However, the trials were small. No effect has been proven in dogs with naturally established arthritis.

Turmeric is a plant, whose roots are commonly used to make the spice, while curcumin is the naturally-occurring compound in the plants roots that give it the yellow colour.

Turmeric has been used throughout history as a natural anti-inflammatory. A lot of focus is on one of its active ingredients called curcumin. However, there are other ingredients and there is some evidence that these possess anti-inflammatory properties. There has only been one controlled study in dogs and there was no objective difference but there was improvement in subjective indicators.

Curcumin decreases some of the inflammatory cytokines, shows some cox-2 inhibition and AP-1 and NF- Kappa B inhibition in in-vitro studies. There are some promising studies out there in support of using curcumin, but most trials are on humans and lab animals. The published dog trials are small in size.

A huge problem exists due to poor quality control and standardisation of herbal products worldwide. This is potentially why the results are so variable when owners source their supplements.

Side effects and interaction with other medications can be experienced so you should always mention to your vet that you are adding it to your pet’s diet, for example curcumin could slow down the elimination of certain drugs like cyclosporine and NSAIDs.

There is suggested poor tolerance in dogs with sensitive stomach or has pancreas/liver issues while curcumin can also have an anticoagulant effect (prevents the blood from clotting correctly) and should be avoided in dogs with concurrent with gall bladder issues or urinary oxalate bladder stones.

This is often mentioned in combination with fish oils supplements. A study with artificially induced arthritis showed promising effects with reduced pain and inflammation. However, this hasn’t been proven for chronic arthritis in dogs.

This is an old respected anti-inflammatory containing salicylic acid from which aspirin is derived. Clinical studies in humans have shown willow bark may have a moderate effect on pain control. No studies have been performed in dogs.

Caution is advised in using with other anti-inflammatories such as steroids or NSAIDs.