Shellfish Diet Found To Benefit Dogs With Arthritis

Independent (UK) ^ | 9-9-2002 | Steve Connor

[blam]

Shellfish diet found to benefit dogs with arthritis

By Steve Connor
09 September 2002

Dogs fed on a shellfish diet have fewer problems with arthritis, according to a study showing that the New Zealand green-lipped mussel can alleviate canine aches and pains.

Scientists have found that powdered extracts of the mussels, when added to a dog's normal food, allow those suffering from osteoarthritis to live more normal lives after six weeks of treatment.

The results, to be presented at the festival this week, show that painful swelling and inflammation improved in four out of five dogs fed on the diet.

The green-lipped mussel was long thought to contain substances that can relieve arthritic symptoms. Maoris who eat them regularly have a low incidence of the disease, but this is the first time the effect has been shown on dogs.

Arthritis affects most dogs over five years of age and can severely hinder their movement. Karyl Hurley, a specialist in animal medicine at the pet food company Waltham, said conventional treatments with anti-inflammatory drugs could cause side-effects such as stomach irritation, anorexia, vomiting and ulcers."Managing this condition through diet is relatively new and much more holistic than conventional medicines," she said. "Vets and dog owners have embraced this alternative and have been thrilled with the response."

Nobody has identified the active ingredient in New Zealand mussels but scientists suspect it is a fatty acid that counteracts the degradation of cartilage and bone in arthritic joints.

In a study in the United States involving 30 dogs with arthritis, scientists fed half of them with the powdered extract and the other half with a placebo. After six weeks, independent vets scored the relatively ability of the dogs to perform tasks, without knowing which had been fed on the mussel extract.

Dr Hurley said that over half of those taking the treatment showed improvement on a "score" of arthritic symptoms. Nearly 70 per cent showed improvement in a score of joint pain and nearly a quarter were better in terms of swellings.

Dr Hurley said: "We believe that caring for animals through nutrition is sensible and can avoid more invasive or expensive alternatives."

[SCalGal]

My GSD is 80 lbs, and he gets 500mg of glucosamine & 400mg of chondroitin twice a day. I've just added 1000mg of MSM twice a day - haven't seen any results from that, but it's summer, and normally he doesn't have any trouble until the weather turns damp and cold.

I DO use rimadyl, but only occasionally - he fell, last year, and hurt himself so badly that he couldn't put his foot on the ground. He got rimadyl for that, maybe for 5 days, until he was moving well.

Human anti-inflammitories and tylenol should NEVER be given to your dog - I don't remember if they shut down liver or kidneys or both, I just remember the "NEVER" part.

Another option is buffered aspirin; the best is called Ascriptin and has maalox in it.

[gcruse]

475mg/kg
375mg/kg

...of glucosamine and condroitin respectively.
I assume you would feed your dog his normal
amount of food.  The label really doesn't go
into it.

[lsee]

Mussels got lips? Great, I was already traumatized to learn that clams got legs!

[DugwayDuke]

I'm glad to hear your dog is responding well to the rimadyl. It can be a real "silver bullet" that makes a dog feel years younger. It can also destroy their liver function. If you'll remember, a few years ago there were numerous ads on TV about the drug. The FDA gave them the choice of including a disclaimer that one side effect was death or to pull the ads. You do not hear those ads any more. Do a web search for additional information.

So far, we've been able to treat Duke's arthritis with aspirin and he's responded well so we're doing that and holding off the big guns (rimadyl) till it's required. We're also doing a liver function test for a baseline in case we have to try the rimadyl.

[DugwayDuke]

We just switched Duke to Nutro Max (Senior Large Breed) from Petsmart. We've also started giving him a brand of dog biscuits they sell called "Great Choice Healthy Treats". They include shark cartiledge.

We've also put our English Mastiff on that dog food. She won't be three until Feb but she's getting a bit large and the vet said the senior food would be fine and would act as a diet food.

[DugwayDuke]

Funny you would mention Glycoflex. We just switched vets to Banfield animal hospital, a franchise that co-locates with Petsmart. The vet did Duke's preliminary physical last week and suggested the glycoflex. She came out into the store and examined the dog food we're feeding Duke (nutro max senior large breed) and the dog biscuits (they have shark cartiledge) and she indicated these products provided all the stuff the glycoflex provided. I'll ask her Friday about the green muscles. Duke's gettin his comprehensive physical then.

[DugwayDuke]

The saddest thing about the dane's are the short lives. They are such great companions. So far Duke is doing well. He's got a small (stage two) heart murmur and arthritis but other than that he's in remarkable shape. I think some of that is due to his size. He's rather small for a dane, only 140 pounds and barely meets height standards. He's a real sweety.

Our other dog will be three in february. She's an english mastiff.

[gcruse]

Great, I was already traumatized to learn that clams got legs!

Tell me about it!  I just found out a few
days ago that they shave their legs!

[my trusty sig]

Thanks for the replies!

[MagnoliaMS]

So I was pleased to find some brands of dog food my doxie likes that include G&CS in their formula for her. She eats them now.

Okay, give! What brands are they? I have 3 dogs over 9 years old. One with severe arthritis.

[MagnoliaMS]

Uh-oh. I asked that question before I saw your #11. One day I'll learn to READ all the posts before responding. (Maybe)

[gcruse]

PetSmart carries the Nutro line of food. I use Nutro Max for not-so-active dogs. There are several formulations. The ones including glucosamine and chondritin will say so on the bags. Good luck!

[SCalGal]

Nutro makes some very good foods. I don't use them because they aren't high enough in fats for my guys, and I run into skin and coat problems. I think some of that is due to the climate, too.

So, I buy the glucosamine/chondroitin tablets from Trader Joe's, crush them, and put them into the food.

[SCalGal]

The label really doesn't go into it.

There will be an 800 # on the bag. If you ever want more information, or more detail, call it. You'll get customer service and they will answer, or find an answer to your questions.

[Republic]

Question=do you recommend using glucosomine in dogs not yet afflicted with arthritis? Does it work as a preventative-or is this known. I know horses benefit from it. And if you do recommend it-which type? And what about fish oil tabs? I have heard they are wonderful for joints in distress.

[Republic]

We have a 16 month old bernese mtn dog, our second of this breed, who was raised of Nutro large breed puppy and did very well by it. I would LOVE to forstall or prevent the joint problems in the future. Has any research been done in this field-of prevention? I have heard so many different things.

Our pet is now about 78 pounds-probably her adult weight. Our first Bernese was just about the same weight. I have heard everything from giving vitamin C, to fish oil tablets, to glucosomine and chron. etc. What would do or not do and what food would you suggest. She loves Iams adult and Pedigree and the Purina vegie-meat food, called Bountiful, I think-actually, she enjoys about everything. We haven't settled on an adult food yet. But want to do so.

[gcruse]

I've use it with my doxie as a preventive for the last year, or two. I don't think it has been available all that long. I used 'human' glucosamine with amazing results on myself. It required a high initial dosage, then maintenance level. I figure just maintenance level for the dog is fine if she has no arthritis now. She is eight years old, so it couldn't hurt, and I know from my own experience what the contraindications are.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Thanks so much for posting this information.

My beloved lab just turned 5 and has started to show mild symptoms that baby aspirin easily knocks out.

However, I took her to the vet just to confirm my suspicions.

After x-rays confirmed mild arthritis in her hips, the vet recommended rymadyl. But now that I have read your comments, we're probably going to try the glucosamine and chondroitin route.

[SCalGal]

Use a buffered aspirin rather than the baby aspirin. Unbuffered aspirin will give him a bad tummy ache. (Actually, it'll eat holes in the lining of his stomach)