Search Results for: arthritis supplement

Is Recommending Glucosamine for Arthritis Evidence-Based Medicine, or Wishful Thinking?

In January, I discussed growing skepticism about the benefits of oral glucosamine and chondroitin as a treatment for arthritis in dogs and cats. In that post, I made reference to a short feature I wrote which appeared in the Journal … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 19 Comments

Skepticism about Glucosamine for Arthritis in Dogs and Cats is Growing

Ok, maybe not. But still, any sign that folks are questioning this ubiquitous practice is a good thing. I have written a number of times about the question of whether or not oral glucosamine and chondroitin are useful for arthritis … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 96 Comments

Safety and Efficacy of NSAIDs for Canine Arthritis

A common justification for the use of alternative therapies, with or without evidence concerning safety and efficacy, is that they are appropriate when conventional medicine does not have an established effective treatment for the problem. This is a legitimate argument … Continue reading

Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine | Comments Off on Safety and Efficacy of NSAIDs for Canine Arthritis

Another Study of Fish Oil for Canine Arthritis

In January, a couple of research studies were published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) investigating the possible usefulness of dietary fish oil supplementation for treating the symptoms of arthritis in dogs.[1-2] I have previously discussed … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 5 Comments

Two Studies of Fish Oil for Canine Arthritis

One of the most popular nutritional supplements these days is fish oil. It contains a high proportion of omega 3 fatty acids (EFA), notable eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This supplement is purported to have a broad range … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 24 Comments

Homeopathy Works for Arthritis–Or Maybe Not

I recently ran across an article in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (eCAM) titled Evaluating Complementary Therapies for Canine Osteoarthritis–Part II: A homeopathic Combination Preparation (Zeel) (Hielm-Bjorkman, A et al 2009:6(4)465-471). According to the authors, “a homeopathic combination … Continue reading

Posted in Homeopathy | 9 Comments

Veterinary Joint Supplements-Glucosamine & Chondroitin

What is it?   Osteoarthritis (OA), also called degenerative joint disease (DJD), is a common and painful disease in older humans and animals. OA mostly affects cartilage, the hard but slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 27 Comments

Evidence Update: What’s New with Cannabis for Pets?

It’s been ten years since my first post on the use of cannabis in dogs and cats. For a while, I regularly covered new research studies, but the number of those has become great enough that keeping up with individual papers is … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 2 Comments

Are NSAID Pain Relievers Dangerous for Your Dog?

One of the most common and useful class of medications available to veterinarians are the non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs). These treat pain and inflammation, and the evidence for their safety and effectiveness is robust (1, 2). Like all medications that have any … Continue reading

Posted in General | 18 Comments

Why do Dogs get Old? Some Basic Theories of Aging.

Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really. Agnes Sligh Turnbull The question of why our dogs have to get old can be primarily a rhetorical one, expressing our dismay at the process. It can also be a philosophical … Continue reading

Posted in Aging Science | Leave a comment