CPD article: Guiding the owner: the use of supplements in canine osteoarthritis management

Osteoarthritis is the progressive degeneration of cartilage surrounding joints (Sandersoln et al, 2009). It can be painful and debilitating for an affected animal, worrying for an owner and can be a source of both emotional and financial stress. From the author's experience as a veterinary surgeon, osteoarthritis can pose certain unique challenges in management, relating to the identification of chronic pain, comorbidities (as 80% of osteoarthritis cases in canines over 8-years-old) and the longevity of the disease putting strain on owner financials and compliance. Many advocate for a holistic evidence-based multimodal approach to osteoarthritis management, as this is beneficial to the patient. As part of this management owners are oft en reaching for over-the-counter supplements believing them to be natural, side effect-free options.

Some owners may ask your opinion as a veterinary professional, whereas other will come to you already using certain products. It is therefore imperative that veterinary professionals are aware of the evidence behind the products so they can encourage good quality, evidence-based products as the first option. The aim is to avoid owners of arthritic dogs wasting precious finances buying multiple products with little or no evidence to back up their use, to be wary of bold unsubstantiated claims for improvements or health benefits, and to ensure that supplements are not used as a sole intervention for the management of arthritic pain as they are likely to not have the evidence base to support this claim.