One of the most common orthopedic findings in cats and dogs is osteoarthritis (OA), with an estimated prevalence of 90% in dogs after 5 years of age. This is a chronic and progressive condition that affects the quality of life of pets. There is no cure only treatments to retard progression and manage pain, these include adaptations in the environment, weight loss, specific exercises, physical therapy and pain management.
Regarding pain management, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most common but at the cost of side effects related to prolonged administration. Alternative treatment options to reduce cartilage destruction and increase repair are desirable in veterinary medicine. The most well-known and proved effective supplements with these properties are glucosamine and chondroitin.
The aim of this study is to test the effectiveness of a supplement with the combination of green-lipped mussel, curcumin and black current leaf extract in the locomotion and behavior of dogs and cats with mild to moderate OA. Green-lipped mussel is rich in fatty acids, known for their anti-inflammatory properties, curcumin is shown to reduce the synthesis of prostaglandins and has been proved effective in dogs with OA and black current has protective properties for the cartilage and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals.
This is a double blinded, randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled trial, where all animals were adults, radiographically diagnosed with OA, only taking NSAIDs as rescue analgesia and without any other supplementation. Outcome was measured through the Helsinki Chronic Pain Index (HCPI) – an eleven-step questionnaire that accesses pain. In the participant dogs OA was stagged using COAST and walk force plate analysis was performed.
All dogs improved the HCPI but this improvement also occurred in the placebo group. COAST scores improved significantly in the supplemented group which demonstrated a trend. Due to large variation of results and small sample a significant statistical difference could not be found. In cats there was an improvement of HCPI parameters in relation to the placebo group, for example in the ability to groom. This was a single dose treatment study, higher doses and during a longer period could provide better results, further research would be needed to expand the findings of this study.
In conclusion, the supplement had a positive response in reducing pain and lameness according to the owner’s observation and COAST but further studies need to be done in order to access it’s efficacy.
Corbee, R. J. (2022) 'The efficacy of a nutritional supplement containing green-lipped mussel, curcumin and blackcurrant leaf extract in dogs and cats with osteoarthritis' Veterinary Medicine and Science. 8(3), pp. 1025-1035