The Feb 15th, 2007, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) published a review of almost 400 research studies done on products to control arthritis symptoms: “Systematic review of clinical trials of treatments for osteoarthritis in dogs.” Although the authors reviewed almost 400 studies, they found only 16 that met their criteria for inclusion in the review. They were looking for studies with as many of these criteria as possible:
- a sufficient number of dogs,
- a control group that was not treated
- randomized dogs rather than placed dogs arbitrarily in groups
- had results that could be objectively—rather than subjectively—measured.
Medications used in the 16 studies included nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDx) or chondroprotectives. Results suggest that the following were effective, with the more effective listed at the top:
- Metacam (Meloxicam)
- Rimadyl (Carprofen)
- EtoGesic (Etodolac)
- Cosequin (chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride, and manganese ascorbate)
- Perna (green-lipped mussels), Perna (Green-lipped muscles)
- Glyco-Flex (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan)
Does this mean you should choose Metacam, Rimadyl or EtoGesic before using Cosequin, Perna or Glyco-Flex for your dog with arthritis? The blog will explore each of these products over the next several days so that you can evaluate how to use information in the “Systematic review” wisely.
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