Natural Anti-Inflammatory Supplements for Dog Arthritis
Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are just two of many types of natural supplements that help rebuild cartilage and restore synovial (joint) fluid.
A larger list of these substances, which contain a mixture of intact or partially hydrolyzed GAGs, includes green-lipped mussels, sea cucumber, and other forms of cartilage (such as from chicken necks, bovine trachea and shark cartilage) as well as hydrolyzed collagen protein. For instance, many chondroitin sulfate supplements are derived from shark cartilage.
Most of these substances are less effective than glucosamine sulfate primarily due to its better absorption, and yet they can all be tried in turn should you run out of glucosamine/chondroitin options.
There are a number of other substances as well which are also known to help with human and canine arthritis. Many of these are found in glucosamine/chondroitin combination products, although many can be purchased as separate supplements you can try on your pets. This list of substances includes:
MSM, or methylsulfonylmethane, is a biological form of sulfur found in all the cells of the body. There is some evidence that it reduces the pain and inflammation in arthritis sufferers, so you often find it in canine arthritis/dysplasia formulations. While there are many amazing claims made for MSM in human medicine it clearly has value as an anti-inflammatory drug, as does its parent substance dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).
Perna canaliculus , which is the New Zealand green-lipped mussel, is also a well tested substance known to help degenerative joint disease of the knee (stifle) and some arthritis sufferers. In studying the mussels, scientists have found them to be a rich source of the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) that lubricate arthritic joints. Unfortunately, these GAGs are poorly absorbed when taken by mouth as compared to glucosamine sulfate.
Perna is highly beneficial for the treatment of arthritis, but the observed benefits may come more from its natural anti-inflammatory properties than from its ability to directly supply glycosaminoglycans to the body. Regardless of the exact mechanism behind its beneficial properties, it seems to enhance the regenerative capacities of joint chondrocytes by regulating the chondroitin sulfates and hyaluronic acid production needed to maintain healthy joint cells.
You can find Perna mussel in most health food stores (Sea Mussel by FoodScience or green lipped mussel) though it is also available as a veterinary pharmaceutical (Glyco-Flex), which you can obtain from your veterinarian. The dosage of Glyco-Flex is 1 capsule (contains 300 mg of Perna mussel) for every 15 lbs of body weight per day, divided into 2 or 3 doses.
Vitamin C , or ascorbic acid, is another extremely important ingredient you will usually find in many glucosamine formulations, and is especially important in hip dysplasia because there is evidence that hip dysplasia’s genetic component and subsequent expression may be influenced by a deficiency of vitamin C.
When a pregnant dog, for which there is genetic evidence of hip dysplasia, is daily supplemented with 1500- 2000 mg of vitamin C as a preventative measure before breeding, and kept on the supplementation while weaning, and if the pups are then continued on the supplementation until they are nine months old, the majority of puppies will be HD negative. [This protocol can be found in the textbook, "Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine: Principles and Practice."]
What’s important is that vitamin C is required for the production of collagen (as are copper and proline), which is the main supportive protein in cartilage, tendon, and connective tissue. Collagen is the protein that "holds our bodies together" and is critical to the structure and integrity of healthy joints. Basically, vitamin C should be part of any dog’s diet because it is necessary for normal bone development and can help maintain the integrity of the vascular system that supplies blood to healthy bones and joints.
Fish oils contain high concentrations ofEPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docasahexaenoic acid), which are omega 3 fatty acids that act as anti-inflammatory agents in the body. Even dogs need fats in their diet, and the omega 3 fatty acids from fish oils help reduce pain and swelling wherever inflammation is present. Research at Cardiff University has even demonstrated that the omega-3 fatty acids can not only relieve the inflammatory symptoms of arthritis, but can also switch off certain collagen-degrading enzymes that attack and destroy joint cartilage.
Usually, these anti-inflammatory agents are sold as separate products you can give your dog to help control arthritis symptoms. They promote joint health, general well-being and most interestingly, there is an excellent controlled study showing that feeding a diet enriched with DHA, EPA and other nutritional supplements results in a substantial and measurable improvement in older dogs’ memory. Most of all, however, they help reduce arthritis pain and inflammation.
Whenever you are supplementing with fish oils, you should also be supplementing with a “full spectrum” vitamin E, which helps the body protect against the oxidation and rancidity of the oils. Vitamin E also helps protect red blood cells and helps the body maintain healthy cell membranes.
Vitamin A is another vitamin you’ll commonly find in glucosamine preparations because it helps in the growth and repair of body tissues, aids in bone formation, and helps the immune system fight infection. Together with vitamins C and E, you’ll find a variety of vitamins in canine glucosamine formulations. While the dosage recommendations will vary based on the animal, 2,000 IU of Vitamin A per 50lb. dog per day as well as 1000 mg of buffered vitamin C twice a day and 400 I.U. of Vitamin E are general suggestions.
Whenever a dog suffers from dysplasia or arthritis, it is often beneficial to provide one or more herbal supplements that are known to help with arthritis inflammation in humans. You can take turns between various herbals to see if your pet experiences any positive effects, such as rotating among yucca, bromelain, boswella, curcumin (tumeric), and other natural anti-inflammatories. Some of the well known anti-arthritis herbs include the following:
Yucca has a lengthy history in the treatment of osteoarthritis because of the presence of saponins, which block the release of toxins from the intestine that interfere with (inhibit) the production of cartilage. Studies have shown that bacterial endotoxins from the intestine depress the manufacture of cartilage, and yucca seems to interfere with this result. Yucca also has anti-inflammatory properties and the saponins elevate the body's ability to produce "natural" cortisone.
Bromelain , an enzyme derived from pineapples, has over 200 papers written on it since it was introduced as a health supplement in 1957, and is a key ingredient of the enzyme formulation Wobezyme that’s often used by arthritis sufferers. It helps to inhibit pro-inflammatory compounds circulating in the blood that cause swelling, tenderness and pain, so it can help control the progression of canine arthritis. It relieves pain not just in sprains and injuries, but in chronically inflamed joints and some studies have shown it to be almost as effective as NSAID medications for reducing arthritic pain.
Curcumin, which comes from tumeric (a member of the ginger family), is often given together with bromelain to increase their potency. Used in Indian ayurveda for centuries, it’s well known for its anti-inflammatory properties, and for alleviating the pain and stiffness of arthritis. Health food stores typically stock combinations of bromelain and curcumin for inflammation and you would give dogs 400-500 mg of bromelain with 500-400 mg of curcumin twice a day.
Boswellia serrata is an herb native to India and used for centuries in the Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine for osteoarthritis. One of the active ingredients, boswellic acid, has well demonstrated anti-arthritic effects because of several different mechanisms: it inhibits inflammation, reduces swelling, prevents decreased cartilage synthesis, and improves the blood supply to joint tissues. It also improves mobility where individuals experience stiffness in the joints.
These are a few of the more useful herbs and supplements that can help with arthritis pain and inflammation. While people also talk about using Devil’s claw or feverfew, the products discussed above seem to work best on most animals. If you want to find a veterinary herbalist who is skilled at using herbs like this for animal health and disease, you can contact the VBMA for a reference:
Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association
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