A study recently undertaken by veterinarians in California has revealed that a diet supplement derived from green lipped mussels can significantly alleviate arthritis pain in most dogs.

The mussels, which inhabit only the waters surrounding New Zealand, have in their flesh Omega-3 fatty acids that greatly reduce joint inflammation.

More than half of all dogs more than 8 years old - especially members of larger breeds - develop arthritis.  The condition commonly is treated with anti-inflammatory drugs that must be administered daily. The medications are generally effective, but often cause stomach irritation, vomiting, anorexia and/or ulcers.

To conduct the study, the veterinarians gave each of 31 arthritic dogs a score corresponding to the severity of his or her condition. Fourteen of the dogs were then given the supplement in their food for a period of six weeks. When the dogs were retested just before the conclusion of the study, 12 of the 14 and only six of the other 17 dogs showed improvement.

Further research is needed to determine if the supplement will prevent dogs from developing arthritis.
 

© 2002 Animal News Center, Inc.