title: Randomised double-blind, positive-controlled trial to assess the efficacy of glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate for the treatment of dogs with osteoarthritis.
abstract: Thirty-five dogs were included in a randomised, double-blind, positive controlled, multi-centre trial to assess the efficacy of an orally-administered glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulfate (Glu/CS) combination for the treatment of confirmed osteoarthritis of hips or elbows. Carprofen was used as a positive control. Dogs were re-examined on days 14, 42 and 70 after initiation of treatment. Medication was then withdrawn and dogs were re-assessed on day 98. Response to treatment was based on subjective evaluation by participating veterinarians who recorded their findings at each visit. Dogs treated with Glu/CS showed statistically significant improvements in scores for pain, weight-bearing and severity of the condition by day 70 (P<0.001). Onset of significant response was slower for Glu/CS than for carprofen-treated dogs. The results show that Glu/CS has a positive clinical effect in dogs with osteoarthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Studies, School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, College of Life Sciences, UCD Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. grainne.mccarthy@ucd.ie
authors.forename: Grainne
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Donovan
authors.forename: Boyd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Hester
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: McAllister
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seed
authors.forename: Carmel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mooney
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D002227:Carbazoles; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; C007005:carprofen; D005944:Glucosamine