Two recent studies on the effects of omega -3 fatty acids and arthritis in dogs were published in the January 1 and March 1 issues of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The studies involved 274 dogs with osteoarthritis. In each study one group was fed a diet supplemented with 3.5% omega-3 fatty acids (Hill's Prescription Diet JD). The other group (control group) was fed the same diet without the added omega-3 fatty acids. Each study lasted about 3 months. The first study looked for improvement of arthritis symptoms with the use of force-plate analysis, a computer assisted machine that measures how much weight the dog is placing on each limb, as well as subjective evaluations of the researchers. The study showed that 82% of the omega-3 fed group were improved versus 38% of the control group.
In the second study both groups of dogs (omega-3 group and a control group) received carprofen (Rimadyl (c) Pfizer) a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NASAID). The study showed that by supplementing omega-3 fatty acids the dosage of carprofen could be reduced. This is significant because of the relatively high cost of prescription NASAID drugs.
(The photo shows severe osteoarthritis in the knee of a 13 year old dog)
That's why we give Froggy Omega 3's everyday!
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