Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Calorie restriction and elbow arthritis in Labrador retrievers over
By Huck, Jennifer L et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2009·Department of Clinical Studies, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A longitudinal study of the influence of lifetime food restriction on development of osteoarthritis in the canine elbow.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of Labrador retrievers was studied to see if feeding them fewer calories throughout their lives would help prevent or lessen elbow osteoarthritis (OA). The dogs were divided into two groups: one group received a normal diet while the other group had their calories reduced by 25%. After several years, researchers found no significant differences in the development or severity of elbow OA between the two groups. However, the dogs that ate less lived about 1.8 years longer. This suggests that while calorie restriction may not prevent elbow OA, it could help dogs live longer.
People also search for: Labrador retriever elbow arthritis · dog diet and osteoarthritis · how to manage dog joint pain
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report the effects of age and lifetime calorie restriction on development and progression of osteoarthritis (OA) in elbow joints of Labrador retrievers. STUDY DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study. ANIMALS: Labrador retriever dogs (n=48). METHODS: Puppies from 7 litters were allotted to 2 groups of 24 dogs each. Diet-restricted (DR) dogs received 25% fewer calories than control-fed (CF) pair mates. Elbow radiographs were taken at 6 and 8 years of age and end of life (EOL). Gross and histopathologic evaluations for OA occurred at EOL. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in radiographic OA frequency between groups at any of the time points. Radiographic OA severity was greater for CF dogs at 6 years only (P<.05). There was no significant difference between feeding groups for histopathologic prevalence or severity of OA. Similarly, there were no differences in gross OA lesions between the groups (P>.05). Fragmented medial coronoid process, un-united anconeal process, and osteochondrosis were not present in any elbow. CONCLUSION: No differences in prevalence or severity of radiographic and histopathologic elbow OA were found between feeding groups. Diet restriction resulted in a 1.8-year extension in median lifespan but no additional incremental worsening of elbow disease. Evaluation at time points <6 years may have revealed larger differences in OA prevalence and severity between the dietary groups. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These findings support calorie restriction as a clinical tool to slow progression of elbow OA.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19236677/