Veterinary Medicine

Chinese medicine tackles canine osteoarthritis

Timber, Dorothy Potter’s Husky, had serious arthritis problems. He had difficulty supporting the weight of his own body and had such a limp in his left rear leg that he couldn’t walk straight and sometimes lost his balance. After a clinical examination, his veterinarian, Colleen Murphy, prescribed some elk velvet antler tablets.

After one week, Timber was back to normal. He walked better, and went up and down stairs as if he was in perfect health. This may sound like some bad infomercial but according to a very serious clinical study published in the Canadian Veterinary Journal, the effectiveness of elk velvet antler tablets can no longer be doubted. “We noted a big improvement in cases of lameness, general health and vitality in dogs given the treatment. I did conceal the fact that we were very surprised by the results. This treatment works extremely well. It compares favourably with the most commonly used anti-inflammatories,” explains Maxim Moreau, the author of the study and a researcher at Université de Montréal.

Published in February 2004 and entitled “ Clinical evaluation of a powder of quality elk velvet antler for the treatment of osteoarthrosis in dogs,” the paper reports on 13 dogs receiving a placebo treatment for 30 days, then the elk velvet tablets for 60 days. Another group of 25 dogs received the tablets for 60 days. The results are conclusive: the dogs treated with elk velvet antler showed a clear improvement in their state of health, while the others showed no difference. Animal arthritis is a real scourge that affects up to 20% of dogs. The more seriously afflicted breeds include the Labrador and golden retriever. The afflicted animal can suffer a great deal, and must undergo major surgery when the pain progresses. A number of studies are under way to find alternative treatments.

This particular trial was conducted with adult dogs weighing more than 20 kilograms, all afflicted with various orthopedic problems. Each one had at least one joint affected by arthritis, and the diagnosis was confirmed by radiological examination. To eliminate bias, the researcher used a plate with sensors that measured the weight distributed on each leg during walking. The cases of lameness were thus expressed in quantitative data on which the researcher could base conclusions about the treatment. But these were not the only data used. Clinical signs were assessed by an orthopedic surgeon; performances in daily life activities and vitality were assessed by the owners. In addition, complete blood analyses were obtained at day 0, after 30 days of placebo and/or after 60 days of treatment.

“On placebo, the 13 dogs did not show significant improvement,” wrote the authors that included Maxim Moreau and three other researchers. “However, their gait, their performances in daily activities and their vitality were significantly improved on (elk velvet antler). The 25 dogs (on elk velvet antler) for 60 days showed similar improvements.” The researchers conclude that administration of elk velvet antler was effective in alleviating the condition in arthritic dogs.