Weight-Related Conditions

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Canine osteoarthritis

One in five adult dogs suffers from osteoarthritis, a progressive and painful condition that reduces mobility and quality of life.1

A line-up of the outlines of five dogs, one of those outlines is filled in.

Purina's research

Golden Retriever puppy

In a landmark study, Purina researchers monitored the health of 48 Labrador Retrievers from puppyhood throughout their lives.2 The results showed that dogs fed to maintain a lean body condition from puppyhood throughout life had significantly less osteoarthritis, in addition to having a longer lifespan.2-4

In this study, the mean age at which 50% of the dogs in each group first required long-term treatment for osteoarthritis was significantly (P < 0.01) later for the lean-fed group (13.3 years) than for the control-fed group (10.3 years).2

By two years of age, the frequency of hip dysplasia in the lean-fed dogs was 50% less than in the control group, and the hip dysplasia was much less severe.5

At the end of the study, only 50% of the lean-fed group had radiographic signs of hip osteoarthritis compared to 83% of control-fed dogs.3

Maintaining a lean body condition also resulted in lower prevalence and severity of shoulder osteoarthritis and elbow osteoarthritis, respectively, at 8 years of age.4

Severity of hip displasia chart. In 2 groups of 24 dogs, one group being a control group and the other group being lean-fed; records of the number of dogs showing any sign of hip displasia. Control group: mild, 7, moderate, 5, severe, 5. Control total 17 of 24 dogs. Lean-fed group: mild, 2, moderate, 4, severe, 3. Lean-fed total, 9 of 24 dogs.

Key thing to remember

  • Dogs fed to maintain a lean body condition from puppyhood throughout life had significantly less osteoarthritis, in addition to a longer lifespan.

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  1. Johnston, S. A. (1997). Osteoarthritis: Joint anatomy, physiology, and pathobiology. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 27(4), 699–723.
  2. Kealy, R. D., Lawler, D. F., Ballam, J. M., Mantz, S. L., Biery, D. N., Greeley, E. H., Lust, G., Segre, M., Smith G. K., & Stowe, H. D. (2002). Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 220(9), 1315–1320.
  3. Smith, G. K., Paster, E. R., Powers, M. Y., Lawler, D. F., Biery, D. N., Shofer, F. S., McKelvie, P. J., & Kealy, R. D. (2006). Lifelong diet restriction and radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis of the hip joint in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 229(5), 690–693.
  4. Kealy, R. D., Lawler, D. F., Ballam, J. M., Lust, G., Biery, D. N., Smith, G. K., & Mantz, S. L. (2000). Evaluation of the effect of limited food consumption on radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 217(11), 1678–1680.
  5. Kealy, R. D., Olsson, S. E., Monti, K. L., Lawler, D. F., Biery, D. N., Helms, R. W., Lust, G., & Smith, G. K. (1992). Effects of limited food consumption on the incidence of hip dysplasia in growing dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 201(6), 857–863.