True or false - Supplements play a crucial role in managing joint pain.

I want to be clear, I am in no way broad strokes, shitting on supplements. My own dogs take supplements. However!

In a multi-modal + evidence-based approach to managing joint pain, supplements come last.

First and foremost, of the limited evidence supporting supplements, none of it is for pain relief. If you are struggling to financially or logistically manage your dog's joint pain, you should confidently skip supplements.

The limited evidence for supplements like omega-3 fatty acids or glucosamine & chondroitin are functional benefits. They are in no way replacements for NSAID's, even if they confer some anti-inflammatory effect. Additionally, these possible benefits can take months to happen.

Caregiver placebo effect is when dog guardians AND vets perceive a dog benefitted from treatment, when there was no measurable change. The widespread failure to identify dog suffering until they’re in agony, casts doubt on our ability to detect changes from supplements.

Finally, they're only slightly more regulated than dog behavior professionals. Quality, evidence-based service/product is a crapshoot.

So, if you have the financial means & you aren't replacing evidence-based interventions with supplements - by all means! Otherwise, there's better ways to spend your hard earned money.

​Belshaw, Z., Asher, L., & Dean, R. S. (2016). The attitudes of owners and veterinary professionals in the United Kingdom to the risk of adverse events associated with using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat dogs with osteoarthritis. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 131, 121-126.

Conzemius, M. G., & Evans, R. B. (2012). Caregiver placebo effect for dogs with lameness from osteoarthritis. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 241(10), 1314-1319. Retrieved Sep 29, 2023, from https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.241.10.1314

McCormack, S., & Capon, H. (2020, January 24). CAM Live: Joint Supplements Part 1. Canine Arthritis Management. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Awzsfu0L0A

McCormack, S., & Capon, H. (2020c, January 24). Cam live: Joint supplements Part 2. Canine Arthritis Management. Youtube Video Unlisted.

Roush, J. K., Cross, A. R., Renberg, W. C., Dodd, C. E., Sixby, K. A., Fritsch, D. A., Allen, T. A., Jewell, D. E., Richardson, D. C., Leventhal, P. S., & Hahn, K. A. (2010). Evaluation of the effects of dietary supplementation with fish oil omega-3 fatty acids on weight bearing in dogs with osteoarthritis. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 236(1), 67-73. Retrieved Sep 29, 2023, from https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.236.1.67