Five-year longitudinal study on limited food consumption and development of osteoarthritis in coxofemoral joints of dogs.

摘要

48 Labrador Retrievers in litters from 7 dams and 2 sires were paired according to gender and body weight, within each litter, at 8 weeks of age. One dog of each pair was fed ad libitum. The limit-fed pair-mate was fed 75% of the amount eaten the previous day by the ad libitum-fed counterpart. All dogs received the same diet. Radiographs of coxofemoral joints were examined for frequency and severity of osteoarthritis when dogs were 4 and 6 months and 1, 2, 3, and 5 years old. The results indicatedthat osteoarthritis was more frequent and more severe in the ad libitum-fed group of dogs. Analysis of data suggested that limit feeding of dogs over a 5-year period minimizes development of osteoarthritis in the coxofemoral joints.