Clinical Research & Trusted Sources
We don't do anything without science to prove its safety & efficacy. The following articles contribute to our endless learning & commitment to the best Veterinary Medicine.
Topic Shortcuts
Osteoarthritis (OA)
Beyond surgery: A multimodal approach to managing osteoarthritis (OA) pain
Veterinary Practice News
Published July 9, 2025
Dogs can exhibit signs of osteoarthritis as early as 8 months of age, but early intervention can minimize lifelong arthritis formation and pain. This includes surgery, weight management, and physical rehabilitation. It's also important to note that Librela (bedinvetmab), while effective in pain relief, does not address inflammation or arthritis formation.
Managing OA requires controlling inflammation
Veterinary Practice News
Published March 3, 2024
Nerve growth inhibitors, like Librela, may be helpful for pain but do not treat inflammation and have no evidence for long term safety. Therefore, they should be avoided until other treatment options like weight management, nutrition, NSAIDs, and prescribed exercise have been pursued first.
A randomized double-blinded controlled trial on the effects of photobiomodulation therapy in dogs with osteoarthritis
American Journal of Veterinary Research
Published June 28, 2022
Dogs with hip osteoarthritis that were treated with medical grade photobiomodulation therapy (laser) experienced less pain and better function than dogs that did not.
Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs: Associated Joint Disorders, Cancers, and Urinary Incontinence
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Published July 6, 2020
The overall major finding from the present study is that there are breed differences – and sometimes sex differences – with regard to the increased risks of joint disorders and cancers associated with neutering at various ages. A likely mechanism by which early neutering may lead to a joint disorder is related to disturbance of the closure of the long-bone growth plates by gonadal hormone secretion as the animal approaches maturity.
Diet & Weight Management
Pit bull–type breeds with dilated cardiomyopathy eating nontraditional diets improve after diet change (2015–2022)
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Published April 14, 2023
Dogs with heart disease that were eating grain-free diets showed an improvement in cardiac health once switched to a traditional commercial diet.
Integration of a physical training program in a weight loss plan for overweight pet dogs
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Published January 15, 2016
Dogs that participated in a structured exercise program as part of their weight loss plan were able to retain more musculature than dogs with calorie restriction alone.
Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Published May 1, 2002
Median life span was significantly longer for dogs in which food was restricted. The onset of clinical signs of chronic disease generally was delayed for food-restricted dogs.
Cranial Cruciate Ligament Injury (CCL/ACL)
Cumulative gonadal hormone exposure is nonlinearly associated with risk of canine cranial cruciate ligament disease: a generalised additive model analysis of 20,590 dogs (1988-2023)
British Small Animal Veterinary Association Journal of Small Animal Practice - Published August 21, 2025
Dogs that are spayed/neutered before 2-3 years of age have a higher risk of Cruciate Ligament injury than dogs that remained intact.
Most agility dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture return to competition within 2 years of injury
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Published March 12, 2025
Dogs that are in good physical condition prior to injury, receive treatment from a veterinarian with advanced training, and were not spayed/neutered before 2 years of age were more likely to successfully return to agility sports.
Assessment of the effects of diet and physical rehabilitation on radiographic findings and markers of synovial inflammation in dogs following tibial plateau leveling osteotomy
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Published March 15, 2018
Post-Op TPLO dogs that were switched to a joint support diet and participated in physical rehabilitation had slower osteoarthritis progression than those that did not.
Severity of patellar luxation and frequency of concomitant cranial cruciate ligament rupture in dogs: 162 cases (2004–2007)
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Published April 15, 2010
Dogs with Medial Patellar Luxation (MPL) are more likely to experience Cranial Cruciate Ligament injury, especially as MPL worsens.
Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)
Demographic and lifestyle characteristics impact lifetime prevalence of owner-reported intervertebral disc disease: 43,517 companion dogs in the United States
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Published January 15, 2025
Dogs spayed/neutered at younger age tend to have higher risk for IVDD. Males are affected more often than females. Dogs with more than 1 hour of activity per day had lower odds of IVDD. Home prepared diets may increase risk.
Comparison of decompressive surgery, electroacupuncture, and decompressive surgery followed by electroacupuncture for the treatment of dogs with intervertebral disk disease with long-standing severe neurologic deficits
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Published June 1, 2010
For dogs with more than 48 hours severe neurological deficits, electroacupuncture was more effective than decompressive surgery for return to ambulation.
Evaluation of electroacupuncture treatment for thoracolumbar intervertebral disk disease in dogs
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Published September 15, 2007
Non-ambulatory dogs with IVDD that received electroacupuncture in addition to western medical treatment regain the ability to walk faster than dogs that received western medical treatment alone.
Manual Manipulations
Manual Therapy in Veterinary Patients
Merck Veterinary Manual
Published October 2024
Massage can be extremely therapeutic with the correct training but chiropractics pose an immense threat to animals, including neurological and circulatory injuries. Non-veterinarians can often perform chiropractic treatments despite having no formal education in animal anatomy or pathophysiology.
Prescription Medications & Supplements
Rapidly progressive osteoarthritis (RPOA) in companion animals treated with bedinvetmab (Librela™): an expected pathophysiological phenomenon or a cause for concern?
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Published August 29, 2025
Increasing numbers of dogs being given Librela are presenting with accelerated osteoarthritis that severely impacts comfort and function. This adverse effect has been apparent in multiple studies conducted on human NGF inhibitors. Human trials showed worsened symptoms when patients on NGF inhibitors were also taking NSAIDs - will dogs experience the same?
Musculoskeletal adverse events in dogs receiving bedinvetmab (Librela)
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Published May 8, 2025
Ligament/tendon injuries, polyarthritis, fractures, musculoskeletal neoplasia, and septic arthritis were reported nine times more frequently in Librela-treated dogs. Studies have shown that NSAIDs are equally effective at treating osteoarthritis pain when compared to Librela
FDA panel votes against Pfizer’s tanezumab for osteoarthritis pain
Pharmaceutical Technology
Published March 26, 2021
The human equivalent to Librela was rejected by the Food & Drug Administration because there was no evidence that it was more effective than traditional treatments like ibuprofen and the risk of Rapid Progression Osteoarthritis was too great.
Acupuncture
The scientific basis of acupuncture for veterinary pain management: A review based on relevant literature from the last two decades
Open Veterinary Journal
Published April 3, 2021
Veterinary Medical Acupuncture has evolved from Traditional Chinese Medicine to become a proven modality for powerful pain relief and neurological stimulation.