Introduction: Our objective was to determine the effect of an omega-3 fatty acid rich diet (JM) with and without rehabilitation therapy (R) postoperatively on radiographic bone healing, radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) progression, synovial prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) concentrations, and patellar desmitis in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture
following tibial plateau levelling osteotomy and arthroscopic surgery
(TPLO).
Materials and Methods: Dogs were randomly assigned to one of 4 treatment groups (n=12/group): Purina JM diet (JM), maintenance diet (M), JM and rehabilitation (JM-R), M and rehabilitation (M-R). Outcome assessments included synovial fluid PGE2 and IL-1, radiographic OA scores, tibia osteotomy healing, and patellar tendon thickening preoperatively and at 0, 8, and 24 weeks postoperatively.
Results: PGE2 concentration significantly declined over time in all dogs. M groups had significantly higher PGE2 (p<0.01) than JM groups whereas R had no effect. OA progressed slower in JM groups compared to M groups and in R groups compared to controls (p=0.012 and p<0.05, respectively). There was no change in IL-1 over time in any group. JM groups had less tibial osteotomy healing at 8 and 24 weeks postoperatively compared to M groups, regardless of R (p<0.0001).
Discussion/Conclusion: JM may benefit dogs following TPLO by lowering synovial PGE2 and reducing progression of OA in the 6 months following surgery, however JM may slow tibial osteotomy healing. R can also slow progression of OA in dogs following TPLO.
Acknowledgement: Funding was provided by the Nestle Purina Corp. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the presentation/manuscripts.
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