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Osteoarthritis is the most common rheumatic disease encountered in small animal practice. No longer is osteoarthritis regarded as a simple consequence of aging and cartilage degeneration, but rather, the pathologic changes of osteoarthritis may result from active biochemical and biomechanical processes partly due to disturbances of the homeostatic mechanisms of anabolic and catabolic pathways. As to the cause of osteoarthritis, there is no one etiology and its cause may be multifactorial. While there are many initiating causes, osteoarthritis is an irreversible process that often results in an end-stage clinical syndrome of the joint.

Osteoarthritis is a common, often-debilitating disease of both animals and humans. It may involve any joint, but the joints most clinically affected are the hip, elbow, shoulder, knee, and spine. It is estimated that one in five dogs will show obvious signs of pain from osteoarthritis; in many more dogs, however, the signs will be subtle or subclinical. In dogs, the most common form of osteoarthritis is canine hip dysplasia. The radiographic prevalence of canine hip dysplasia is as high as 75% in some breeds and the disease can cause pain and dysfunction in affected animals.

Osteoarthritis is a chronic and potentially debilitating disease involving the disruption of metabolic homeostasis within the articular chondrocyte. Specifically, osteoarthritis involves an increased ratio of cartilage-degrading enzymes (matrix metalloproteinases, or MMPs) to their normal inhibitors, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). It is the imbalance of TIMPs and MMPs that contributes to the pathologic breakdown of cartilage. Dietary fatty acids can help to correct this imbalance by modulating the production of inflammatory mediators.

A comprehensive weight-loss program that returns overweight dogs to optimal body weight and body condition can improve osteoarthritic dogs' ability to move more normally. In a study conducted at Texas A&M University, moderately overweight to obese dogs lost weight through a combination of a weight-management diet and increased exercise. Based on force-plate gait analysis, the dogs exerted significantly more force on each limb and moved more quickly. The abstract below, published in the proceedings of the 2000 Purina Nutrition Forum, provides additional details.

Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, is the most prevalent joint disorder in dogs, affecting as many as 20% of adult dogs. Osteoarthritis is associated with inflammation and increased degradation or loss of proteoglycans from the extracellular matrix, resulting in a morphologic breakdown in articular cartilage.

Skamper-Ramp? provides animals with a way out of their water entrapment. The product is easy to assemble and install the company says.

Veterinary Sales & Service introduces the Tringa Linear ultrasound scanner from Esaote Pie Medical.

NEW YORK-More than 20 Veterinary Emergency Response Team (VMAT) members convened at Madison Square Garden last month, acting as medical detail for security working the Republican National Convention.

Osborne Industries Inc. and Swine Management Services LLC (SMS) jointly announce a new cooperative agreement between the two companies to provide an offer to users of Porcode? and TEAM? electronic sow feeding and electronic estrous detection system.

Synbiotics announces the USDA approval of their Witness FeLV antigen test kit.

WESTBROOK, MAINE-IDEXX Laboratories Inc. announces the Equine Health Profile (EHP) for the VetTest? Chemistry Analyzer.

Securos announces the release of its Carpal Arthrodesis Plates.

FORT COLLINS, COLO.-Heska introduces the FVRCP vaccine providing protection against the most prevalent causes of feline upper respiratory disease and feline panleukopenia without needles.

Jorgensen Laboratories Inc. introduces the AdvanTive IV catheter.

The AAEP supports the use of licensed technicians for some dental procedures.

Kendall's auto-suture stapling device helps veterinarians perform surgeries with more speed and precision, the company says.

Solid Tech received licenses to produce and sell three cattle vaccine products.

Abbott Animal Health, a division of Abbott Laboratories, launched a new Web site to communicate its vision and educating the veterinary community on its products and services, according to the company.

Thermo Electron Corp. introduces ALKOntrol Blood Gas and Electrolyte Quality Controls with an expanded list of assay values.

Ideologies largely are emotional,which makes them good topics to avoid

She took a piggy off death row and nursed it back from three deadly ailments.

To convince skeptical clients that their pets can eat and drink with an Elizabethan collar on, we took a picture of a patient doing just that and posted the picture by the checkout desk.

Tri-Delta Diagnostics Inc. introduces Equine Rapid Pregnancy Test.

Buck Mountain Botanicals offers a parasite dust that is non-mutagenic and non-toxic to warm blooded animals, fish and birds.

Vitality Systems' Chondro-Flex? Stage 1 for puppies and dogs is available exclusively through veterinarians.

Monoject prefilled syringes are heparinized and ready-to-use, saving time and eliminating cross contamination.

Jorgensen Laboratories Inc. introduces the Bullpen IV Fluid Warming Station.

Jorgensen Laboratories Inc. introduces the Slim Lite line of radiographic viewing equipment.

The AquaPacer was designed specifically for equine rehabilitation using water buoyancy, resistance and heat combined with the horse's normal gait for therapeutic healing, strengthening, conditioning and training.

The Jockey Club Information Systems (TJCIS) has introduced Veterinary Management? Software, a comprehensive management program that organizes all health and billing records of horses for equine veterinary practices.