Non-Steroidal Intra-Articular Therapeutics for the Management of Canine Osteoarthritis: A Survey for Canine Practitioners and a Scoping Review of Current Literature

Abstract

Non-steroidal intra-articular therapeutics (NSIATs) are increasingly used in the multimodal management of canine osteoarthritis (OA). This thesis comprised two projects. The first involved a survey of 174 practitioners to explore clinical use, decision-making, and perceived outcomes associated with NSIATs. Of these, 164 participants performed intra-articular (IA) injections and 144 reported using NSIATs. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and viscosupplements were the most commonly administered NSIATs. Over 50% of participants using PRP and viscosupplements subjectively noted either some or substantial clinical improvement with these therapies. The second project was a scoping review that identified 148 studies on NSIATs. Cellular therapeutics, PRP, and viscosupplements were the most frequently studied. Research in this area has grown over the past decade; however, most studies are non-randomized and lack control, which limits the overall quality of the evidence due to potential bias. Further randomized controlled trials are needed. These findings provide meaningful insight into the current use and evidence base for NSIATs in the management of canine OA.