Have you been wondering about Adequan for dogs, specifically how it can help with arthritis?
For starters, Adequan is an injectable drug that is approved by the FDA for managing arthritis in dogs. It is considered a disease-modifying drug.
It helps protect cartilage and decrease inflammation, however it does NOT rebuild cartilage. That means that the earlier in the arthritis management you can start using Adequan, the more effective it may be at slowing the progression of arthritis and reducing your dog’s pain.
Should I consider Adequan?
Adequan is a good option for dogs that have been diagnosed with a developmental orthopedic disease and may or may not be exhibiting symptoms of arthritis (Stages 0-1). It may also decrease lameness, pain, and inflammatory markers in dogs with stage 2-4 arthritis.
Adequan is either injected into the muscle or injected subcutaneously (SQ) into the fatty tissue just below the skin. Your veterinarian may be able to show you how to perform the SQ injections safely at home.
Your veterinarian will likely recommend starting with Adequan injections twice a week for 4 weeks, then decreasing to a maintenance dose. The maintenance dose might look like getting once a week injections for 4 weeks, and then once every 4 weeks.
There are currently no other products similar to Adequan approved for use in the US.
Pentosan, sold under the brand name Cartrophen, is a disease-modifying arthritis drug used in Australia, Canada, and Europe. A pharmaceutical company has been trying to obtain FDA approval for Pentosan (brand name Zydax) in the US, but to date, the clinical studies have not been sufficient for approval. There are no studies comparing Adequan to Pentosan/Cartrophen.