To evaluate the effects of diet restriction on development of radiographic evidence of hip joint osteoarthritis in dogs.
Restricted feeding delayed or prevented development of radiographic signs of hip jointosteoarthritis in this cohort of Labrador Retrievers. Lifetime maintenance of 25% diet restriction delayed onset and reduced severity of hip joint osteoarthritis, thus favorably affecting both duration and quality of life. In addition, the data indicated that development of hipjoint osteoarthritis was not bimodal in these dogs but occurred as a continuum throughout life.