The products that improve the health of the articular cartilage are not considered drugs, but are termed nutraceuticals. This is a rapidly growing area of interest in veterinary medicine as the concerns about the side effects of the NSAIDS have veterinarians looking for other options.

Some tetracyclines (doxycycline and minocycline) reduce the degeneration of cartilage in dogs with ruptured cruciate ligaments, which can be very useful for the treatment of arthritis. Furthermore, some injectable disease-modifying osteoarthritis agents such as polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (Adequan) can help to prevent the breakdown of cartilage.

Adequan Canine polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG) is the only product in use today proven to control the symptoms and to alter the underlying degenerative disease process of canine arthritis. Adequan Canine is a member of a new class of drugs termed disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOAD). It is the first therapy proven to control the pain and inflammation of canine arthritis while breaking the destructive cycle of osteoarthritis by inhibiting or blocking cartilage and synovial enzyme destruction to the cartilage matrix.

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