Objective: To evaluate the effect of a chondroprotective agent on hematologic, hemostatic, and biochemical variables in clinically normal dogs when administered over 30 days.
Animals: 13 clinically normal Beagles of either sex.
Procedure: Hematologic and hemostatic variables were assessed prior to treatment and on days 3, 14, and 30 of treatment. Biochemical variables were assessed before treatment and on day 30 of treatment.
Results: Significant (P < 0.05) decreases were noted in hematocrit, hemoglobin, WBC, and segmented neutrophil variables on days 3 and 14 of treatment. A significant decrease in red distribution width was noted on days 3 and 30, in RBC count on day 3, and in lymphocyte numbers on day 30. There were also significant reductions of aggregation in response to adenosine diphosphate and collagen on days 14 and 30. Significant decreases were noted in total ATP release in response to collagen on days 14 and 30, as well as significant decrease in platelet count on days 14 and 30. No changes were noted in prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, mucosal bleeding time, or biochemical variables during the study.
Conclusions: Administration of this chondroprotective agent causes minor but not clinically important changes in hematologic and hemostatic variables in young, clinically normal dogs.
Clinical relevance: Oral chondroprotective agents are widely prescribed in veterinary medicine for the treatment of degenerative joint disease; however, to date, little is known about safety of their use.