The Royal Veterinary College is calling for dogs diagnosed with osteoarthritis to take part in a revolutionary study in which their movement will be monitored by a state-of-the-art recorder.

The recorder (pictured right), which is attached to the dog's collar, uses miniaturised sensors based on those found in smart phones. It can distinguish between different activities independent of the dog's location, allowing constant recording of movement in the dog's home environment, to complement the traditional clinical assessments carried out as part of the trial.

The study is being carried out to assess the efficacy of the joint mobility supplement Yumove in reducing the clinical signs of osteoarthritis. This will be the first time that the real effect of a joint supplement has been measured.

Dr. John Howie, co-founder of Lintbells, the company that makes Yumove, said:  "This is the first time the real effect of a joint supplement has been measured and it will be a very fast trial. Yumove is a supplement that has been specifically formulated to include glucosamine, chondroitin and Omega 3 from green-lipped mussel, which all work together to increase joint mobility and provide an anti-inflammatory effect."

The research is being led by Dr Matthew Pead the RVC's Academic Director of Professional Assessment and Development. He said: "The results of this study will have important clinical implications for the understanding and treatment of canine OA, with the ultimate aim of advancing the treatment of this difficult and degenerative disease for the benefit of many thousands of dogs."

Any veterinary surgeon with a patient in their practice that might benefit from this study is invited to refer them. Further details are available the Clinical Investigation Centre at the Royal Veterinary College - email cic@rvc.ac.uk or phone 01707 666605.

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