The two types of arthritis are rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is the result of immune problems and tends to effect all the joints in the victim. This talk is about the much more common osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease that is common in man and all other animals. Normal joints of long bones have a protective coating of soft cartilage on the end and is surrounded by a joint capsule that holds synovial fluid that lubricates the joint. The body is always breaking down old cartilage and building new cartilage so there is a smooth surface where bone of arms and legs meet.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is where for one of several reasons, the cartilage wears out allowing the bones to grind together. Since this is painful, the man or animal is reluctant to use that joint which is seen as a limp in animals or a limp or not lifting items of weight for people.

OA is a very old disease with fossils of dinosaurs, cave bears and very early humans shows changes to ends of long bones. Typical of arthritis there are many causes of OA with some of the more common being traumatic injuries to the joint (college football players), overweight, infection (septic arthritis), poor nutrition (especially South American born camelids) and poor conformation.

This history of medical treatment in the U.S. starts with “patent medicines” with enough narcotics so that person couldn’t stand up if he/she wanted to. As the problem of narcotic addiction became apparent the U.S. government (FDA) put much tighter control on these types of medications.

In 1953, two M.D.’s in England won the Noble Prize in Medicine for isolating the body’s natural hormone, cortisone, but made a mistake when they said it “cured” arthritis. Within 10-15 years the side effects of excessive cortisone was well known in the medical field. The next move by the pharmaceutical industry was to develop a Non–steroid Antiflammatory Drug (NSAID) that would block the pain from the bad joint to the head so the person or animal would not feel the arthritis and in turn, not limp.

Even the earliest NSAID (Phenybutizone) had side effects that could be a problem if over used. Because of possible profits the drug companies are still looking for a better NSAID but the newer (stronger) ones are costly as well as having major side-effects (VIOXX). In the human field joint replacement is becoming the favorite way of dealing with OA .

Because OA has been a problem for people long before Merck, Pfizer and Dow Chemical wanted to make money, other cultures around the world have tried local native plants (herbs). They stopped using herbs that didn’t work or had side effects and continued to use those herbs that helped overcome the pain of OA. For thousands of years the natives of India used two herbs that help OA. The first is Turmeric (one of the spices in curry powder) which is now known to promote new blood vessels in a damaged area. Neovascularization helps bring oxygen and nutrients to damaged cartilage for quicker repair. Boswellia Serratta (Indian Frankincense) has chemicals that have anti-inflammatory properties, allow more joint flexibility and in typical dosages has no side-effects. Natives of South Africa found Devil’s Claw root helped OA. From the Amazon come Cat’s Claw vine. North American natives found that Yucca leaf, Feverfew, and White Willow Bark helped OA. Yucca leaf helps increase the amount of join fluid and makes it slipperier like WD-40. Alfalfa from Persia was known by the Romans to help war horses recover faster and fight better the next day after a hard day of fighting with the barbarians. It mainly helped muscle soreness and stiffness, which are common with OA.

Besides herbs from around the world to help OA, the other major change in the last 15 years are nutraceuticals. Nutraceuticals (nutrients that are pharmacology active and help promote healing) were used first on dogs, then horses and now people. Glucosamine was one of the first that was shown to increase the amount of new cartilage being made. MSM is a source of organic sulfer that helps the bonds in new cartilage be tougher and more wear resistant.

All the current medical books say that dogs, horses and llamas do not need Vitamin C in their diet because they make their own. That is true unless they have a bad joint. Extra Vitamin C acts as an anti-oxidant and keeps chemicals called free radicals in the joint from doing more damage.

In trying to develop a herbal/nutraceutical formula to help camelids over 40 herbal books were reviewed. Human medical herbal books from the latest government reviews on side-effects to one book over 350 years old were checked. Dosages for horses were compared with human dosages. While many herbals were considered, some taste like dog feces (and were left out!) , others cost more than $100 per pound (and not used!). A choice was made to use 8 herbs and 3 nutrients at a cost to the owner of about 50 cents daily and that most camelids accept free choice when top dressed on a regular treat. The ingredients came from 6 countries and are blended at one of the largest herbal producers on the West Coast.

Use of a herb/nutrical bland powder top dressed on top of a treat feed for llamas has greatly reduced the number that would have been euthanized because of OA. Older pack llamas are on the trail again and studs that could not breed are getting the job done and are proud of the next generation. Many animals, once over the untreated OA, need only an occasional dose to stay pain free. The amount of activity and weather have effects as to the amount of arthritis herbal blend needed.