Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of lactoferrin combination in improving bone mineral density in healthy male dogs

Bone Mineral Density (BMD) is a key indicator of bone health, reflecting the concentration of minerals, mainly calcium and phosphate, within the bone tissue. As dogs age, their BMD tends to decrease, leading to an increased risk of fractures, osteoporosis, and other bone-related disorders. The current study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of Lactoferrin combination in improving BMD in 16 healthy male Labrador dogs aged 7-10 years. All dogs were randomized equally in either treatment or control group. Treatment group received Lactoferrin combination twice daily for 2 months, whereas control group received no intervention. After baseline assessment on Day 1, BMD assessment by DEXA scan and blood tests (blood phosphorus, calcium, vitamin D and alkaline phosphatase) were performed on Day 30 and 60. The results showed an increase in mean calcium level from 8.42 at baseline to 9.1 mg/dL at month 2, whereas no significant change was seen in vitamin D, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase in treatment group. In control group, no significant change was seen in calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase. BMD of the spine, hip, and femur has shown significant increase from the baseline levels of 0.77±0.03, 0.79±0.02, and 0.77±0.02 (g/cm²) to 0.88±0.03, 0.9±0.03, and 0.87±0.02 (g/cm²) at month 2, respectively in treatment group. The BMD was not significantly increased in control group. No adverse events were recorded during the study. This study concluded that two months treatment with Lactoferrin combination significantly improved BMD and found safe and tolerable with no adverse event.