Clinical Trials
Efficacy Study
Objective:
Determine the efficacy of bluestem water additive in preventing dental calculus (tartar) in dogs.
Method:
This was a controlled, randomized, masked Good Clinical Practice (GCP) study. Sixty healthy beagle dogs were randomly assigned to the treated water group or the control group (30 dogs/group).
Seven days before the study began, all dogs had their teeth cleaned. On day 0, the calculus of each dog was scored. The dogs then began drinking bluestem treated water at the recommended dose for 84 consecutive days. Half the dogs received no bluestem in their water. The calculus was scored on days 28, 56, and 84. The mean calculus scores for the bluestem treated dogs were lower than the control group throughout the study.
Results:
On Day 84, the calculus score for the bluestem treated dogs was 25.4% lower than the control group. The difference between the two groups was significant (p<0.03). The study demonstrated that bluestem is effective in preventing dental calculus in dogs.
Safety Study
Objective:
Determine the safety of bluestem water additive in dogs.
Method:
This was a controlled, Good Scientific Practice (GSP), randomized, and masked laboratory study in 18 dogs that were 12 months or older. The study was conducted over 30 days with one control, and two treatment groups which received 1X or 5X the recommended dose. Clinical observations, oral assessments, body weight measurements, and clinical pathology analysis were performed during the study.
Dogs were observed daily for food intake, general appearance, and feces. Bi-weekly body weight measurements were taken, and samples for blood, serum, and coagulation were collected on days 1, 14, and 29.
Results:
Clinical observations, physical observation, and oral assessment revealed no evidence of adverse effects related to consumption of the water additive.This study demonstrated the safety of bluestem water additive at 1 and 5 times the recommended dose for 30 consecutive days in dogs.