Glucosamine ???

gspgunner · Post by **gspgunner** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:15 am

was wondering what some opinions are about how young to start giving glucosamine supplements

shets114 · Post by **shets114** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:58 am

Feed a good quality food and you shouldn't have to supplement. Just check the levels on the back of the bag.

Brittguy · Post by **Brittguy** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:21 pm

I am convinced it does help in dogs or horses that are older and have joint problems. I have never heard of it being used as a preventive. Even the companies that sell food and supplements aim it at the older . I am guessing that a younger body produces what is needed and when they get older and joints wear that is when the benifits come into play.

gspgunner · Post by **gspgunner** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:34 pm

I feed Pro Plan large breed puppy food and it has it in there, I was just curious if anybody supplemented

Chaingang · Post by **Chaingang** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:27 pm

No need to supplement a pup.

I supplement it for my older GSP. I use a Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM combination. He's 10 and was getting a little stiff in the mornings and after a day in the fields. I think it has helped some, but keeping them conditioned is just as important.

Most of the glucosamine that comes in dog food is in relatively small quantities to keep costs down. If you have an older pet that seems to be showing the beginning signs of arthritis, you might want to supplement with a capsule form. Just remember, if it is going to help, you probably won't notice anything initially for up to 6 weeks, that is how long it takes to build in their system.

Post by **ezzy333** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:36 pm

Feed a good quality food and you shouldn't have to supplement

I agree. When we rebuilt my dogs hip I thought maybe the vets would advise using some but they didn't.

Ezzy

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:26 pm

I agree with Tom. The fact that a Vet does not recommend supplementing is a very poor reason not to do it. Glucosamine and Chondroiten is inexpensive and harmless, so why not use it in capsule form in older dogs? By the way, I'm sure most Vets agree. JMO

EastBeast · Post by **EastBeast** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 5:31 pm

http://www.arthritis-pain-cure.com/dog- ... a-171.html

Post by **ezzy333** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:26 pm

I know little about the benefits of feeding the supplement. I know the main use you hear about is for older dogs. I thought since my pups socket was so badly damaged they might recommend it even though he wa only 3 at the time. But the concenus was it isn't needed and the food would provide all he could use. Maybe if he was older they would have recommended it.

The link East Beast provided is nice but I sure wouldn't base an opinion on a piece put out by the manufacturer's marketing department. Guess I would really like to see some clinical tests and the results before going too far out on a limb.

Ezzy

zodiakgsps · Post by **zodiakgsps** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:01 pm

I cannot provide you with proven studies, but I don't need to see one to know what it can do. Over the many years I've been grooming, I've personally seen many dogs benefit & show improvement, even if small, with the use of glucosamine/MSM supplementing. I could give you a list to long to print here of client dogs that are on it, dogs with injuries, dysplasia or just arthritis. These are dogs I groom regularly, saw/handled them from the time they were young & sound until they were old or injured somehow, and therefore saw first hand what improvements they showed on it. I can honestly say I've seen more benefit from it than not.
I myself take it and give it to 2 of my older dogs and my BF's dog who is dysplastic. I switched to a liquid form by Liquid Health for better metabalism.
I can tell you my 10 yr old who broke a leg at the joint years ago still hunts hard, he showed marked improvement since he's been on the supplement. The ortho vet I took him to 6 years ago recommended to start him on it.......he still said the dog would be lucky to hunt 2 more years, well, he's made it 6 now, slowing down, a little sorer after a long hunt, but still going!!

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 9:56 am

Ezzy, your traditional thinking re supplements is showing again. Extensive clinical trials would probably be financially possible thru grants from the pharmaceutical industry, which isn't going to happen due to there being more profit in drug research. Like in human research, it's more politics and profits than it is true science. Common sense usage of harmless supplements is probably used by more Vets than you realize. I believe that dogs need supplements far less than humans as most good dog foods do not have the good nutrients removed as human foods do.

Post by **ezzy333** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:27 am

Steve, you maybe right.

I have nothing against supplements if or when needed. But my experience has been that supplements for a particular area of the body just doesn't really work in most cases. With this one, it has been added to some feeds so you are looking at different requirements of supplementation depending on the food you are feeding and also the age of the dog and the specific individual need. Thats what I want to see.

The reason I am so far ahead of you is because I have been Taking Focus Factor. YOu know, that brain supplement. I think it is the perfect example of why most supplementation is unnecessary and a complete waste of money.

I may change my mind when I get old and crotchity but till I see results that says it works supplements will have to continue to sit on the dogfood and health food shelves. And I am sure once it is proven to have positive results it will be included in the feeds and we still won't need them except for special needs.

Now be nice to me or I will take another brain pill and just overwhelm you with knowledge.

Ezzy

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:38 am

Ezzy, I guess what I was getting at is there may be various examples of "special needs" that supplements may help. Again, dog food is comparatively of higher quality than is human food, so dogs need less supplementation. I appreciate your opinions because most of the time you agree with me.

Best regards,