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Q. for parents of big dogs


Alicia64
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I have a German shepherd dog who turns five in May. I'd like to get him on some kind of glucosomine -- or something like it -- for his hips.

 

I love our vet, but everything he suggests that we buy at his place his so darned expensive.

 

Do you have a suggestion for an inexpensive way to get glucosimine into my dog?

 

Do you also give your dog fish oil? My vet recommended two FO capsules in a.m. and two in p.m. (My dog is 75 lbs.)

 

Thank you!

 

Alley

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I've always given my dogs the human versions of supplements when possible. Typically the quality control is better.

 

I do give all my dogs fish oil, particularly when they reach middle age or if they have any inhalant/environmental allergies.

 

Has your GSD shown any signs of arthritis? If I'm remembering correctly there isn't any good evidence that glucosamine has any preventative effect.

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One of our breeders (who is a holistic breeder) recommended Nutri-Pet Nupro Joint and Immunity Support . I buy it on Amazon. We give it to our two Golden Retrievers and our male Siberian cat (whose breeder also recommended this supplement). 

 
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One of our breeders (who is a holistic breeder) recommended Nutri-Pet Nupro Joint and Immunity Support . I buy it on Amazon. We give it to our two Golden Retrievers and our male Siberian cat (whose breeder also recommended this supplement). 

 

 

 

Did you notice a change?  I have a large, and rather old, Bullmastiff.  Glucosamine has done nothing for her.

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Did you notice a change?  I have a large, and rather old, Bullmastiff.  Glucosamine has done nothing for her.

THAT is the million dollar question. At this time, I'm mostly giving it to our older Golden Retriever. He's 8 years old and it is harder for him to jump on our very high bed when we are not consistently giving it to him. I don't see a difference with our 4 year old Golden. I don't see a difference with Atticus (our cat) but he really likes the taste and I've heard that many male Siberians have joint issues when they're older so I do give it to him every couple of days. My furry kids love the taste of this (and the regular supplement). I use the regular(Nupro Supplement Gold) when my female Siberian cat decides that food is not yummy (she goes through hunger strikes for unknown reasons).  It's easy to add a little water, shake it in a container (we use the containers from takeout Chinese soup) and use it as a lovely gravy. 

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I give my dog coconut oil daily. It seems to help. If I forget for a day or two he is definitely stiffer. I have been thinking of adding glucosamine but have not taken the plunge yet.

Oh! We give this too. My crew LOVES the Trader Joes brand. Unfortunately, the dogs, cats and my girls were going through almost a jar a week so we had to switch brands (Carrington Farms Organic Extra Virgin) also purchased via Amazon. I think we buy 54 ounce containers. 

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We've just ended up using Dasuqun, not cheap, but cheaper if I can get it discounted online.  And a note from my experience, be careful with the fish oil.  Start with one and slowly move up.  It causes diarrhea in some dogs, and four in the first day may give you a mess to clean up!

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We have a 12 year old Australian Shepherd who weighs about 50-55 pounds (that's him in my profile picture :)). His arthritis started really bothering his this last weekend, and we're reluctant to do non-steroidal anti-inflammatory stuff because he has the beginnings of kidney disease.

 

So we tried Cosequin, and it didn't do a thing for him- absolutely no difference. Then a dog-savvy friend recommended Glycoflex, and that stuff is MAGIC! After about 3 weeks on it, he was back to wrestling and playing with our other dog again, which he'd stopped doing months before. It's so clear he feels so much better on it.

 

We buy it from 1800PetMeds (but I can't say that I did any real comparison shopping - I just wanted quick and easy).  

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My dog won't eat the egg shells. He has stolen an egg or two and always leaves the shells for me.

When I try to give him chicken feet he tosses them around like a toy and doesn't eat them.

Edited by kewb
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Feed raw chicken feet. Best source of glucosamine. Vey inexpensive.

 

Bill

 

Bill,

 

When you say chicken feet, do you mean talons and all?  I have an almost 5 year old Great Pyr male and he's beginning to show joint stiffness.  I live in a very rural area and could probably get chicken feet for free from the local abattoir.

 

I also just live a few kilometres from an elk farm.  I'm wondering if I could get some joints from them.  We buy meat from them all the time and I've bought antler pieces for the dogs to chew.  Hmmmm...  I'll look into it.

 

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Bill,

 

When you say chicken feet, do you mean talons and all?  I have an almost 5 year old Great Pyr male and he's beginning to show joint stiffness.  I live in a very rural area and could probably get chicken feet for free from the local abattoir.

 

I also just live a few kilometres from an elk farm.  I'm wondering if I could get some joints from them.  We buy meat from them all the time and I've bought antler pieces for the dogs to chew.  Hmmmm...  I'll look into it.

 

 

Yea. Chicken nails are short. Dogs can gopple up the whole foot. Freeze them and provide as treats.

 

They also make a nice addition to chicken stock/soup for the family.

 

I had a nice supply of elk trim to feed my dog (raw) but finally ran out. Elk meat is nice. Any kind of tendon, cartilage, or connective tissue are nice additions IMO.

 

Also there is now some clinical evidence that turmeric actually is effective as an anti-inflamitory and safe to combine with any prescription meds a dog may be taking. 

 

Bill

Edited by Spy Car
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Yea. Chicken nails are short. Dogs can gopple up the whole foot. Freeze them and provide as treats.

 

They also make a nice addition to chicken stock/soup for the family.

 

I had a nice supply of elk trim to feed my dog (raw) but finally ran out. Elk meat is nice. Any kind of tendon, cartilage, or connective tissue are nice additions IMO.

 

Also there is now some clinical evidence that turmeric actually is effective as an anti-inflamitory and safe to combine with any prescription meds a dog may be taking. 

 

Bill

 

Thanks, Bill! :)  Interesting about the turmeric.  The dogs often drag home carcasses and/or parts of deer skeletons they find in the bush but I don't know if the connective tissue on those is too desicated - not sure what the viablity is on glucosamine once it's dried.  I also buy them beef tendons from the local feed store and they get beef knee caps from the vet sometimes as treats.  They also get horse hoof trimmings as treats when we trim up the horses.  They LOVE them.  Not sure if there is anything beneficial in them but the dogs go nuts for them.  They also love it when I trim the chestnuts (night eyes) off the horses and give them as treats.  It's like dog chewing gum. :P

 

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We have a 7 year old,  110lb lab.

 

Last summer we started giving him Liquid Health Naturals K9 Level 5000 Glucosamine and Liquid Health K-9 Fidonutrients.  We have seen *amazing* results.  He had a torn ACL, which healed naturally with the help of a K9 knee brace and these 2 supplements.  Even after he finished wearing the brace we have continued with these daily. He likes them, they are liquid & very easy to add to his food.  

 

 Both can be ordered from Amazon or Vitacost.   :thumbup:

Hope this helps!

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