[Spy Car]

@anon101, on the contrary, I did read the linked articles on the Skeptvet site. He is quite dubious of the efficacy. Now you have written that your vet recommended supplementation and you linked to a formula that claims to be rich in glucosamine.

So I asked if your thoughts had changed? A legitimate question in my book. That’s not an “attack”(LOL) but a request for clarification. Please don’t mischaracterize my posts. Adding the word “politely” to a mischaracterization doesn’t make it acceptable.

I don’t really have a fixed position on glucosamine. I’m dubious that taking it would reverse joint damage. So other than surgery (which is sometimes necessary) the best option in my estimation is to drop body fat while preserving muscle mass.

Bill

[anonymous]

I would not feed “chicken feet” in any form to any living thing, even if it was starving.

Regarding Skeptvet’s views on glucosamine, obviously you haven’t read them.

Now, I ask you politely to please stop attacking my posts.
Your opinion is no more valid than mine.

I did not say I would buy the glucosamine, did I?
No, I just passed on the vet recommendations for my dog so that the OP could take a look at them.
If the dog has hip dysplasia, no food changes or supplements are going to undo the joint damage that is already there.

However, it is not clear if the OP’s dog has had x-rays? Bloodwork? Been examined by a vet? Did a vet actually diagnose the dog? Is anything being done for pain management? Prescription medication? Basic care and comfort?
I suggest that the OP start there.

PS: I have used Dogswell products before (Nutrisca) with good effect, that’s why I mentioned it. The OP seems to think glucosamine might help….

[anonymous]

I would work closely with your veterinarian for the best results.
I would not make drastic changes in diet with a senior dog. It will have no effect on hip dysplasia and may result in gastrointestinal upset and more vet bills!
Also, glucosamine is a supplement (not a medication) not all supplements are benign.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=glucosamine

If the dog is experiencing chronic pain obviously you can not increase exercise, etc.

Decreasing intake may not be a good idea either. Seriously, have your vet call you back when he has a minute, discuss your financial concerns and see what he recommends.
Best of luck.

https://www.canineortho.com/index.php/treatment-hip-dysplasia (excerpt from article below)
Canine hip dysplasia that results in chronic pain and interferes with an active lifestyle is best treated with surgery. Four surgical options exist:
Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis (JPS)
Double Pelvic Osteotomy (DPO)
Total Hip Replacement (THR)
Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO) – FHO is best suited for cats and small dogs (5-30 pounds). FHO involves removal of the ball from the ball and socket joint. Scar tissue forms between the remaining bone and socket (acetabulum) forming a “false joint”. The primary advantage of the FHO is lower cost, since no implants are needed.
The prognosis for dogs undergoing total hip replacement is good to excellent. Ninety percent of dogs are literally normal for life. There are no activity restrictions and because ongoing osteoarthritis is eliminated, very few if any require non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like carprofen.

[Jesus M]

25% ground turkey, 5% beef liver, 20% beef heart, 5% peas, 5% carrots, 5% yogurt, 10% pumpkin, 5% sweet potato, and usually 15% egg in the morning, and in the evening I substitude the egg for turkey and heart. Plus I mix in BullyMax supplements. Half a pill in the morning and half a pill in the evening. Along with their hip and joint level 3 powder.

Whatchu you guys think of my recipe? My Boston Terrier seems to love it. She weighs almost 16lbs and she is about 8months old.

What can I change. What can I add? I recently started buying rib bones and beef gullet to give to her on the side (I feel like of her bowl is full enough, that bones might distract her to much but im open to suggestions on what type of bone to add).

Also, when she stands, she legit has the body of a Bully type dog. Her hind legs are swoll AF.

I also wanna add, that her coat is shiny and smooth. She has plenty of energy, and her breath doesnt really stink plus she shows no signs of any abnormalities. Ive been having her on this diet for about a month now.

[Susan]

Hi Jaskirat,
Go to pet shop & buy a Large Breed Puppy dry kibble, this way your puppy will get all the nutritents he/she needs for growing & bones while she/he’s a pup..
google “Diet for Large Breed Puppy”

* “Royal Canine” wrote-
The growth rate of a puppy is influenced by the nutrient density of the food and the amount of food fed. Regardless of whether puppies grow slow or fast, they will still reach a similar adult weight. It is critical that puppies are fed for optimal growth and bone development, rather than maximal growth to avoid skeletal abnormalities.

Three dietary components have been implicated as factors that increase the incidence of skeletal disease in large and giant breed puppies; protein, calcium and energy.

* “Hills” Wrote-
Large and giant breed dogs — Great Danes, German shepherds, Labrador retrievers and the like — have different nutritional needs than smaller breeds. All puppies are born with their bones still developing, but large breed puppies are more susceptible to developmental bone and joint disease during their rapid growth phase to 1 year of age. In fact, large breeds reach 50 percent of their body weight at around 5 months of age. Smaller breeds reach 50 percent of their body weight at around 4 months of age.
The growth rates of all puppies are dependent on the food that they eat. Puppies should be fed to grow at an average, rather than a maximum, growth rate. Compared to smaller-sized puppies, large breed puppies need restricted levels of fat and calcium to moderate their rate of growth. They’ll still reach their full-grown size, just over a longer period of time, which will result in healthy development of bones and joints for these breeds.
Two key nutrients that should be decreased for large breed puppies are fat (and total calories) and calcium:
*Fat: High fat/calorie intake causes rapid weight gain, and bones/muscles aren’t developed enough to support the excessive body weight. Controlling the fat level and total calories in the food for these puppies may help reduce the risk of developmental bone and joint problems.
*Calcium: Excessive calcium intake increases the likelihood of skeletal problems. It is also recommended that calcium supplements not be fed with any commercial pet food for growth.

Kibbles to look at
“Eagle Pack” Large breed puppy dry formula for puppy
“Eagle Pack” Large Breed Adult dry formula for your adult dog
“Canidae” Large Breed, All Life Stages Turkey & Brown Rice formula can be feed to both your dogs.
“Wellness Core Large Breed Puppy…
“Wellness Core” Large Breed Adult..
“4Health” Grain Free Large Breed Puppy.
“4Health” Grain Free Large Breed Adult. Sold at Tractor Supply shop & is cheaper..

If you’re on facebook join a Canine Raw Feeding group..
“The Australian Raw Feeding Community” f/b group, is really good & help starters.
Also look at buying & adding tin sardines in spring water or Olive Oil to diet as Sardines have Vitamins, Minerals, Omega fatty oils, Calcium etc add 2 spoons sardines a day to 1 of their meals to help balance their raw diet…

*Nutrition Facts
Sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil
Amount Per 100 grams

Calories 208

Total Fat 11 g-16%
Saturated fat 1.5 g-7%
Polyunsaturated fat 5 g
Monounsaturated fat 3.9 g
Cholesterol 142 mg-47%
Sodium 505 mg-21%
Potassium 397 mg-11%
Total Carbohydrate 0 g-0%
Dietary fiber 0 g-0%
Sugar 0 g
Protein 25 g-50%
Vitamin A-2%
Vitamin C-0%
Calcium-38%
Iron-16%
Vitamin D-48%
Vitamin B-6-10%
Vitamin B-12-148%
Magnesium-9%

Just make sure you check the salt % & get the lowest salt% can of Sardines in spring water or olive Oil cans.

[Susan]

Hi Miriam,
the Hills Mobility wet & dry dog food or any other dog foods for Arthritis are very high in Omega 3 oils, omega 3 is an anti inflammatory very good for Arthritis, this would have given your girl the bad acid reflux this happens with my 9 yrs old boy also, look for a food that agrees with her, can you cook some of her meals?? a cooked balance diet is heaps better then feeding a dry kibble & it probably won’t cause any stomach problems, just make sure the fat isn’t too high as high fat diet can also cause acid reflux…then start adding supplements to her diet that will help with with her Arthritis but I have found most of the supplements or meds for Arthritis can cause bad acid reflux & stomach problems with myself & my dog, so I avoid them now..
I buy my boy “K-9 Natural” Freeze Dried Green Lipped Mussles & & give him 1-2 mussles a day they agree with him & green lipped mussels are really good for arthritis also have you tried Glucosamine & Chondroitin tablets? you can give your girl the Glucosamine/Chondroitin tablets that’s for humans….
Many veterinarians recommend approximately 500 mg of Glucosamine and 400 mg of Chondroitin per 25 pounds-11kgs. For oral Glucosamine for dogs, here’s the daily dosage that one veterinarian recommends: Dogs 5-20 pounds = 2-9kgs give 250-500 mg per day.

I bought a Wheat heat pack for my dog, you put the wheat pack in the Microwave for 1-2 mins & then I wrap the Wheat pack in a tea towel if its too hot & I put on my boy lower back where his Arthritis pain is, you could use a hot water bottle but they can be dangerous with dogs,…
I also walk my dog for 15min walk every morning & afternoon at first my joints are really stiff & sore but once you start walking your joints become better, start taking your dog on a little walk in morning & afternoon, not real big long walks, just small 15min walk to begin with then after 2 weeks see does she want to walk for 20mins… make sure she is not over weight as this makes Arthritis worse…also when its cold keep her joints warm & put on a jumper or dog jacket…

Ask your vet about “Zydax” injection (unlike other drugs) it treats the disease process that causes arthritis – not just the symptoms. It works on the cartilage and joint fluids inside the joints, reducing friction and pain. A course of 4 weekly injections will often provide 6 – 12 months of relief from arthritis – reducing or eliminating the need for other drugs. The injections are given under the skin (just like a vaccination). They aren’t expensive ($23 – $42 per injection*) and you pay a consultation fee only on the first visit. Zydax works in 80% of cases
A good supplement in Australia is “Glyde” powder & Chews – containing chondroitin, glucosamine and green-lipped mussel powder.

I feed my boy “Wellness Core” Large Breed dry food, it’s high in protein-35%, low fat-13% low carbs-31% & this kibble doesnt cause any acid reflux with my boy like other dry or wet foods cause…..I dont know if you can get the Wellness Core large breed in Spain or online, maybe Wellness is sold on Amazon.
Another good dry food is “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior….

[Cathy J]

My 4 year old 90 pound Pitbull/??? mix has patellar luxation and has been recommended for surgery. I’m wondering if a trial of supplements and some type of Joint/diet special dog food might help the problem and maybe avoid surgery. Any suggestions of a reasonable dog food and supplements? He also has some allergies so add grain free to that request.

[haleycookie]

A vet will likely recommend cosequin. I’ve put many peoples dogs on it who could barely walk anymore and within a couple months of daily cosequin it made a huge difference. That’s probably the only over the counter joint supplement I would recommend.

[Anonymous]

My dog is having joint pain.
Is it good to feed him with glucosamine supplement?

[Jayni]

Hello everyone,

I have bought supplements for my senior dogs, both 10 years old, to help with their joints so I am getting the glucosonine, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, calcium and have started also buying frozen mackerel and sardines recently for omega 3 and arthritis, especially my big lab (not fat).

Question is: how many mid size sardine fish should I give my 77 lbs lab and 37 lbs beagle? Both could stand to shed 2 pounds and are still very active, but lab has slowed down considerably. And at what frequency or intervals?

Question 2 – do I still need to give them their daily supplements along with the sardine fish, or is the latter good enough, or would it be too much together or unnecessary?

I have 2 Supplements – Pro-Sense Joint Solutions, Advanced strength (4 tablets for lab; 2 for Beagle x) and another (not open yet) +PetNaturals of Vermont Hip + Joint tablets (would be in the same portion amounts as the latter).

Or, again,if there are better supplements (since these do not show omaga 3), I’m open to recommendations for senior dogs with Arthritis who already eat fresh sardines, but cooked cuz my lab won’t eat a raw fish. He’ll take it and walk off but won’t rip into it like the other.

Thank you! I know this was long to read! Am looking forward to hear your advice.

[Lisa K]

I can almost 100% tell you that your dogs seizures came from the food you are feeding them.

My dog Horus ( Shih Tzu Chihuahua mix. Completely Shih in apearence) 5 years old at the time, was perfectly healthy. I had been feeding him Prina One dog food. At the time I was unaware of what Raw dog food and thought I was feeding a good quality brand of Purina. Well one day he just feel over and his body seized, foam started coming out his mouth, his eyes bucked out. I grab him up hysterically thinking he was having a heart attack. I was about to try CPR on him, when he snap out of it and jumped up, and began running around. I got online immediately and started searching for a reason by symptoms. I came to the conclusion it was a seizure and hoped it would not happen again. A few days went by and he had another one, but this time he began having them every 30 mins to an hour in between. I rush him to the vet. They administered phenobarbital and did blood work. His readings were normal with a slightly elevated liver, which the vet said could be the problem but he was not sure. I took him home with a prescription. The doctor said he would need these meds for the rest of his life. I didn’t believe him because that’s what they said about my daughter when she was one. The doctors gave her to high a does once and I pulled her off the meds. She’s 26 now and has never had another seizure, but I gave Horus the meds as prescribed. One day the thought hit me that it could be his food. I started researching the brand I was feeding him and discovered that Purina had several law suites against them for seizure related issues. I was stunned. I continued to research to find what I should be feeding him and found out the a Raw food diet was the best options for dogs. After more research on quality and the best brands I immediately ordered his Raw food. Over the next few weeks I whenned him off the meds. For the next 2 years he never had another Seizure.

Now 3 weeks ago I forgot to order his food and had to get a bag from the market. This time I got Pedigree until his food could arrive. Big mistake. 2 days into the Pedigree he began having seizures again. I rushed him to the vet emergency because he was not recovering from it. They just kept coming. They put him on Keppra and Potassium Bromide which did absolutely nothing to stop the seizures and later his normal vet told me vets sale this stuff to make more money. It does not work, and it’s way more expensive then phenobarbital. My vet gave him one shot of phenobarbital and started Horus on a regiment of vitimains, Enzymes and Amino Acids along with a suggestion to purchase a product called Vet CBD, which I got immediately after leaving her office. These along with the Raw food should help in his recovery. She also said that he may have some brain damage because of the severity of his seizure this time. It has now been 1 week and Horus has not had another seizure. I am still working on his recovery as I do think he may have suffered some brain damage as he will not stop endlessly pacing. He has a wonderful appetite and his blood work remains good.

With all this said, I do see that your pooch is on a raw food diet, but I would also suggest you get her started on supplements also. What she recommended was: Arthur Dex joint support for all animals given by weight of dog, Ultimate Daily Classic 1/2 pill daily, and Ultimate Selenium1/2 pill daily, All by a company called Youngevity which you can get on Amazon. The Vet CBD I’m not sure you can get. It depends on the state you live in. I’m in California and Cannabis is legal here.

I hope some of the info I left helps you in some way.

[a c]

I know some people use Dasuquin with MSM for joint supplement and arthritis pain.

You can find soft doggie steps at Marshall or TJ Maxx at discounted price.

[weezerweeks]

My yorkie is having pain jumping up and down. He holds his head down and is in pain. His back x-ray showed nothing. My vet put him on metacam. It is working but I hate medicine but I don’t want him in pain. Does anyone know of a safe supplement for pain. He’s on joint supplement and fish oil. Would Tumeric help. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[Christi G]

I just wanted to share with you my experience with using supplements and coconut oil in my sister’s dog – Maya. 3 years ago she was diagnosed with PLE after this last round of steroids (last one taken on 12/2) my sister decided to let maya die peacefully. She took her off of all her chemo drugs (for PLE) on 12/10 and we knew the end would come soon… but I had a different plan. So, I used what I know about about supplements and did a ton of research!

For a month and a 1/2 now, I’ve been feeding her coconut oil, CLA, A ginger enzyme and half of a one of my probiotics – now I use the GNC product (see below). I also started feeding her homemade food and giving her a good breakfast and dinner and 2 small meals in between. Her diet is made up of white rice (I melt the coconut oil in the white rice and add a spoon full of cream of chicken soup to disguise the taste and I add the ginger enzyme – good for disgestion and cardiovascular health, a probiotic and cla (helps breakdown fat and build protein) to her breakfast), either sweet peas & carrots or green beans, and I mix up her proteins with boiled chicken, canned salmon (MAKE SURE YOU GET THE BONELESS!!) or tuna fish in water. I give her about a half a breast of chicken. Also, she gets GNC’s Superfood complex with joint support. Dogs love the taste and it is packed with good stuff – probiotics, joint supplement, tons of vitamins and supplements!

My sister was checked into the hospital on the 16th and I will admit I got lazy with Maya’s meals because of work and going back and forth to the hospital. After 4 days without her supplements and oil, I sat down on Sunday a week ago and it was like she dropped 2 lbs in less than a week. So, I went back to my routine with the oil and supplemnts. In just a 3 days she was looking beef again and as of yesterday she had gained almost 2 lbs since her last weigh in back in December. The vet said “well, I guess we have her on the right meds” and I was like “she’s off her meds… since mid-December.” The vet was shocked! I didn’t tell her my secret as my sister thinks cocconut oil is too fatty for her… well, it’s doing wonders. Maya has an ear infection and a check up in 10 days… I can’t wait to see her weigh-in in 10 days!!

All I can say is that she is off all drugs and the supplements and oil are working great….Don’t look for overnight results. Give it a week or 2 to really start working.

I hope this helps with your babies!

Maya – weigh in after off drugs in December 55
Maya – weigh in yesterday (no drugs for over a month) 57.9 lbs
Protein levels have increased, she is happy and energetic and her skin and coat have improved b/c the drugs aren’t drying her out. She is eating and drinking normally. she used to slurp down half the bowl when on her meds.

[Susan]

Hi Adriana,
Have a look at “Canidae Pure” line & Canidae Pure Petite line only has 5 ingredients for petite dogs with food sensitivities/allergies, all of the Canidae Pure line is really good for dogs with stomach/bowel & allergies & for your 9yr old have a look at “Canidae Pure Meadow” Senior, it’s excellent for aging dogs, the Protein is 28%min email Canidae for max Protein % you usually add another 1-5% more when it says min but with Canidae it’s only about 1% more, the fat is not high at 10%min-fat, that’s what I like about the Pure Meadow Senior formula, as dogs age their stomach doesn’t work as well as when they were youger dog, the fat is only 10.80%max, I’ve already emailed Canidae & asked them what is the max fat %, the Pure Meadow Senior has all the supplements needed for aging dogs, it’s high in omega fatty acids for skin, coat, brain, heart etc & Glucosamine + Chondroitin for bone & joint health. Canidae grow their own vegetables, fruit & source ingredients from local farmers, their ingredient are fresh & their foods are made in smaller batches, the kibble size is nice & small so very easy to digest….
Here’s the Canidae link https://www.canidae.com.com/dog-food/products

also google “Toxins In Dogs Foods” then look for a company that has
completed a study of 1,084 pet food products from 80 brands. Products were screened for over 130 toxins including heavy metals, BPA, pesticides and other contaminants with links to cancer and other health conditions in both humans and animals….Canidae formula’s & Canidae’s other brand “Under The Sun” did really well when tested for 130 Contaminates & Toxins….You’ll see the 5 star dry dog foods, 3 stars then the 1 star dry dog foods.
I stay away from dry dog food brands once I see 1-2 of their formulas with 1 star rating that means they probably will have more foods that are full of toxins & contaminates..
A few of Wellness formula’s did poorly, Wellpet make Wellness, Holistic Select & Eagle Pack Holistic Select had a few bad formula’s get only 1 star…. Simply Nourish LTD Sweet potato & Lamb formula, Nutrisca Lamb & Chickpea they all got 1 star as well which means they were high in toxins…

[Ample N]

Hello sir, Please Tell me some good joint supplement for dogs.

[karen h]

My 17yr old baby (who doesn’t look or act 17) has kidney disease & arthritis. of course he is on Royal Canin Renal- kibble. I noticed he was arching his back crying a lot couldn’t get comfortable, not going down the stairs, having a hard time going to bathroom so we went to the vet and she said he was in so much pain because of the arthritis. I started giving him Rimadyl for the inflammation & joint supplements. Well he wasn’t eating, started losing weight and then he started having seizures in his sleep so I stopped giving the Rimadyl & the supplements. We went back to the vet, he had went from 14lbs to 12lbs and she said he was in a lot of pain and we needed to make him comfortable. Well I refuse to give him the Rimadyl . she then said there was a new drug on the market called Galliprant not too many studies on it yet but a lot safer on the kidneys & liver. so why not! yes, sure lets do it! I got a 3 week supply and changed his Renal kibble to Renal can food and 2 weeks later he has had no seizers, gained almost all of his weight back and is now doing great! there were few side effects in the beginning like he got drowsy sleeping a lot and his stool changed, upset stomach, throwing up but his lil’ system seems to have gotten used to the medicine now not noticing any side effects and I think he is back to a much more normal self. I just called the vet and asked for a refill and we are going to do blood at the end of this month since this a new medication but I am happy about the Galliprant and what it has done for little Chiha!! I hope this continues on for him for a long time. I recommend that at least anyone would give it a try. I was worried at first because of the side effects, but I was also on vacation for 2 weeks so I could monitor everything that was going on. I am a relieved happy satisfied mommy.
-Chiha’s mommy

[anonymous]

I think prescription food/therapeutic diet would be best, as your vet has recommended.
Otherwise, ask your vet if this will meet your criteria?
https://www.k9ofmine.com/best-low-sodium-dog-food/ excerpt below
Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula
About: Pro Plan Focus is a salmon-and-rice-based recipe that is designed for dogs with stomach sensitivities or food allergies. Salmon and rice are typically not allergens and most dogs are able to digest this food easily.
Price: $$
Features:
Salmon is the first listed ingredient.
Made with antioxidant-rich ingredients to help promote immune system function
Fortified with omega fatty acids to ensure joint, skin and coat health
Made without any artificial colors, artificial flavors, corn, wheat or soy
PROS: Purina Pro Plan Focus has the least sodium per calorie of any of the five foods recommended here. Most dogs appear to love the taste, and it may also provide some relief from food allergies.
CONS: Additionally, Pro Plan is made without any probiotics to help regulate intestinal function; however, it does include prebiotic ingredients, which can help support any beneficial bacteria already present in your dog’s digestive tract.
Ingredients:
Salmon, Canola Meal, Brewers Rice, Barley, Oat Meal, Fish Meal (Source of Glucosamine), Animal Fat Preserved with Mixed-Tocopherols, Salmon Meal, Dried Egg Product, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Flavor, Inulin, Fish Oil, Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K Activity), Folic Acid, Biotin, Sodium Selenite. J-4449.
Sodium Content:
50 milligrams / 100 Calories

[Susan]

Hi Margaret,
my boy just turned 9 a few weeks ago & about 5-6 months ago I started using a heat wheat pack you put in microwave for 1-2 mins, he has a weird spiral thin bone with nerve endings from his spine growing out of the top of his left back leg, the vets working that day said they have never seen anything like it before, we found it by accident when he had a xray for stones blockage, he doesnt seem to have any arthritis but after he wees & poos he kicks his back legs sometimes & then that’s only when he starts his limping & walks very slowly, I’ve been telling him “No Kick” after he poo’s & he’s been better…I see a Phsiotherapist fortnightly & he puts a heat pack on my lower back & neck/shoulders for about 20mins then I have a gentle massage & what a difference this makes also stretching excerises really help as well, so I started applying a heat pack to Patches left leg lower back side after he limps home, then I give him a very gentle massage & I do streching exicises to his back legs while he’s laying on his side, he’s been doing really well since I started doing Physiotherapy on him it’s made a big diffence & he’s been doing really well lately & he hasn’t been walking home slowly anymore…
Ask your vet if he knows someone that does “dog physio” also swimming is really good for stiff bones & sore joints can you take him to a doggy heated pool, my Patch was presribed Gabapentin for his IBD pain & this weird spiral bone when vet found it, the Gabapentin made him sleep I don’t like giving him any drugs or joint supplements he has IBD/stomach & reacts to alot of things plus I don’t know if the Gabapentin helped his lower back, I think the heat pack & massage helped more….I feed him a diet high in Omega 3 foods, he gets tin salmon in spring water drained with boiled potato for lunch + 2 Green Lipped Mussels they’re “K-9 Natural” freezed dried mussels + 3 Almonds a day as a treat, he acts & runs like a puppy, you’d never know he’s 9yrs old & has a few health problems when you met him…

[Susan]

Hi Deborah M,
I really understand how you’re feeling & I know what you’re going thru, I took on this dog & I was just his foster carer, I had to take him to vet get him desexed vaccinated meds for all his sores that were around his neck & legs from being tied up then he has his photo put on the Rescue site & adopted out, his name was Patch & he just turned 4yr old in very bad condition, I’ve never seen a rescue dog this bad before I think he wasnt Put To Sleep cause he became the pound favorite, there’s always a few pound favorites, the people who work or volunteer at the pound do everything to get them a home or into rescue before their kill day so they called me (cause they know I love Staffys) to fix him all up & adopt him out but as the days went by he was weeing blood, so off to see the rescue vet, she said looks like he was being used for breeding, so he gets put on vet diet for 6 weeks to dissolve his crystals then he is diagnosed with IBD & Helicobacter-Pylori, Skin Allergies & Food Sensitivities, In the end I adopted him myself, I felt all the people that came out to meet & greet him weren’t listening to me when I said “but he’s sick, he has a few health problems” they’d all say, “Oh he seems fine he’s really happy, he doesnt look sick”, I couldnt handle not knowing whoever adopts him would they continue with his meds etc or would they just give up on him like his old owners did & surrender him back to a pound & he’ll continue to suffer, he just turned 9yrs old last week & it’s been a very hard 5 yrs & the money I’ve spent trying to fix Patch, I even stopped doing rescue for a few years when he was real bad & sick, I couldn’t leave him at home while I was out helping other dogs all day & worrying about him, he does not do well on ANY vet diets they give him bad acid reflux, make his skin itch & smell yeasty cause he has food sensitivities to some grains, gluten corm/maize & beet pulp, he can NOT have any Beet Pulp he gets bad acid reflux, all these things that are suppose to fix & help his stomach & bowel make Patch worse, then finally I started looking for other diets beside these vet diets & FINALLY after trying a few kibbles, I found “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb dry kibble, people in the IBD & EPI face book groups were saying how well their dogs were doing on TOTW Sierra Mountain or TOTW Pacific Stream both are lower in fiber & TOTW uses Purified water, the Sierra Mountain formula just has 1 single meat protein Lamb, has Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, that firm his poo’s up & his acid reflux stopped & his skin all cleared up, cause he wasn’t eating a diet that had ingredients he was sensitive too but he still get his seasonal environment allergies in Spring/Summer so I have to bathed him weekly in Spring/Summer in “Malaseb” medicated shampoo to wash off any allergens on his paws & skin, the Malaseb shampoo realives & stops his itchy skin…. I’ve never found a kibble that helped most of his health problems all at once, a few years ago I started rotating his kibbles between a few different brands kibbles he does well on, I was feeding the Lamb TOTW thru the winter months then a Salmon fish kibble thru the Spring/Summer months but then I seen 2 studies a company thet test dog foods for 130 metals toxins & contaminates alot of these fish kibbles were very high in toxins, so now I prefer to add a tin salmon to his diet instead, for breakfast he gets his TOTW, lunch time he either gets a small cooked meal with 1 spoon salmon or 1/3 cup of “Canidae Pure Meadow”or an Australian salmon kibble, then dinner time he gets his TOTW Lamb again then he gets another small meal 1/3 a cup 8pm so he doesnt wake up early hours of the morning with acid reflux, whenever I try something new if it says add 1 teaspoon then I only add 1/8th a teaspoon & slowley introduce to his diet, I’ve learnt I ned to slowly add any new supplements or kibbles to his diet or I’m up 12am, 3am 5am & poor Patch has diarrhea….

I found Homeopathy, natural healthy foods works the best for Patch & other sick rescue dogs I’ve helped over the years, you’ll be surprised how feeding a simple bland lean cooked meal like turkey, tin Salmon or chicken breast, lean beef, I feed lean pork mince or lean beef mince I make rissoles with boiled Sweet Potato or boiled potato can make a big difference & is heaps better then these dry kibbles, then I slowly start adding 1 teaspoon of tin Salmon in spring water to the cooked meal, just feed 1 small cooked meal & still feed his normal limited ingredient dry kibble for his other meals or if he’s eating a cooked meal already start buying tin Salmon in spring water then drain water put in air tight container & add teaspoon of salmon to the cooked meals, I also buy “K-9 Natural green lipped mussels freeze dried & Patch started with just 1 mussel as a treat around 11am daily now he gets 2 mussels as a treat daily, Mussels are very healthy & help balance their diet,
here’s a link on Mussels https://drsarahbrewer.com/supplements/green-lipped-mussels-health-benefits
are you following “Rodney Habib”on his face book page, he has really good info also follow “Judy Morgan DVM” https://www.facebook.com/JudyMorganDVM/ click on her Video link look for her “Pancreatitis Diet” & her “IBD IBS Diet” video’s, you can leave out the ingredients you dont want to feed & what I did was just start with 1 lean meat protein mince grounded meat & 1 carb then after I saw Patch was OK I started to add 1 new ingredient egg, then another new ingredient broccoli etc, I make 1/2 cup size rissole balls & bake in oven & boil sweet potatos & freeze in sections & take out the day before, Judy has a 16 yr old dog called Scout, he has a few health problems, she cooks for him & her other sick elderly dogs, Judy shows you how to balance the diet with healthy ingredients, I don’t bother balancing every single meal, I just make sure he’s getting his Omega 3 fatty acids for his skin & stomach, the Dinovite would be very high in Omega’s for the dogs skin my Patch can’t take fish oil or fish oil in kibbles he gets bad acid reflux, so I supplement his omega fatty acids thru foods instead, I add salmon, freeze dried mussels, roasted Almonds a treats I bite & eat 1/2 a almond & Patch gets the other 1/2 of the almond just start off slowly just give 1/2 a almond for 1 week see how he goes, they need 3 almonds a day, read the link I posted above, the health benefits from freeze dried mussels for skin, stomach, joints, brain etc

Have you tried “4Health” Special Care, Sensitive Skin, it has Hydrolyzed Salmon or
“4Health” Special Care, Sensitive Stomach it has just Potato & Egg as only ingredients 4health is sold at Tractor Supply shops only, it’s worth trying a small bag & ask is it money back guaranted if my dog wont eat it?? I always just say Patch wont eat a kibble when he gets his diarrhea & I need to take back the kibble its easier….
You know your dog best so do what you feel will works best for your boy… Good Luck

[weezerweeks]

Anon he’s under a vets care. Susan thank u so much for your suggestions. Bailey is a 7 lb 9 year old rescued yorkie. I’ve had him for 7 years. I give him preference pre mix by THK and veg to bowl premix by Dr. Harvey. I rotate these 2 and I add the protein. I change the protein every week. Turkey, chicken, ground round, version, salmon, tuna etc. for treats he gets freeze dried tripe, the honest kitchen treats. One of these a day.I rotate them. I also add yogurt to his meal at night and a teaspoon of kefir at night. I add a joint supplement because he has luxating pettalar(not bad a 1) I was also giving him foriflora probiotic when he got sick. I also rotate them springtime, mercolas. He also gets Nordic natural fish oil and 3 times a week coconut oil.I also give him a digestive enzyme(prozyme) This is the first time he’s had direahea. He usually has nausea. My vet at this time does not want to do a scope but if needed he will send me to UGA vet school.He also walks a mile every morning with my husband and at night I walk around the block with him. He loves to walk and sniff. I know that he’s 9 1/2 now but that’s not old for a yorkie. Thanks for ur input. I will ask Dr. Mac about the losec and Zantac.

[Randy D]

Look at the Hero formula. A little lower fat, higher protein, grain free with joint supplements. Another suggestion is Performance. It’s 26/18 protein and fat, has some grain, and also has joint supplements.

[george h]

I joined to share our experiences and suggest additional OA options because we found a vet that stays on the cutting edge of treatments.

Our 14 yr old golden retriever had mild hip dysplasia when we rescued her, so our vet recommended feeding an rx diet with high fish oil and glucosamine content. After more than a decade, our golden has only mild arthritis in her lower spine and mild stiffness/weakness in her rear legs. Now Doggo’s ancient for the breed, perhaps it’s an outlier in general.

Nevertheless, when the rx food manufacturer switched to rancid fish oils, Doggo (and the others) refused to eat the rx food. While researching new dog foods, we started feeding Doggo human grade (aka “my”) fish oil and glucosamine/msm supplements daily with a primary protein grain free diet. After four months, Doggo’s mobility/cognition was better than when eating the rx food. (Btw- Rancid fish oils actually cause inflammation in the body instead of reducing inflammation.)

And because Doggo was moving better, Doggo was playing to the point of excess. The vet recommended a short course of rimadyl, but Doggo experienced a personality change on rimadyl. The obedient without fail Doggo refused to stay in the yard or come when called. It was terrifying.

Our vet found the rimadyl side effect unusual, ran bloodwork (normal liver with slightly elevated kidneys) and offered newly available pentosan injections that lubricate the joints to relieve OA pain– without affecting kidney or liver function. We were told it may not alleviate all the pain, but Pentosan has worked wonders! We learned how to inject it (subcutaneously) so Doggo doesn’t have to endure a long ride for a maintenance dose, and at $20-$30 per dose, it was worth trying.

But Doggo played to excess again and instead of rimadyl, the vet prescribed galliprant. At first galliprant didn’t seem to be as effective as rimadyl but it didn’t cause the personality changes rimadyl did. After a few days on galliprant though, Doggo was feeling better. The dose is just enough to provide relief without allowing Doggo to play as hard as a puppy.

Again, Doggo may be the exception not having any GI issues with either rimadyl or galliprant– btw, wrapped in American cheese slices and given before the morning meal. Glucosamine and fish oil supplements (and/or pentosan injections) may have negligible effects in other dogs. The other supplements may or may not be helping: recently, we started giving Doggo vitamin C and cholodin supplements, in addition to a human Nicotinamide Riboside with Pterostilbene supplement. Perhaps even minimal dietary supplements/changes are cumulative– our current theory. Whatever the case, we hope someone else can benefit from knowing what we’ve found effective with Doggo.

[Susan]

Hi Dana,
Scroll up to the 2013 posts, read “Hound Dog Mom” post, she recommends cheaper joint meds that are good..
Go on Chewy site & get some “K-9 Natural” Green Lipped Mussels 50g, they’re freeze dried excellent given as treats 1-2 mussels a day, the shell in the mussel has Glucosamine & Chondroitin, the mussel meat is high in Omega 3, low fat & wont cause any stomach pain/acid reflux like alot of these joint meds can cause… If you ask vet or vet nurse they may know of a human grade supplement that has same ingredients as Dasuquin Advance, read ingredient list to the Dasuquin Advance write it down then take to a few Pharmacist/Chemist & ask the Pharmacist is there a joint supplement that has these ingredients….. Green Lipped Mussel are excellent to give especially when your dog has Panreatitis IBD stomach problems….

[anonymous]

@ Dana

Thanks. I often encourage posters to check the search engine at this site.
Example: /forums/topic/senior-chihuahua-mix-needing-joint-supplement/
But, I think folks are maybe hoping for some new and fresh ideas.

Can your Yorkie have an occasional bite of cooked skinless lean chicken breast?

[Susan]

Hi Darlene,
He sounds like he has a lot of life left in him & has a exciting little life, going on daily walks, chasing squirrels, I’d say the Wellness Core Small Breed isn’t agreeing with him anymore it’s way to rich now for an older dog….Wellness Core Small breed is higher in fat & protein, probably causing bad wind pain like my boy gets when he eats a kibble that doesnt agree with him, he wakes up & is up & down thru the night & just walks around the common garden area then he comes back inside, I’d say he’s farting then feels better then my boy comes back inside goes to bed then he’s up again wanting to go out again, see how he goes after eating the Hills I/d wet tin food see if he settle down, cause he’s normal thru the day isn’t he??

I’d feed the Hills I/d low fat Restore wet canned food & also a Senior kibble like “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior if he still wants a few dry kibble bisuits to chew & crunch on, Canidae Pure Meadow Senior formula is GF very easy to chew & digest, only has 10.80%max fat & has all the supplements older dogs need for their joints, skin, brain, heart etc, I’d start feeding smaller meals thru the day/night, I feed 4-5 meals a day 7am, 9am, 12pm, 5pm, 8pm….easier to digest smaller meals then 2 bigger meals.
You could feed 1-2 meals a dry kibble like the “Canidae” Senior kibble & the rest of his meals he gets the I/D Restore wet tin food & see if he gets better thru the night. Ask vet about “Gabapentin” capsules, it helps them sleep at night, helps any joint or nerve pain & doesn’t cause any stomach/bowel problems, if your on facebook, put “Canine Pancreatitis Support” group in the “search” bar, join then on ur left is their “Files” click & then click on the first link “Low Fat Foods” then scroll down a bit till you get to all the wet tin foods, the fat has been converted to dry matter (DM) fat (Kibble) on your right, then he can have a few different flavours & see which one he really likes best..
Here’s Canidae’s site to look at the dry formula’s but the wet tin foods haven’t been converted & probably will be too high in fat for him, when you see say 5%min fat on a wet tin food after it’s converted to dry matter 5%min fat is around 20%min -25%max fat that’s way too high…
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[anonymous]

What about Pro Plan? https://www.k9ofmine.com/best-low-sodium-dog-food/ excerpt below

1. Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula
About: Pro Plan Focus is a salmon-and-rice-based recipe that is designed for dogs with stomach sensitivities or food allergies. Salmon and rice are typically not allergens and most dogs are able to digest this food easily.
Price: $$
Features:
Salmon is the first listed ingredient.
Made with antioxidant-rich ingredients to help promote immune system function
Fortified with omega fatty acids to ensure joint, skin and coat health
Made without any artificial colors, artificial flavors, corn, wheat or soy

PROS: Purina Pro Plan Focus has the least sodium per calorie of any of the five foods recommended here. Most dogs appear to love the taste, and it may also provide some relief from food allergies.

CONS: Additionally, Pro Plan is made without any probiotics to help regulate intestinal function; however, it does include prebiotic ingredients, which can help support any beneficial bacteria already present in your dog’s digestive tract.
Ingredients:
Salmon, Canola Meal, Brewers Rice, Barley, Oat Meal, Fish Meal (Source of Glucosamine), Animal Fat Preserved with Mixed-Tocopherols, Salmon Meal, Dried Egg Product, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Flavor, Inulin, Fish Oil, Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K Activity), Folic Acid, Biotin, Sodium Selenite. J-4449.
Sodium Content:
50 milligrams / 100 Calories

[Mary G]

Hello everyone!

My 11 year-old beagle was diagnosed with arthritis on both shoulder and hip joints. The vet suggested we feed him Royal Canin Mobility and give him a supplement for that as well. We started him on it and he hates it. He refused to eat today – we are feeding him Taste of the Wild and he was doing great but this is for his own good. Any suggestions? I mix it with a home-cooked ground turkey meat and veggies so it coats the kibble and he still refuses to eat it. I believe he hates the mussles taste. He is not on any digestive distress but he just refuses to eat it. Please help!

[Sandy c]

My vet recommended Natural Liquid Glucosamine, but I searched around a lot and researched before buying. Too early to tell, but the taste is a hit. The amount of glucosamine along with the condroitin and msm is why my vet said to get it. I like that it is natural and made in the USA, and approved by FDA and NASC which regulates all these dog supplements out here. Anyone try this and have feedback? https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Liquid-Glucosamine-Supplements-Chondroitin/dp/B06XRPF5H9/.

[Sandy c]

How’s you chihuahua doing so far?

I’d searched high and low for a joint supplement and came up with Natural Liquid Glucosamine. https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Liquid-Glucosamine-Supplements-Chondroitin/dp/B06XRPF5H9/ I’d researched after my vet recommended it. It is made in the USA (and the ingredients are sourced here too) which was really important to me because there’s no regulation in many pet supplements made outside of the US. Also I wanted something natural as we are health conscious in our household, eat organic, stay away from toxins as much as possible. This one seemed to fit the bill.

Just started yesterday, so too late to say if it’s helping, but my 10 yo Lab likes the taste, and that’s a good thing! 🙂

I was curious to see if others here tried this supplement and came across your post. I hope your pup’s doing better and good luck to all our pets!

[Jude N]

Hi all,

Thank you for the replies. As an update, we did take him into the vet. We brought x-rays from his original appointment; the vet didn’t think he needed new images, and was comfortable dx’ing him based on the originals. He said that the old back injury has likely become re-inflamed, and that there’s some thickening around his knee joint. We went home with a 7-day script of Vetprofen, and then a decent amount 1/4 tablets of a painkiller.

I bought a supplement from Chewy. Here are the ingredients:

Active Ingredients Per Chewable Tablet: Glucosamine HCl (Shrimp and Crab) 750 mg Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) 400 mg Chondroitin Sulfate (Porcine) 400 mg Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) 100 mg Manganese (Mn Proteinate) 5 mg

Inactive Ingredients: allspice, brewers yeast, chicken liver flavor, nutmeg, silicon dioxide, stearic acid.

He eats 1/2 a tab at a time. I smash it into a powder and mix it into his breakfast, which is usually just raw tripe.

He seems to be doing a little better. He’s definitely stiff in the mornings.

We’ve had some back and forth with him not seeming very hungry, which is very unlike him, but I’m curious if it’s just because I switched from beef to pork…and he prefers beef above everything else.

I’m going to make another thread in one of the health boards with a couple of additional q’s…not sure how stringent you guys are here about keeping topics in the correct board.

I’m definitely going to look into the green-lipped mussels!!

[a c]

What’s difference between Dasuquin w MSM and Dasuquin? I am looking for joint health supplement. She doesn’t have arthritis. Thanks!

[zcRiley]

Your Milk Bones Wellness treats have flour and fat fillers plus salt and coloring. Causing more harm than good. Very crude ingredients that reflect its low price point):

Chicken, Wheat Flour, Soybean Flour, Glycerin, Tapioca Flour, Animal Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Water, Salt, Citric Acid (Used as a Preservative), Inulin, Fat Product (Source of Docosahexaenoic Acid), Caramel Color, Calcium Propionate, Beta-Carotene, Zinc Proteinate, Betaine, Zinc Propionate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Natural Mixed Tocopherols (Used as a Preservative), Taurine, Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin, Kale Powder, Rosemary Extract.

However, you’re on the right track to helping your pups’ joint health! I do so with my boys who have bad knees, they fly around like Superman. May I highly recommend for you to get the best…

Dasuquin with MSM for small dogs. Worth every penny. 😊

[InkedMarie]

I’m not familiar with them but I choose high quality food and treats for my dogs. Anything by Milk Bone doesnt enter my house. Unless what you’re feeding is inferior, dogs dont need vitamins. If they have joint issues, there are many high quality joint supplements to choose from.

[crazy4cats]

My vet just recommended that we start giving our large dogs a joint supplement as well. They are turning six yrs old next week. She suggested glucosamine/chondroitin along with fish oil.
I just ordered a product from Chewy called Grizzly Joint Aid liquid that contains all of the above. I’m going to give it a shot. Has anyone else tried it?

https://www.chewy.com/grizzly-joint-aid-hip-joint-support/dp/116638

[Susan]

Hi Jude,
You may need to see vet & get an X Ray, so the vet can see what’s happening, there’s an monthly injection the vet can give to bring relief….I don’t know the name..
Also apply a heat pack for 20mins, this will bring relief to your dog….

Why don’t you buy the human grade Glucosamine & Chondroitin capsules? they are cheaper & work the best for joint inflammation, anything sold as a dog supplement like Sasha Blend etc the price is doubled……

Just be careful when giving any of these joint supplements as they can cause Acid Reflux & upset the stomach….they MUST be taken with a meal…Krill Oil capsules are the best for people & animals that suffer from stomach problems…

Have a look at “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior dry, it’s excellent for aging dogs, my neighbours dog eats the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior dry Kibble & acts like he’s a young dog again, his owner also feeds tin Sardines in Spring water, he gives him a few sardines as treat daily…. https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
I give the freeze dried Green Lipped Mussels daily, he gets about 2-3 mussels a day…

[pitlove]

Hi Jude-

There are a few good hip&joint supplements out there. Dasuquin, Cosuquin, and Glycoflex are some of the top ones. You can also supplement with a wild caught salmon or pollock oil as well.

Also what was the vet’s feeling about the inflammation? I’m surprised he did not suggest an anti inflammatory temporarily to reduce the swelling. Prescription drugs of course can have side effects, but they are often needed in the short term.

[Jude N]

I’ve read through quite a few older topics on here from ~2013, and it seems like several of the recommended Wysong products are no longer in production…so I was going to ask for more help.

I have a roughly 11 year old rescue dog, probably a chi/JRT mix, who has recently begun showing his age. He’s had inflammation in his back before, and over the weekend he’s been crying when we’ve moved him. Otherwise, he acts perfectly normal.

I’m looking at a Mercola pet joint supplement, but it lacks the ingredients I’m used to seeing with hip & joint support: chondroitin & glucosamine.

I’ve looked into a hip & joint supplement by The Missing Link.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a small dog?

Thank you!

[Susan]

Hi C f
Did you know Glucosamine was first researched & tested, on Race Horses & worked a treat so they started to give dogs with joint problems Glucosamine & Chondroitin, how do you think they test most of our medications?? they test on poor animals..
also human grade medications & supplements are of better quality then the dog & cats medications….Just read the ingredient list on any dog Joint supplements & you’ll find they have the same ingredients as the human joint supplements except dog medications & supplements will be double the price..

[Cathy B]

Thanks anon! Yep, that’s the joint supplement I just started. LOL. I know you don’t like a lot of supplements, but I read up on it..and just wanting to help my sweet lil man.
He’s been on Cosequin for a long while, and it seemed to stop helping so I wanted to switch over to something new.

He’s also been on pain meds for years ( he’s my problem child.) He’s had back pain and 2 surgeries and vet said to always have pain meds on hand for him.

He’s never had a problem with them and I never give except once in a long while.
I did notice the one time I gave the Tramadol he was able to rest and get some slee

You and a few others are a blessing on here :0)

[Cathy B]

Hi anon, my vet gave me Tramadol pills a few months ago for my 14 y/o tiny Chi after he had another hernina surgery. I did give him one a few nights ago as I could see he was hurting from Arthritis.
I also have Carprofen. Which should I use for pain?

Just started Springtime joint supplements hoping they do him some good.

[Susan]

Hi why you need to feed more cups of kibble with certain brands of kibble & some kibbles you need to feed less cups is the Kcals per cup amount, the higher the Kcals per cup, you will need to feed less kibble….
You may find kibbles that are higher in Kcals per cup may cause more Intestinal Stress cause the kibble is more dense…..
A Kibble should be around 360 Kcals per cup & under when a dog has Intestinal Stress any higher then they may start to have digestive problems….. I hope this isn’t the case with Molly… Vet diets for Intestinal problems are around 360 Kcals per cup….. if you have any problems with a high Kcal per cup kibble then start feeding a kibble that isn’t as dense & are under 370Kcals per cup & feed a kibble that has 1 protein with limited ingredients….

If your dog continues to do sloppy poo’s or has diarrhea daily she’ll end up with thickening of the bowel & you’ll end up with a dog with IBD when she’s older….. I’d start her on a Probiotic like Purina Forti Floria to make her gut healthy & strengthen her immune system & start adding healthy foods high in Omega 3 to her diet… I would also stop giving her the Glucosamine supplement until her poos are firm, did your vet say to give the extra Glucosamine to an 18 month old dog that has no joint problems & has diarrhea ?

[Susan]

Hi T E,
if you want to start feeding a healthy diet then start adding some fresh raw foods or fresh cooked foods to his diet, chicken frames, turkey legs, chicken is the softest bone, stay away from chicken necks, the chicken necks just have fat & bone no meat, not that great, also rotate between a few different brands of kibbles with different proteins, so he’s not eating the same brand & protein 24/7…..
Follow “Rodney Habib” on his face book page he’s into feeding a healthy raw diet & feeding healthy whole foods to prevent cancer… they did a study for all the kibble feeders & they found by adding 1-2 tablespoons of fresh whole foods to the dogs bowl of kibble reduces their chances of your dog getting cancer by 90%, Rodney talks about it in the video, he also has heap of other videos, go to “Planet Paws” a lot of his video’s will be found there….

Omega 3 is a anti inflammatory & it reduces chances of getting cancer, start adding foods high in omega 3 fatty acids, like tin sardines in spring water or olive oil add a few sardines to your dogs kibble, coconut oil, almonds are high in omega 3 fatty acids, I give Patch 1/2 of an almond & I eat the other 1/2 this way he chews the almond properly its the size of a kibble give about 3-4 almonds a day….
https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib
Once your on Rodney’s page scroll down a bit & watch the video where Rodney’s holding up a sign that say Cannabil Oil the video has really good info…..

Take baby steps, don’t feed all these foods all at once to your dog, he will probably get diarrhea work out which ones are the best for him & you, adding a few sardines to his kibble would be a good start, Aldis sell cheap tin sardines in spring water, also add some tin pink Salmon, the bones are OK to feed, just crush them they break really easy…..
In the video Rodney also talks about when you open up a bag of kibble, as soon as it’s opened the air/oxygen gets to all the oils in the kibbles & they start to go rancid & oxides, so your dog isn’t getting the right amount of omega 3 fatty acid that he should be getting in his diet, same as glucosamine, when dogs get older people think they need to start feeding a senior food, that has Glucosamine, but you’d need to feed a heap of Senior kibble to get the right amount of Glucosamine needed for their joints, so your better off adding Glucosamine tablet supplement to your dogs diet also I forgot Green Lipped Mussels are great to add to diet, in one video Rodney asked Steve Brown if you could only pick 1 food to add to your dogs diet what would it be? Steve Brown said “Green Lipped Mussels, 1 tablespoon of Salmon & a pinch of kelp…

[HoundMusic]

“She’s concerned his little bit of extra weight may be causing an issue we are seeing with one of his front legs where he limps on it. We think (since she’s done x-rays, etc) that it may be joint related ie: arthritis. And the extra weight isn’t helping matters.

Here he is. You can see his tiny, knobby front legs in this one”

Look’s like he’s got some Beagle mixed in there, and if that’s the case, I’m going to say he appears to be only slightly overweight – that overly long back, over-stuffed sausage shape and “bench” legs (meaning legs that bow outwards) are just a sign of a common condition in Beagles called chrondrodystrophy. Not that he isn’t a bit fluffy, but in consideration of that body type, he’s not really overweight at all, or else doesn’t seem to be in that pic.

On that note, the limping you are seeing, despite it being in the leg, may actually be a symptom of intervertebral disc disease, which is almost inevitable in bench-legged Beagles. The first indication of IVDD coming to the surface is limping on one or more legs, so you might want to get that checked (it is diagnosed with a spinal x-ray), because it can be a life threatening condition if left untreated.

I’m generally trying to get weight on my hounds, but I find home-cooking keeps them thin, and barring that, any commercial kibble that is 300 kcals per cup or under should do the trick nicely. Also, watch the calcium:phosphorous content, meaning, no grain free, ultra high protein foods. Careful with exercise too, because if there is an underlying condition there causing the limping, too much can very easily aggravate it.

ETA: I very stupidly forgot to mention that my older bitch with IVDD does very well on and stays extremely slim begin supplemented with Iams Premium Protection Mature Adult. It’s not the regular Iams – this is in a white bag – and it’s difficult to find, so we don’t feed it consistently, but thought I’d just throw that suggestion out there 🙂

• This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by HoundMusic.

[anonymous]

Natural Balance for Fat Dogs, check it out, only 250 calories a cup and the ingredients don’t look bad at all. I give a 1/2 raw carrot as a treat (not baby carrots/choking hazard)
https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dog-formulas/dry/fat-dogs/original

I would feed this to a senior. I might add a little lean ground cooked turkey or a bite of scrambled with water egg to it. Plus a splash of water to the kibble (a lot of dogs don’t drink enough water)
I never give yogurt or any dairy products to dogs. The only supplement I add is one fish oil capsule a day.

Increase walks, activity. Any way you can take him swimming? One minute of swimming is equal to 4 minutes of running! And easy on the joints.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by anonymous.

[Susan]

Hi, Canidae has brought out a few new grain free formula’s one is Pure Meadow Senior, my neighbor just order a bag of the Canidae Pure Meadow & it smells & looks really good, she gave me 2 kibbles so I could do my kibble test to see if the kibble digest easy & yes after soaking the 2 kibbles in very warm water the kibbles were soft all the way thru in
15-minutes, so very easy to digest, my boy has IBD & can’t eat chicken 🙁 so I’m looking at the new Canidae Pure Wild Boar….
Ingredient’s Canidae Pure Meadow Senior are, Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, peas, potatoes, a 50-75lb dog only needs 2 & 1/2 cups per day…
There’s also “Holistic Select” Chicken Meal & Rice Senior Health, same the kibble digest real easy was soft within 15mins….
Holistic Select Senior Ingredients are, Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Ground White Rice, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat, Anchovy & Sardine Meal….
You could rotate between the 2 kibbles, Holistic Select Senior has grains & Canidae Senior is grain Free the fat is 10%min in both kibbles & protein is around 26 to 28% min…
Just make sure when changing from your old kibble you look for new kibble around the same amount of fat, protein & fiber %, you can go up a few percent but don’t go from feeding a kibble that was 20% protein to a kibble with 30 + % protein, same with the fat % don’t go from 10-12% fat up to 17-20% fat….You can get some digest problems but your dog might be fine & is OK..
Canidae- http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Holistic Select- http://holisticselect.com.au/recipes.aspx?pet=dog
I feed my senior boy he’s 8yrs old “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & he gets a cooked meal for dinner or lunch about 5 times a week + Yakult probiotic drink, Almonds & apple, a few peeled pieces apple as a treat, tin salmon in spring water with sweet potato, K-9 Natural Green Lipped Mussels treats, just make sure you give foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids, & supplements for joints like Green lipped Mussel + Turmeric, Sasha’s Blend, Rose Hip Vital, there’s a few on the market, make sure you give with food they can cause stomach reflux….
Dr Peter Dobias has just brought out a new Omega 3 oil supplement, that has no mercury made from Calamari, it took him 2-3 years to make, it’s all on his F/B page Called “Dr Peter Dobias, Natural Healing For Dogs” he has a 15-16yr old dog that runs around like he’s a puppy same as my 8yr old he runs & acts like a young puppy…. Diet is the key to a healthy dog…

[InkedMarie]

Jane: it’s DuMor joint supplement, available at Tractorr supply & probably elsewhere

[pugmomsandy]

Senior foods are actually not a recognized label according to AAFCO. A food can be for adult maintenance or growth and reproduction. The majority of senior foods are made to have less protein and fat and calories and may contain joint supplements. That being said, healthy seniors don’t require less protein and thus increased carbs. They actually benefit from increased quality protein and quality fats. And a serving of a food with joint supplements would not have a therapeutic dose. You’re better off giving a separate joint supplement. If your senior was doing fine on her previous food regimen, you could go back to it.

[Michael F]

Hi So Sorry to hear of your dogs, terrible accident. One of my dogs ripped her knee out at age ten and had to have a plate put in, however even before the operation we saw a holistic vet and put both our pups on Cosequin, now the new improved version is supposedly Dasaquin ( but I have not used that) and also Duralactin, even before the surgery the Duralactin immediately helped with joint pain and swelling, both dogs stayed on Cosequin and Duralactin for the rest of their lives and lived to be seventeen and eighteen years of age. Duralactin is an all natural milk protein tablet, it can be purchased through Dr. Fosters Smith and is relatively inexpensive, expecially for your dog’s size. I think the supplements with a quality low fat diet for her to loose weight make the most sense for you.

Good Luck I hope this helps!

[Danielle B]

Hello, I am new to this forum and am hoping to find answers. We recently brought home our new puppy. The breeder was feeding Blue Buffalo fish and oatmeal “adult breed” with royal can in puppy mousse. After coming home we stuck with the exact same regimen and changed nothing. Our puppy developed horrible diarrhea for about 3 weeks. After putting him on a prescription diet, vet recommended along with a digestive supplement, cooking for him and adding pumpkin, it seems that his gut has normalized. It is now time to slowly get him off of the prescription diet however I am still overwhelmed by the choices here. I am looking for a dry kibble in the medium price range. I went into this thinking Blue Buffalo was a decent brand but after reading this website it doesn’t seem to be the best choice. Any suggestions on where to start my bulldog. Being a breed prone to health issues, skin irritations, joint issues, etc,, I would like to get a jump on feeding him properly now before things get out of control. I am looking for any and all suggestions on food, suggested supplements, additives, routines, etc… I also am not clear as to why the breeder feeds his puppies adult food instead of puppy food, any thoughts on this. Also, are english bulldogs considered large breed or medium breed on this website? Thank you for any and all help.