[OhBichonPlease]

I am trying to find carrageenan-free canned dog foods to supplement a rotational variety of kibble [so far mainly Wellness Core, Dr Tim’s Kinesis, various Pet Pantry holistic blend samples] to add moisture, aid digestion and provide additional nutrients. She is currently enjoying homemade frozen “salmon pops” made with canned pumpkin, Wellness 95% salmon and yogurt [1-3 cubes a day depending on kibble consumption = which is spotty at best], but I would like to add some variety and ensure proper nutritional balance.
I have been looking at products available in local, independent shops as well as Pet Pantry at feedyourpets.com [because I live in their free delivery zone].
Pet Pantry offers several premium canned choices by reputable companies with high ratings on this site, but I am a bit confused about some choices…
Dave’s makes a few options available with guar gum, but not carrageenan. This company seems well-liked for their high standards, etc. But Dave’s Naturally Healthy Joint Formula contains both unnamed MEAT BY PRODUCTS and CHICKEN BY PRODUCTS. Is this just to provide natural sources of glucosamine or other joint-friendly compounds with things like chicken necks/feet and connective tissue? I would rather not feed my girl anything bad or red-flagged and was surprised to see these ingredients listed on a premium product – should I be worried?

[kms]

Just wanted to update and see if anyone has any thoughts on this. About a week ago, the vet put Augie back on anti-biotics (SMZ TMP). His diarrhea had gotton so bad that he was having it all night long. They also had him start back on Pro-Pectalin. After about 3-4 days on that (SMZ and Pro-Pect), his diarrhea got better and his stools became intermittently soft and formed – with occasional diarrhea/runny stuff. In the meantime, his stool had been sent to an outside lab. The results came back Saturday and the lab found a pathogenic bacteria called Campylobacter. They switched his anti-biotic immediately to a new one called Marbofloxacin and continued the Pro-Pectalin. He has been on that combination for 2 days and things are about the same so far. I read that Marbofloxacin is not recommended for large breed puppies under 12 months of age (can cause bone/joint abnormalities) so I called the vet. He said that this is true, but only in pets who have taken the med for longer than 14 days (his script is for 14 days). He also said it had the least side effects of all the anti-biotics that the lab recommended.

Does anyone know anything about Campylobacter and/or Marbofloxacin? Is it possible that this is what has been wrong all along?

As far as feeding, I’m still feeding NVI Rabbit, along with a theraputic dose of Mercola Probiotics (no pumkpin, no digestive enzymes, no treats other than his kibble).

[Duke The Boxer]

patty have you tried this brand or have heard about it? Obviously it is not one of the foods on HDM’s list but some of their formulas looks pretty good. i like how this formula has a good amount of glucosamine in it. please let me know your consideration.
http://www.midamericapetfood.com/victordogfood/joint_health.html

PS
I should also add that Duke is doing good on Coastal Catch but he is still having random regurgitation of his food a couple hours after eating it. It was happening towards the end of the wellness core bag and im still transitioning with the wellness core and the CC. Please if any one if you ladies not just patty can please maybe give their 2 cents to come to some leads for figuring out why he is doing this. he is going to the vet tomorrow to get reweighed for his demodex medicine and i will mention it to the doctor.

[A.Sandy]

Hi anniearies,
I have a great dane, and I give him joint rescue or joint jerky tr, forget harsh pills! your pup will think this is a treat! they love this stuff and it is extremely effective! and on top of that the crème of le crème, NZYMES!! it prevents cancer and rebuilds muscle tissue and so much more try it I loved it for my dane and recommended to all my customers!

-Ana
pet nutrition expert/advisor
pupcatnutrition.com
@pupcatfacts

[grouch_29]

I am researching what would be the best diet for a Neapolitan Mastiff. I have never owned one before but this is my all time favorite breed and hopefully soon I will be able to add a baby neapolitan girl to my family. I would like to get more information on what I’d the best diet for them. I know they are a giant breed and the diet plays a big role in their growth development. I wasn’t a strong healthy girl not a over weight girl with joint and hip problems due to inproper feeding. Please, if anyone has a mastiff and has suggestions or advisr I will greatly appreciate it. What I’d best? Raw or kibble? I’s it possible to do both? If I do just raw, how much do I feed? Do I mix different meats or can I stick to one? Help!!!!

Thank you,
Angie

[theBCnut]

Garlic has been known to help with joints too, but I think you will want to know how much help the joint supplement is providing before you see if the garlic helps even more.

[anniearies]

Thank you for the reminder. ~i’m currently swtiching joint supplement.^^

[theBCnut]

If she is under 20 lbs you can give her 1/2 clove of freshly chopped garlic 3 days a week, then don’t give it for four. If she is over 20 lbs, give 1 clove instead. But if you are going to change her to a new joint supplement, I would do that first so you know how she is doing on it before adding something else.

[RescueDaneMom]

A lot of glucosamine is sourced from shellfish. Do you think she could have a shellfish allergy? They make vegetarian glucosamine and joint supplements. http://www.swansonvitamins.com/q?kw=vegetarian+glucosamine+-+shellfish+free

I don’t think any supplements will conflict with kibble. You should be fine adding whatever supplement you decide to try right into her kibble. Sometimes herbs can have a strong smell (and taste I’m guessing) so you may have to add a little canned food or something else yummy to mask the smell/flavor.

[anniearies]

Hi, everyone, thanks for helping.
She been taking glucosamine+chondroitin tablets for over a year, it works for her. But then, she could take it no more. At first we thought she does not like the taste, as it’s bitter. We tried all other brand, instead of giving tablet, we brought glucosamine in powder or liquid form, and we found there is something she could not tolerate in glucosamine products. her tounge wouldn’t stop licking like getting choked,utill it went white, it happened whenever we gave glucosamine to her , either instantneously or later of the day. If we not giving her that, it does not happen at all.
To maintain her joint health, we still give that to her for quite awhile , untill our dog refused to have it anymore.
She is having dry kibble for meals, and i wonder if it’s right for us to add the herbal medicine to help her with it. I mean most herbal medicine seemed made intend to be added to whole food.Would it be in conflict with commercial dog food?

i would also like to try all the products you guys recommend.

thank you for helping without you guys, all i know i could give her is glucosamine and herbal medicine, now we got wilder choice. i believe there must be something suitable to maintain her joint health from what you guys recommend.

thank u guys !

[theBCnut]

Generally speaking, we don’t recommend senior foods. Many of them are based on bad science. Seniors can have difficulty in utilizing the protein in their food and actually may require as much as 50% more protein than a younger dog, yet most senior foods decrease protein. They also don’t have a therapeutic dose of joint supplements in them, but they advertise as if they do, which keeps owners from giving their dog what it needs in that department. Senior foods are a marketing gimmick, not a need.

[RescueDaneMom]

I have used Dasuquin with MSM for large dogs by Nutramax for years. It works really great for my dogs but it’s expensive. The last time I bought it on Amazon it was around $80 for a bottle of 150 chewable tablets. I was giving my Dane 3/day so it lasted me about a month and half. I have recently switched to buying all of the components in Dasuquin separately from swansonvitamins.com: glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, and ASU. It costs me around $25/month. I also just ordered Actiflex 4000 from Amazon. It is a joint supplement made for horses. It was recommended by a member on this forum. It will be much more cost effective for me. I’m hoping it will work for him. I’ve tried Liquid Health’s K9 Level 5000 on two separate occasions and it didn’t work for my dogs. I’ve also heard that Springtime Inc makes good joint supplements. I want to try theirs next. Nupro and The Wholistic Pet make powders that you add to the food that have joint supplements in them. I believe that Glucosamine HCl works better than Glucosamine sulfate for my Dane.

Here are some article on joint health and treatments:
http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/knowledgeBase/knowledgebasedetail.aspx?articleid=169&SubjectId=13261&SubjectName=Arthritis+%2f+Joint+Support
http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/knowledgeBase/knowledgebasedetail.aspx?articleid=46&SubjectId=13261&SubjectName=Arthritis+%2f+Joint+Support

That probably gives you a lot to think about. Every dog is different and some things work better than others. Good luck! I hope you find what works for your pup. 🙂

[BluesMom]

Thank you for the advice. What supplement do you use? He is a pit mix… which is strange yours does this all time too!!

[NectarMom]

I use Springtime Inc advanced joint care for my dogs and one of mine has luxating patella and she limped at times and since giving her Springtime once a day it is amazing the difference. She can run like when she was young. Great product.

[RescueDaneMom]

What do you mean by not tolerating the glucosamine? Is it not working? Does it make her ill? I have a Great Dane so I really have to support his joints. I have never used glucosamine by itself. I’ve always used it in a combination formula with MSM, chondroitin, and ASU. I’ve just recently started adding in herbs as he has arthritis now that he’s an old man.

Some herbal formulas for dogs that I know of are Dr. Harvey’s Ortho-Flex Joint Ease, Herbsmith’s Soothes Joints, and The Honest Kitchen’s Lithe Tea.
For more info on using herbs for joint care see this article: http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/herbs-for-canine-joint-care/

Other things that help joints are cetyl myristoleate, hyaluronic acid, perna mussel (green-lipped mussel) powder, and eggshell membrane.

What I have learned in my search to find what works for my dog is that every dog is different. I have tried products because people tell me how great they are and how they worked for so and so; however, they didn’t work for my dog. It is all trial and error. You have to try everything. Try something and give it a couple weeks to see if there is any notable difference. If it doesn’t work, scratch it off the list and move on to the next thing. I wish you luck in finding what helps your pup. I hope I was at least a little helpful. 🙂

[anniearies]

vet recommend us giving glucosamine to our senior dog on daily basis.
But her body could not tolerate glucosamine in any brand any form after taking it for over a year.
In order to maintain joint health , and her achilless tendon, what supplement can i give her now?
herbal form joint supplement good for dogs?

[Linda]

EXCELLENT point, Melissa – thank you! Had not thought of correction in quite that way and I see the point. Very glad I found this site. Thanks, everyone.

[RescueDaneMom]

What kind of dog is he? I have a Great Dane that I rescued at 2 years old. I put him on a joint supplement as soon as I got him. I had to up his dose as he got older when I noticed his joints starting to pop when he got up. The vet just diagnosed him with arthritis (he’s 7.5 now). I tried switching joint supplements once and his joint popping got really bad- the new supplement wasn’t working well. When I switched back to the old supplement the popping stopped. So that was a long way around telling you that it could be a joint problem. He might benefit from a joint supplement (something with glucosamine and chondroitin). I also have a pit bull in the house that does that stretching you are referring to. He does it ALL the time. I thought it was just a personality quirk. He’s 5 yrs old and 70 pounds and his joints never pop.

If you are really worried, you could take him to the vet and have them do an xray to see if there are joint issues going on.

[RescueDaneMom]

I have a Great Dane and my mom is taking care of my brother’s rottie. We used to have both of them on Dasuquin with MSM for large breed dogs made by Nutramax. http://www.nutramaxlabs.com/dog/dog-joint-bone-health/dasuquin-for-dogs It worked very well but was very pricey. Last time I bought it on Amazon it was $80 for the 150ct bottle. They come in beef flavored chewable tablets which makes it easy to give. The rottie ate them like treats but my Dane was picky and I had to crush them up in his food. Now, I buy the same components (glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, and ASU) from swansonsvitamins.com and give them to my dog crushed in his food. It costs me about $25/month now instead of $64 (I was giving 4 tabs per day so the 150ct lasted about 5 weeks).

[Melissaandcrew]

A couple of things. Mill dogs needs TIME first and formost to come out of their shells. They need time to develop a bond with their person. Only when they gain trust in their person, will they truly blossom and become a dog. Until then, its a learning curve-every thing is new. At this point in time(4weeks??) no one has any business correcting a “soft/timid” dog for anything. One can not correct a behavior that has never been taught and learned to begin with, and she needs TIME to adjust before any one tries to set rules.

[BluesMom]

Hello all… My dog has started stretching excessively. He always does the “bow” (front legs out, bottom in the air) and his joints pop sometimes. Not his hips. I have two questions:

1. What is the deal with excessive stretching? I have done some research and some say he wants to play or it is a calming behavior, but I have read somewhere that stretching all the time can mean he is stiff, but I want to know why he would be stiff. He is 1 1/2 years old. Anyone have any info or links to articles I could look at?

2. What is with the joint popping? It is only when he does that particular stretch. Does joint popping lead to arthritis? I’d appreciate any advice or articles on this as well.

Thanks for all the help. Sometimes I think I am just an over-concerned dog mom, but I just want to make sure he has the best life possible!

[theBCnut]

She needs a class that uses positive reinforcement. I would lure, but not force. Her relationship is too new to risk doing something that may frighten and confuse her.

[pugmomsandy]

You can find a similar food to Life’s Abundance for less $$ like Nutrisource grain inclusive line small/med breed puppy formula (yes, for your 8 yr old). If you’re willing to feed something better than kibble though, look into some dehydrated/freeze-dried foods like The Honest Kitchen or Grandma Lucy’s or Dr Harvey’s Oracle. These are less processed than kibble. If you can home cook for your dog, then those brands I just mentioned have a Pre-mix where you just add your own meat and some oil. I give my dogs probiotics, sardine/krill oil, super greens powder supplement, colostrum, Springtime’s Bug-Off/Longevity and some joint supplements. Mine also get fresh food like raw meat, scrambled eggs and raw sardines and leftovers of meat/some veggies.

[Linda]

Thanks for the replies. Water here in MN is on it’s way to frozen but will try water therapy next summer. For now we’ll all keep up with long walks and daycare socialization – we watch the web cam and she’s on the move nearly all day except for enforced ‘nap’ time. Heard from another source, too, that it may not be a joint issue. Our girl (we are the Nana and Papa) is very timid but her curiosity helps draw her out a bit. What do you think about starting obedience training now – she’s been with our daughter in her home for 4 weeks. Is it too soon to come down on her with obedience correction? When I’ve walked with her I do keep her in a heel position but when I stop for the ‘sit’ and press down on the hindquarters she seems frozen. She does sit on her own, however. I’m a bit nervous about forcing her to do anything she isn’t physically capable of but also don’t want her to become stubborn and spoiled in her newfound freedom!

[jas84047]

I did some work with our local rescue who did a large puppy mill raid and we noticed the same thing as Melissa mentioned above. I would agree that it is probably more a timid/lack of knowledge thing rather than joint issues. We did a lot of water therapy with the mill dogs to help them use their joints and that seemed to really be the key to ‘unlocking’ their joints and gaining their confidence. If you have the water/pool resource I’d try it.
Just my experience 🙂

[Naturella]

I don’t know too much about this issue, but here is some info that may help:
http://www.bestbullysticks.com/home/bbs/page_45_6/benefits_of_glucosamine_and_chondroitin_for_dogs.html

And here are links of where you can get your girl nice affordable treats that naturally contain glucosamine and chondroitin:
http://www.bestbullysticks.com/home/bbs/search?keywords=trachea&submit.x=0&submit.y=0
http://www.bestbullysticks.com/home/bbs/search?keywords=stuffed+gullet&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

This way you can see how your dog does with good diet, good exercise, much love, and a bit of those yummy treats/chews for a little glucosamine and chondroitin boost – shouldn’t hurt, I don’t think… 🙂

[theBCnut]

She probably has very little muscle tone and really doesn’t know that she can use them the way that other dogs take for granted. Time, good food, activity, and lots of positive experiences will take care of a lot of that.

Thank you for taking this special girl and giving her a chance to be loved.

[Melissaandcrew]

It may not be a joint/bone issue at all. True puppy mill dogs often lack courage/boldness and have soft temperaments while adjusting. Most will not go up/down steps or jump into vehicles because they have never learned to-and it will take time. Think of her as a large puppy-if she even walks on leash and collar, you are miles ahead of many.

[Linda]

A 5 yr. old German Shepherd (breeding bitch) has been rescued. 6 litters in her lifetime. Lived in a 4×4 pen with 3 other adults. Tip of ear frozen off. Couple of cracked teeth but no gum disease. Suffering from pancreatic insufficiency. No strength yet in the rear to jump into the car but now can get her front feet up – we lift the rest of the way. Can jump up to a fence at daycare now but can only sustain the position for 25-30 seconds. Fast trotted at dog park for first time yesterday. Timid but no aggression towards either canine or human. Extremely curious. She is getting regular walking exercise and is at daycare 2x per week for socialization (huge strides in becoming ‘one’ with the pack).

Reason for my topic post: Looking for advice on supplements eg glucosamine/chondroitin – would anyone recommend this and if so, brand/dose? What about massage? Anything else?

[RescueDaneMom]

Bentley-

So glad your pup is doing better! In my opinion, it sounds like he is at the perfect weight. You want him to be on the lean side. Especially with his breed being prone to joint problems, it is better to keep him lean so he never has excess weight on his joints. As long as he is in good body condition, which it sounds like he is, then his nutritional needs are being met just fine. If he was so skinny that his ribs were showing and he looked malnourished, then I would worry.

I have a 7.5 year old Great Dane that was recently diagnosed with arthritis. I made a switch to Honest Kitchen (dehydrated food) and raw. He has lost a significant amount of weight (somewhere between 8-10 lbs) and I can just barely see the outline of his ribs. My vet told me that he was perfect and having the excess weight off would help his joints.

I think the worst thing you can do for large dogs is let them get overweight, even if it’s a little bit. Though, to me, it sounds like your boy is perfect. I would keep doing what you’re doing. I hope his problem stays cleared up. 🙂

[RescueDaneMom]

Definitely agree, Duke. Dogs are just as unique as people. All are individuals. I tried Liquid Health’s K9 Level 5000 joint supplement because people said it worked great for their dogs. It didn’t do a darn thing for mine. Just got to keep searching until you find what works.

[Mom2Cavs]

BRT….Sounds like you have a good plan. Mine don’t seem to like the taste of pumpkin lol. I tried ACV years ago with my 2 mixed breeds and Lucy WOULD NOT take it in any way, so I gave up. Haven’t tried it since. I used to have to give my boy mixed breed, Desi, a joint supp. due to both rear luxating patellas. I gave Springtime Joint Health chews and they worked great for him. I like all Springtime supplements. But, Lucy doesn’t like Longevity at all lol. So I just use their chews and their Omega 3-6-9 (when I use an omega supp., that is). I started adding a little of the Beef Frittata in and so far, ok. But I am so worried it’s not gonna go as well as I hope with the Fromm. They really do well with the Pacific Stream, though I think Lucy is not doing as well as the Cavs with it. It could be the fish protein with her. My cat, Princess, does really well with Earthborn, Fromm, Tiki Cat canned food and loves Instinct, Orijen and/or Acana dry. I just bought a bag of Fromm Gamebird for cats and she is loving it! She is fed canned am and pm and the dry is left out for her to graze on.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 1 month ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Embodz]

My 8 1/2 year old labradoodle Boe was diagnosed with a Hepatic Carcinoma this past summer. It was operable so they removed the tumor and the right lobe of her liver (the left side of the liver was not yet impacted by the tumor). It’s been nearly 4 months since the surgery and she has recovered well, although her energy level is not quite where it was prior to her illness. I have two concerns. First, I am concerned that the food we are now feeding her is not the best option for her. Her vet has prescribed Hills Prescription L/D for hepatic health. Are there better, more wholesome options for her? I am concerned about the quality of ingredients and it doesn’t seem that the prescription food is satisfying her hunger. We feed her the recommended amount based on her ideal weight but she is constantly hungry. She is also experiencing some joint stiffness, probably associated with age but I am afraid to give her joint supplements because I don’t know if they may impact her liver function. Prior to her surgery, she was a very active dog. She would run on average 3 days per week (only 3-4 miles ea.) with us but she is too stiff and sore to really run any distance at this point. Any suggestions would be appreciated

[pugmomsandy]

you’re welcome

[CSollers]

Thanks, Sandy. I’m going to try this product for Ray.

[beagleowner]

new mom, so glad to hear you are trying the marrow bones for treats. My beagle won’t eat green beans.. I even tried to hide them in his homemade food but he could distinguish them. I see your dog had a neck injury, well Henry fell and tore his ACL. Surgery is not an option because of his age. He is on pain pills and limps around. He does sleep a lot and I put his meds in very small pieces of braunschweiger and works like a charm. Wetting is a problem. I read that the meds he is taking can cause incontinence. So we got pads for hi,. Sometimes successful, sometimes not. I did find a chew at Tractor Supply called RedBarn Naturals Joint Firmula Bully Slices. Thry last a long time and Henry had strong jaws. My Vet looked and studied them and approved them for Henry. You may want to consider these if you can find them. They are made in the USA. Website is http://www.redbarninc.com

[pugmomsandy]

I chose the horse version since it didn’t have “beef flavor” or something like that and it makes it a real small dose. The raw feeders in my group large dogs use the horse version.

[RescueDaneMom]

Thank you both for the suggestions. I’ve never thought of using horse supplements. I found that Actiflex makes a K9 formula too. Do you think the Actiflex 4000 is better than the Actiflex K9?

[Katie]

Thanks for all the advice y’all. I appreciate all the feedback.

As far as the chewing goes – I have been trying to distract him whenever I catch him chewing his nails or licking/chewing his legs, hips, or butt with chew toys, rawhides, bones. Bauer doesn’t really care for toys – but man on man he absolutely loves bones and antlers. If I am holding it for him, he would chew and chew on them for hours. He gives up faster if he’s having to hold them between his paws on his own. They have really helped clean his teeth a bunch too. His teeth were HORRIBLE when I first got him. I have been trying to brush them, but nothing has worked as well as the antlers have in cleaning those back teeth up. The plaque/tartar build up was disgusting and black when I first got him. It’s so much better now. As far as the bones/antlers go – the redirect seems to work whenever I catch him in the act of licking/chewing to switch out for the bone or antler. But it’s when I am not home during the day and can’t reprimand and redirect – that’s when it’s the worst. I come home and he’s got a new raw spot, or the one he had is now even worse. I try to not let him be home alone for more than 4 hours at a time, but I do believe that some of it is just boredom. I take him on a long walk in the morning to try and wear out some of his energy too. I think I am going to have to diaper him if he doesn’t leave his back legs and butt alone.

As far as his weight issues go, I have another vet appointment on Tuesday so I am going to ask her to do a lab work up on him. It worries me that he hasn’t gained weight. I am definitely going to be switching to a grain free dog food (I know Sor recommended Halo) and I am going to the meat store in a bit to pick up ingredients for Satin balls. I have been giving Bauer fish oil supplements as well as glucosamine/chondroitin pills just bc my goldens always needed it for hip/joint issues and I figure that even though he’s severely underweight and still young right now – hopefully he will eventually gain weight and he won’t always be young – so preventative measures are always best.

Katie

[pugmomsandy]

The big dog people in my raw group suggested using Actiflex 4000! A gallon goes a long way.

Under 25 pounds:

½ tsp. daily loading dose for 5 days
¼ tsp. daily maintenance dose

25-50 pounds

1 tsp. daily loading dose for 5 days
½ tsp. daily maintenance dose

50-75 pounds:

1 ½ tsp. daily loading dose for 5 days
¾ tsp. daily maintenance dose

> 100 pounds

2 tsp. daily loading dose for 5 days
1 tsp. daily maintenance dose

[theBCnut]

Just wanted to let you know that some people use horse joint supplements for their large dogs with great success.

[RescueDaneMom]

I have a 160lb Great Dane named Max. I used to use Dasuquin with MSM for large dogs. I was giving him 3 tablets per day. A 150ct bottle goes for about $85 on Amazon. When I finished my last bottle I tried Liquid Health’s K9 Level 5000 because it’s a liquid (easier to mix in his food) and high potency (5000mg og glucosamine in 1 tbs). Well after a few days Max’s joints started popping when he would get up and progressed to popping all the time. I discontinued use and went back to Dasuquin since I know it works for him. The popping cleared up in a couple days.

I’ve been wanting a joint supplement that is more cost effective for my big dog. Dasuquin costs me about $50/month. For the last 3 weeks, Max has been on a combination of products from Swansons. I am now giving him 4 separate products that equate to the ingredients of Dasuquin. I have him on: 1500mg Glucosamine HCL (3 tabs), 1500mg MSM (2 tabs), 600mg Chondroitin Sulfate (2 caps), and 300mg maximum strength Avovida/ASU (1 cap). It’s more work but the price is SO much better! Now it’s costing me about $24/month. His joints are good, no popping. I wanted to share this revelation of mine with others that might have large dogs that are looking for a more cost-effective way to manage joint health. Does anyone know of other good cost-effective joint products for large dogs?

On another note regarding joint health, my vet has determined that my Dane has arthritis and has put him on Rimadyl. He is taking 200mg/day. So far he has had no nasty side effects. I know Rimadyl is hard on the liver so I started him on some Milk Thistle but I’m not sure how much I should be giving him. Two weeks ago we also found that he has a hairline fracture in his right front paw so he has been on Tramadol too. I upped his Milk Thistle because of the increase in meds. I am giving him 3 capsules/day of the Full Spectrum Milk Thistle from Swansons. Each capsule has 500mg of ground milk thistle. Is this enough? He is responding well to the Rimadyl. He bounces around on his walks more now and isn’t slow getting up anymore either. Does anyone have experience treating arthritis?

Thank you in advance for any feedback.
-Caroline

[robertdee]

Interestingly enough, my girlfriend when I just met her (now my fiance), had a Yorkie with luxating petalla. I remember spending hours walking around pet stores, talking to vets and doing research online. A friend of mine has recommended me to look into Pooch & Mutt products (really popular supplements company in UK) as they have started selling directly in the US through http://www.bestdogremedies.com

We were skeptical, but after trying everything else, we have realized that there was nothing to lose. We have ordered some Mobile Bones and Bella has gotten a new lease on life.

[RescueDaneMom]

I just started using an herbal joint supplement from Swanson’s that has devils claw in it. I would agree with pugmomsandy. Rotation is good. My dog has been on Dasuquin for years now. It has been the only thing that has worked. I tried Liquid Health’s K9 Level 5000 supplement on two different occasions. It didn’t help him at all. His joints started popping after being on it for a few days and he was getting stiffer. Now I have him on a number of products from Swanson’s that replicates what’s in Dasuquin. He gets glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, and Avovida as well as an herbal supplement I just started. His joint popping and stiffness has gone away, but my vet also put him on Rimadyl as he suspects he has arthritis. Btw, my dog Max is a 7.5 year old Great Dane weighing in at 158 pounds.

[gmcbogger38]

Do y’all recommend giving dogs only devil’s claw for joint support? Or would it be best to give it along with a regular glucosamine supplement?

[rogerharris]

I think Blue Buffalo is best brand as it contains Omega 6 fatty acids and glucosamine for joint health and its annual revenue is around $400 million which shows this brand has increases their sales on the basis of quality ingredients.

http://www.compundiapharmacy.com/

[pacer1978]

Can a dog overdose on enzymes? I give my dogs enzymes with each meal since I feed them kibble. I didn’t realize that some dog food already have enzymes in the food such as Nature’s Variety and Nature’s Logic. So, should I still give them enzymes with their meals when I feed them that brand? I switch brands now every few bags as recommended with the understanding that each brand may use specific nutrients, minerals, and vitamins more so than others. So, by switching the brands it ensures my dogs are getting a variety of those things. If I switch between brands, but maintain the same supplements and dosages, could I potentially overdose them on anything?
This is what they get:
Daily: Nordic Naturals Fish Oil for dogs, Swanson’s joint supplement for their hips, coconut oil, enzyme with each meal, and 1 TBS supergreens
Every other Day: Probiotic and Tart Cherry (as part of their superfood). I sometimes will give Mattie a probiotic every day depending on how her ears are…she is kind of “yeasty”.

[pugmomsandy]

One site I looked at said a 10 lb dog should have 300 mg glucosamine daily. So if you go by that, he can have the dosage on the bottle – 2 tabs for the loading period and then 1 tab per day. Cetyl-M has 250 mg glucosamine. It has bromelain in it as well. So taking this on an empty stomach allows the enzyme to work systemically rather than acting to digest food.

http://www.glucosaminefordogshq.com/glucosamine-dosage-for-dogs/

[weezerweeks]

Pugmomsandy I decided to try the cetyl m tablets. I received my bottle today. It says initial period 2 tablets per day 25 lbs. my dog weighs 7lbs. What amount should I start with and what amount to maintain. It also says on empty stomach.anybody can answer

[Akari_32]

If I didn’t have such a mixed lot of dogs, I wouldn’t see a problem with it, but since I do, I’d like to ask and see what you all think. Prepare for super long post of stuff!

We have three dogs, one my moms, and two are mine. Mom has an 8 pound, 1 year old, Jack Russell/Maltese. He’s got a super high metabolism. Eats a whole cup of food, yet remains slightly (by less than a half pound) under weight, by my best guess, seeing as he was only supposed to weigh 4 pounds to begin with. It’s hard to keep any meat on him because he’s such an active nut. On top of regular food, he gets a couple treats a day (Zuke’s Hip and Joint and Denta Sticks), and every month or so, all three dogs get a raw meal replacement (turkey neck/back, pork hock, etc).

My dogs, 9.5 year old 130 pound Rottweiler/Austrailian shepherd, and 10.5 year old lab/retriever mix, are outside dogs, much to my dislike. I sneak them in a few days a week when moms working out of town. As soon as money starts looking better, I’ll be getting my own place, where they will be indoors, always. Haley, the lab mix, does have trouble keepig weight on when fed according to the bag these days, but is otherwise healthy. I’ve been feeding her about 5 cups, as aposed to the 2.5-3 she used to get, and that’s doing the trick. Dweezle, the rott mix, also eats 5 cups, for perspective. Neither of these two are very active, but I have recently taken to taking Haley and Bentley (the puppy) on nightly walks, because that dog can drive just about anyone up a wall! He drives poor old Haley nuts LOL Dweezle, do to his dog aggression, can’t be taken out often. He absolutely hates the neighbors dog (in his defence, no body in our neighborhood likes that dog), and has gotten in some trouble with them (thankfully they didn’t press charges…). Can’t risk running into them on a walk.

Because money is currently tight, I do coupon for my dog food. I try to keep the bulk of it Wellness Core (Original), but recently got a great deal on Racheal Ray Zero, so that’s what most of their food is right now. I also got paid to coupon for Purina One Smart Blend (both chicken and lamb for something different), so I have tons of that, as well. Because I do not want the Purina to make up the bulk of the diet, and I’m running low on the Racheal Ray, I need to buy either some more Wellness or more Racheal Ray. I have great coupons for both, so I just need to do some math and decide which is cheaper at the moment.

I have been trained over my research of dog foods to avoid reduced fat type foods because they are typically lower quality (those in my price and couponing range, anyways). Curiosity got the best of me, and i checked out the Reduced Fat Core on this site as well as a few others, and was surprised at how good it actually was, better, IMO, than the other Wellness foods. My concerns, though, are that with two outdoor dogs, and Florida’s “winter” creeping in on us, as well as a feisty littler terrier puppy, would the reduced fat formula be a suitable staple for my dogs?

As far how feeding time goes, I mix all three dogs food in a large bowl with a large can of Pro Plan (coupons for one free can, so I’ve got tons!) and an egg. Haley has some problems digesting large quantities of dry food, and Bentley has trouble eating lager kibbles when they aren’t a little wet (when he doesn’t get fed at the same time as the other two, he gets his food wetted with water). Their dry food is currently 6x 6 pound bags of RR Zero, 2x 6 pound bags of RR Just 6, and 3x 3.5 pound bags of Purina One (and 4 more bags of RR and about 30 more bags of the Purina stored). Their diet can also include, but is not limited to, Blue, all other kinds of Wellness, Hills (SD and Ideal Balance– neither ever in bulk), and anything else that gets store coupons to mix with manufacturer coupons (not usually much else, though).

Any thoughts on the reduced fat Core would be great. If you don’t think it’d be a good choice for my case, please feel free to suggest something else! I’m open to anything. Shoot all your ideas my way!