[pacer1978]

It seems that both of you recommended Swanson’s brand for Probiotic and Enzymes. I’m also thinking of trying a green food of some sort. I guess I’m still a little concerned with going to human supplements since I know there are some ingredients out there that are toxic to pets and I don’t know all of them. If I add the three below supplements, these should be helpful, correct? I can finish up the Dasuquin and Nordic Naturals supplements (designed for pets) before trying the below options. What are your thoughts? Also, if they have been on Dasuquin and it seems to agree with them (no joint issues), should I just keep them on that? The only issue is cost…they are fairly expensive to give to my three dogs. Thanks again!!

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-ultra-spirulina-il-4-natural-blue-green-algae-6-phycocyanin-500-mg-180-caps

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-premium-digestive-enzymes-180-tabs

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-premium-glucosamine-chondroitin-msm-500-400-200-mg-240-tabs

[pacer1978]

OK…great. I know the Dasuquin I give the girls does have the MSM in it. I pay about $70-$80 for 150 tablets. I’ll have to check out what you recommended if it is that much cheaper. I feel that Mattie is doing great on the Dasuquin since she hasn’t had any hip/joint issues so far. My male, before he passed, had mild hip dysplesia. I wish I knew a lot of what I know now. I had just started him on the Dasuquin 2 weeks before he died from bloat. Anyway, thank you for answering all of my questions. I know I had a lot of them and you help others as I’ve seen your responses everywhere. I appreciate all the help. Good luck with your schooling. I am going to school myself, though not for veterinarian medicine. I could only imagine how rich of a career you will have serving our furry friends!

[Hound Dog Mom]

I’ve heard up to 1 tsp. per 20 lbs., as Patty stated. It is a maximum dose though – you don’t have to give that much and can certainly give less if fat and/or calories are a concern. My girls (one slightly under 70 lbs. and the other slightly over 70 lbs.) get 1 tbs. each per day.

That actually sounds like a well rounded supplement regimen to me – definitely not overboard. If you’re looking to cut costs on the joint supplements I’d highly recommend checking out Swanson’s. There are so many different supplements to choose from all at a reasonable price. For a senior dog with joint issues you’d want to be sure to include something with joint maintenance properties and also anti-inflammatory properties. Glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, hyaluronic acid, esterified fatty acids (such as celadrin), green lipped mussel, sea cucumber, shark cartilage and velvet antler all support the maintenance of joints. Turmeric (or curcumin), boswellia, bromelain, tart cherry, yucca, microlactin, omega 3’s, devil’s claw and white willow all have natural anti-inflammatory properties. You can try some combinations until you find what works. Swanson’s does sell a supplement called “Mobility Essentials” which contains glucosamine, MSM, boswellia, bromelain, chondroitin, white willow, curcumin, devil’s claw, quercetin, sea cucumber and yucca – at $10.99 for 180 caps (a 60 lb. dog would need 3 – 4 caps per day and a 40 lb. dog would need 2 – 3 caps per day) it’s a bargain and I know people who have success with it for both human and animal use. I used NOW Foods brand Celadrin + MSM ($16.49 for 120 caps) for my senior before he died.

No, I’m not a vet. I’m currently working towards my bachelor’s in veterinary technology and canine nutrition is my main area of interest. As of now I plan on applying to vet school after I get my vet tech degree – not sure if it will happen or not, I’ll just have to see how everything pans out.

[pacer1978]

Thanks Hound Dog Mom….just to confirm one small detail. It was stated to give a dog 1/4 tsp per 10 lbs of the coconut oil. For easy measuring with an eye drop, I converted tsp to ml. 1 tsp = 1.23 ml.
My two bigger dogs are about 55-60lbs and my smaller one is about 35-40. So…
1.23 x 6 (per 10lbs) = 7.38 ml of coconut oil
1.23 x 4 (per 10lbs) = 4.92 ml of coconut oil

These seems a bit high to me. Is that accurate?

So, to reiterate…my dogs receive:
Mattie (12 yrs, 55-60 lbs, Weimaraner): Daily- 1 Dasuquin (for joint for older dog), 7.38 ml of coconut oil (for overall health), and will start on probiotic once received (for overall health/digestive support)
Mia (4 yrs, 55-60 lbs, Weimaraner): Daily- 2 fish oils (skin/coat/shedding/flaky skin/slight allergies), 7.38 ml of coconut oil, and will start on probiotic once received
Lucy (approx. 10yrs old??, 35-40 lbs, mix): Daily- 1 Dasuquin (joint for older dog), 2 fish oils (skin/coat/shedding/slight allergies), 4.92 ml of coconut oil, and probiotic once received

Is this too much or OK in your opinion? You seem to be knowledgeable and offer assistance to many on the forum. Are you a vet or what is your background?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Pacer –

Omega 3’s found in fish oil can be beneficial for joints due to their anti-inflammatory effects, however they wouldn’t be a substitute for a joint supplement.

[Pugsonraw]

Anyone have any advice on transitioning allergy prone dogs to new supplements? My experience has been that I will try a new whole food supplement, joint product, enzyme or probiotic and within days my dogs are a hot itchy mess. I try to change only one thing at a time to try to test drive a product.

Needless to say, I’ve tried a lot of products. Not sure on how long to wait before deciding if a product is working or adding to their allergies.

Looking for some feedback…..thanks, Dawn

[pacer1978]

Hope you all don’t mind me asking one more question. If I give my dogs Nordic Naturals Omega Fish Oils and Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, do I still need to give them Dasuquin/Cosuquin? Wouldn’t both oils help with joints or am I wrong? I just don’t want to be spending money where I don’t have to if there isn’t more of a benefit or “over-supplement”.

Also, is it OK to give all the dosages in the mornings? I sometimes get home late since I take evening classes and that means my husband has to feed the dogs. I know he won’t keep up on giving them the supplements adequately and giving it to them in the mornings is the only way I can ensure they are getting everything.
Thanks again!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Yes that’s the site I order from. There really isn’t a difference between human supplements and animal supplements. It’s important to make sure whatever human supplement you plan on using for your dog contains ingredients safe for dogs (generally not a concern with digestive supplements and joint supplements) and you’ll need to adjust the dose according to your dog’s weight. The main difference is that pet supplements usually come in powders or meat flavored chewables where human supplements typically come in tablets, capsules or softgels. With tablets I just crush them or split them and mix them in the food, for capsules I open them up and sprinkle the powder in their food and with softgels I use a thumbtack to poke a hole and squeeze it over the food. I wouldn’t use any of the pet probiotics the two I see that they offer aren’t as good as the human versions and they’re more expensive – Jarrow Pet Dophilus only has 5 strains of probiotics and costs $0.20 per serving and the Flying Basset Pro Animal Probiotic only has one strain and costs $0.27 per serving. The Swanson Ultra Soil-Based Organisms has 15 strains of probitoics + 5 enzymes + whole foods and only costs $0.11 per serving – since it’s made for humans I’d also assume it’s better quality.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[Hound Dog Mom]

One other thing I didn’t think to mention in my previous post is that if you are looking to cut costs but want to continue to give your dogs high quality joint supplements look into human joint supplements – this also goes for all other supplements (probiotics, enzymes, etc.) as well. Human supplements tend to be higher in quality and generally cost significantly less per dose. Just adjust the dose – 1/4 human dose per 25 lbs. (dogs >100 lbs. can have the recommended human dose). Swanson’s is where I shop for all my dogs’ supplements.

[Hound Dog Mom]

HI pacer1978 –

Dasequin and cosequin are very similar and they’re both made by the same company – Nutramax Labs. Both contain glucosamine and chondroitin (Cosequin may also have an option with MSM) but in addition to the glucosamine and chondroitin, Dasequin also contains ASU – another ingredient believed to protect against cartilage damage. I’ve used some Vet’s Best products (I’m currently using their Dental Gel) and I think they make good products – it would be worth trying their joint supplements to see if your dog receives the same relief.

When feeding a balanced dog food supplements aren’t necessary (in fact synthetic vitamin/mineral supplements can potentially be harmful) but dogs can benefit from some supplements such as joint supplements, probiotics, enzymes and whole food based supplements. Probiotics are great – you can use a supplement or give your dog some plain yogurt or kefir a few days per week.

[pacer1978]

Does anyone know the difference between the two? I give my two older dogs (one being a Weimaraner) Dasuquin. I’ve been giving it to her for years and she seems to not have hip/joint issues. However, I noticed that Cosequin was a bit cheaper. I also saw another hip/joint product and was thinking of switching her to Vet’s Best. Does anyone know about their products and if they are good? If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it…so I may just leave her on the Dasuquin…but, was looking for a little more affordable alternatives.

Also, if you feed your dog good quality dog food, I heard that there wouldn’t be a need to give them supplements. How does anyone feel about that? With that being said, it is recommended to give a dog probiotics as well?

[theBCnut]

My 12 lbs JRT eats 2/3 of a cup plus enough other stuff to make it 3/4 of a cup. Feeding guidelines are just that, guidelines, so don’t feel you have to stick to it, but feed to have a lean athletic puppy or you will have joint problems later in life. What size are you expecting this puppy to be when it is grown?

[lovemypets4life]

holistic dog food has a joint mobility powder that works great on my smaller dog breed that has hips problems already he is 7. I just sprinkle some on his food and he feels great now everyday (no more limping/constantly laying down due to hip pain)

[lovemypets4life]

holistic health extension has a powder called “joint mobility” and it’ll help your dogs bones become stronger and help your dog live a healthier life

[lovemypets4life]

holistic health extension makes a powder called “joint mobility” and you just sprinkle it on your dogs food and it helps strengthen bones and joints while giving your dog relief of the pain

[theBCnut]

Trachea has no bone, it’s cartilage. That makes it a great joint chew.

[ZeeAndPalmer]

Enjoy your new little doxie! I have two rescued doxies, ages about 6 and 7 years, and every time we go to the vet they comment on how great their weights are. I am careful about the amount of food they get, but it’s the treats that add up! Mine LOVE carrots, fresh or canned UNSALTED green beans, and ooooo blueberries! I went to a dachshund race event a few weeks back and was stunned at the number of grossly overweight, unhealthy dogs I saw there, and these people purportedly knew how to care for dachshunds! Now I understand why my vet loves me so much 🙂
I have fed Wellness Super5Mix Small Breed for most of their lives; the smaller one is now on PUrina JM (joint mobility) food (I am not a Purina fan but the vet visited the company and recommends it highly – she IS less creaky in the hips since we switched) – I am considering a switch/addition to either Taste of the Wild or Innova EVO – it’s been suggested that a slightly higher protein level with different protein and carb sources would be beneficial. Still studying!

[SheSaid]

I guess I was not clear.. puppy has been salvaged..he is eating and drinking and NOT in danger anymore. He was when I got him. He WAS… on deaths door and no way to get him to the vets, but is now within 48 hours up, and in fact just within the last few hours wanting to play. The mention of his bowels was to only let you know that his kidneys are working and his bowels are working, and that I know for certain it is not diarrhea.. it is the adjustment to regular food and hydration. This is not my first time around the park with starving animals, as I have been taking animals in for 15 years or so. This is why this puppy got dropped off at my door. I have to say, I have NEVER lost a dog to death except old age, not once. I needed quick advice on what now.. that he is eating . I needed brands of food for a large breed puppy to give it the nutrition it needs to regain muscle and grow healthy bones… I have had big dogs before, just never one this big. He is the biggest puppy I have ever had in my care. I feed my dogs all home made food. Chicken, rice, veggies.. but I know that the danes grow fast and furious and need the right nutrition and especially this one, having had such a horrible beginning. I know that if he does not get the nutrition he needs he can have problems with his bones and joints, more so than other smaller breed dogs. I needed to know what to feed him, his breed, until I get my research done.. on how to prepare his meals from scratch. I am sorry my first message was not clear. I can see all very well intentioned people here who love animals… but I still need the info I first requested. What brands of food are recommended that are safe and nutritionally sound for his breed..and his age. Thank you all for caring.

[Codybean]

Hi, As a fellow dog lover, I wanted to let you know about Hubrihound. 🙂 Hubrihound is an all natural supplement for canine arthritis & hip dysplasia. It has really helped my dog, as he has a lot more pep in his step! 🙂 Hubrihound uses NZ Green Lipped Mussel as our main active ingredient. This ingredient helps to relieve inflammation and repair damaged joints. Green lipped mussel also helps to thicken the synovial fluid that helps keep joints (within people and animals) lubricated. In addition to green lipped mussel, Hubrihound has a unique synergistic blend of glucosamine, Vitamin E, and hand harvested sun dried Kelp found in the waters of NZ, that also contributes to the efficiency of Hubrihound. You can learn more about it at http://www.hubrihound.com. Feel free to email me at Jamie.alfaro1@gmail.com, with any questions at all. Thanks so much! 🙂

[Codybean]

Hi, As a fellow dog lover, I wanted to let you know about Hubrihound. 🙂 Hubrihound is an all natural supplement for canine arthritis & hip dysplasia. It really helped my dog. 🙂 Hubrihound uses NZ Green Lipped Mussel as our main active ingredient. This ingredient helps to relieve inflammation and repair damaged joints. Green lipped mussel also helps to thicken the synovial fluid that helps keep joints (within people and animals) lubricated. In addition to green lipped mussel, Hubrihound has a unique synergistic blend of glucosamine, Vitamin E, and hand harvested sun dried Kelp found in the waters of NZ, that also contributes to the efficiency of Hubrihound. You can learn more about it at http://www.hubrihound.com. Feel free to email me at Jamie.alfaro1@gmail.com, with any questions at all. Thanks so much! 🙂

[Codybean]

Hi, As a fellow dog lover, I wanted to let you know about Hubrihound. 🙂 Hubrihound is an all natural supplement for canine arthritis & hip dysplasia. It really helped my dog & he loves it, as its beef flavored. 🙂 Hubrihound uses NZ Green Lipped Mussel as our main active ingredient. This ingredient helps to relieve inflammation and repair damaged joints. Green lipped mussel also helps to thicken the synovial fluid that helps keep joints (within people and animals) lubricated. In addition to green lipped mussel, Hubrihound has a unique synergistic blend of glucosamine, Vitamin E, and hand harvested sun dried Kelp found in the waters of NZ, that also contributes to the efficiency of Hubrihound. You can learn more about it at http://www.hubrihound.com. Feel free to email me at Jamie.alfaro1@gmail.com, with any questions at all. Thanks so much! 🙂

[Codybean]

Hi Husky Mom 9710. As a fellow dog lover, I wanted to let you know about Hubrihound. Hubrihound really helped my dog. :). Hubrihound is an all natural supplement for canine arthritis & hip dysplasia. Hubrihound uses NZ Green Lipped Mussel as our main active ingredient. This ingredient helps to relieve inflammation and repair damaged joints. Green lipped mussel also helps to thicken the synovial fluid that helps keep joints (within people and animals) lubricated. In addition to green lipped mussel, Hubrihound has a unique synergistic blend of glucosamine, Vitamin E, and hand harvested sun dried Kelp found in the waters of NZ, that also contributes to the efficiency of Hubrihound. You can learn more about it at http://www.hubrihound.com. Feel free to email me at Jamie.alfaro1@gmail.com, with any questions at all. Thanks so much! 🙂

[EHubbman]

Awesome! (Look at that little face!! Love it!)

He got to try some (dried) when we went on vacation and LOVED it, but I was so worried to give him a larger size in fear of screwing up his joints. He’s gonna be so excited tonight when he gets to have some yummy trachea again!

[EHubbman]

Newfs – I’m not so good with picking foods, I know my guy is on Nature’s Variety Instinct rabbit/LID Turkey and is doing great. I’ve heard good things about the Fromm Gold.

I do know, though, that you need to avoid puppy foods that have glucosamine in them. You don’t want to supplement puppies with glucosamine, as it can hinder natural joint growth.

[DieselJunki]

Does anyone else think that the RC and RF group on fb are crazily moderated. Someone was looking for advice on joint issue in her 16 year old dog and I mentioned something that HDM had said about the GAGs and Anti-Inflammatories. My comment was immediately deleted. I mean I know that the Anti-Inflammatories aren’t exactly raw based but they have been proven to help dogs, at least that’s what it seems in the things I have read about them. Even if they are plant based.

All I did was mention the Anti-Inflammatories and said she could google them or I could send her a message and link her to the post from HDM here.

• This topic was modified 12 years, 9 months ago by DieselJunki.

[Mom2Cavs]

HDM….Wholistic Pet is of my favorite supplements, too. I used to use their Joint Health for my Shih-Poo, Desi, who had both rear luxating patellas. I also swear by Springtime, Inc.’s Joint Health chews. He never had to have surgery, though he died younger than he should’ve from other things 🙁

• This reply was modified 12 years, 9 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[KarenC]

I’ve recently turned to Victor Grain Free Joint Health and am LOVING the results. I feed nearly half of their previous food (Diamond Naturals-rotating the version between beef, chicken, lamb) and all of the dogs are holding their weight nicely 3 weeks in. My pudgy 6 year old female has leaned out a bit too. I’ve never been excited for poo scooping but every single pile is perfect! My sweet 100lb senior lab (with “arf”-ritis in his back knees) is a pup again and I’m so happy for him. I’m new to rotating between brands, mostly because some of the better stuff is hard to get here (1 pet boutique allll the way across town…with limited operating hours and premium prices) so I have to depend on a feed store near by, but after a few bags of Victor I’m going to try some Fromm Grain Free to really do “rotating” right. I top with home cooked or canned and switch that up every meal. I’m feeding 9 large dogs so I have to be very budget careful and Victor has turned out to be a winner in that regard as well.

[SusanandEcho]

I have a 12 year old shep/husk mix who has who has arthritis in her elbows. I believe the word the vet used is “horrendous” <spelling>. Anyway, I switched to Orijen Senior about 4 months ago, mainly based on the amount of glucosamine and chondroitin it has. I wish it had more protein, but I also mix in some Primal Freeze Dried or frozen raw with her kibble. She also gets a gluc/chon suppliment called Prudence Hip and Joint (High Potency) and Salmon Oil.
We also had great success with accupuncture, but unfortunately my current income no longer supports that. Exercise is key. We may not be able to do the 10-15 mile hikes we used to, but I don’t let a day go by without a meander through the park.

[gmcbogger38]

Thanks again!

[theBCnut]

Base it on a 100 lbs adult being a full dose. So a 50 lbs dog would be a half dose, and a 25 lbs dog would be a quarter dose.

[gmcbogger38]

I know this is old, but I have a question. How do you know how to dose human supplements for dogs?

[Hound Dog Mom]

I’ve seen it it and checked out the website but I’ve never personally used it and don’t know anyone who has. Looking at the CJ formula it appears the ingredients beneficial for the joints are glucosamine, omega 3’s, cetyl myristoleate, MSM, boswellia and hyaluronic acid. These ingredients are all great for the joint support and inflammation however I personally wouldn’t use the product because it contains soy flour, molasses (sugar) and loads of synthetic vitamins and minerals. I’d rather purchase the ingredients individually through a human supplement provider and not have all the extra stuff.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Marie –

She should probably be getting two capsules – that was my mistake. When I had recommended the product before I was going off the information on Swanson’s website which says the serving size is three capsules. In small print under the label it says that the three capsule serving is meant to be taken twice a day – so the total daily serving is six capsules. I’m not sure if this would make a difference, but it may. I’d say try doing a loading dose again (2 caps in the a.m. – 2 in the p.m.) for a week then reduce it down to a maintenance dose (1 cap in the a.m. and 1 cap in the p.m.). If this still doesn’t yield any results then definitely look into other supplements. Most joint supplements (like glucosamine, chondroitin, etc.) aren’t problematic when taken in excess, however because this supplement contains several herbal ingredients I would stick to basing the daily dosage on her weight and I would also take two days off per week after the initial loading period.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 9 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[theBCnut]

So what are the actual directions for it? Say for instance if a 90 lbs adult could take 6, then a 30 lbs dog should be fine taking 2. I only know a couple 90 lbs adults, but they do exist.

I don’t know what exactly is in the one you have, but I’m having a hard time thinking of anything that would be in a joint supplement that would be a problem unless it has a large amount of tumeric in it. Some of them can affect cholesterol levels, but that shouldn’t be a problem for her.

[theBCnut]

Is there anything in it that could be a problem if you gave too much? If not, I would try giving her 2 anyway. Many joint supplements have a “dosage may be doubled” statement.

[InkedMarie]

HDM: on some thread here, back before I bought the Joint Mobility, you said to give her one per day. She
weighs 21 pounds. Am I giving her too small of a dosage? I have not tried anything else that you listed but maybe I should. If I get any of them, do I give in in place of the Joint Mobility or with it?

Sandy, thanks for those names, added them to the list!

[Saireah]

* Starbright:
You are most welcome! I wish you the best of luck!
And I’ve been trying to save money on treats and wanted something healthier for Quinn with her joints, so a few “healthy” suggestions are baby carrots, dehydrated fruit (we use our food dehydrator and make a bunch of apples and bananas when they’re getting a little soft for our taste or if we forget they were in the fridge drawer), and homemade treats (there’s some great peanut butter and pumpkin ones out there). Quinn loooooves apples (no seeds or core!) in any form and sometimes I sprinkle some cinnamon on them. They’re cheap and good for her. Try carrots for sure!
Also: we subscribe to a few monthly dog subscription boxes that gives us all of our treats — mainly because it feels like Christmas when I open up the boxes. 😉

[InkedMarie]

HDM,
Gemma is on the joint mobility plus….has been on two chinese herbs but we noticed any improvement. Any suggestions on either anything to use with the joint stuff or instead of it?

[InkedMarie]

You’re welcome! Also, HDM gave me a list of joint supplements with ingredients to help with inflammation; the one I chose was Joint Mobility plus from Swanson Vitamins.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi cinner00 –

You’re definitely not bugging me, I don’t mind questions. 🙂

1) If he’s not on a grain-free food I would definitely go that route as grains are inflammatory – something you really want to avoid with arthritic dogs.

2) It will be very important to keep his weight down – being a healthy weight is probably one of the most important things for arthritic dogs. Any extra pounds are just extra stress on the joints. So I would definitely focus on getting him to a healthy weight (on the thin side is best). Unfortunately, like people, there’s really no easy way to get the pounds off. It’s calories in and calories out – the dog needs to burn more calories than it’s eating in order to lose weight. A deficit of about 3,500 kcal. equates to one pound. If he’s inactive it will be important to get him moving – this will not only help him to burn calories but it will also help to lubricate the joints and make him feel better. Start small and keep the activity low impact (i.e. leashed walking, swimming, etc.). Frequent activities of short duration are better than longer activities. I’m not sure exactly how active he his but something like 3 short (10-15) minute walks per day would probably make a big difference.

3) Glucosamine is great to help slow deterioration of the joint cartilage. However if he’s already arthritic he may benefit from some anti-inflammatory supplements as well. Some good options are turmeric (or curcumin), yucca, boswellia, bromelain or tart cherry. High doses of omega 3’s (up to 300 mg. per 10 lbs. of body weight) have an anti-inflammatory affect as well. I’ve also heard great things about esterified fatty acids (such as cetyl myristoleate). I recently started my senior on NOW Foods Celadrin & MSM which contains an esterified fatty acid complex with added MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane is a natural source of biologically active sulfur that helps maintain the structure of connective tissue).

4) You may also want to check out what are called “PROM (Passive Range of Motion) Exercises.” There are some great videos on You Tube demonstrating how to do PROM exercises with dogs. They help to maintain flexibility in the joints.

Good luck!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi cinner00 –

The calcium percentages for Victor that were provided to me are: 2.0% for the GF All Life Stages, 2.0% for the GF Joint Health, 1.7% for the GF Ultra Pro and 1.9% for the GF Salmon & Sweet Potato – there’s no point in bothering with calculating grams of calcium per 1,000 kcal, I can tell they’re all too high in calcium just based on these percentages.

I have no negative feedback for the Wellness CORE formula. I’ve personally never fed any Wellness products, but they seem to get fairly positive feedback on the review site.

[Saireah]

* InkedMarie:
Yes! Dog Food Chat – I’m “Grey.” 🙂

* Sully’s Mom:
I really just used the sample bags as a treat. I opened them up to see their reaction and fed them a small handful. The reaction between Dr. Tim’s and Earthborn was noticeable, though, and the sample from Dr. Tim’s was larger (5lbs). Earthborn were just little bags (but they did have coupons on each one!). What’s lovely about Earthborn is that they have the UPC for Trees program (see their web site). When I was originally considering Earthborn, I LOVED that idea. I still may feed Costal Catch if I decide to rotate as I’m thinking about, though. Another thing that turned me off a bit about Earthborn is the ash level – it’s a bit higher than Dr. Tim’s. Now, mind you, it’s not as if it automatically makes it a bad food – the pea protein and the ash are just factors that Dr. Tim’s was lower on or didn’t have and that’s how I made my decision between specifically selecting between both of them. Also, something funny — some people mentioned that Dr. Tim’s smells like roasted chicken, but I think it smells like the Iowa State Fair barnyard. 😉 Dr. Tim originally suggested Pursuit for my dog (the one with hip dysplasia), too – because the extra fatty acids in Pursuit would help (per his quote). However, I circled back with him half a year later and he did say that grain-free would suit perfectly fine now that she’s in better health in terms of her joints.

Kinesis GF has 32% protein, 18% fat,1.51% calcium, 415 cal/cup, and 6.9% ash.
Pursuit is grain inclusive and has 30% protein, 1.06% calcium, 20% fat, 450 cal/cup, and 6.5% ash.

They’re both a mainly chicken-based food, with Pursuit being more calories. However, the plus-side with grain-free is that you can feed less. Compare the feeding suggestions. Right there, I’d say that grain-free (in my personal opinion) is superior because 1) it’s grain-free, yay!, 2) you’re going to feed less, 3) they’ll produce less waste because of this, and 4) Kinesis has higher protein. I’m not incredibly knowledgeable about specifics of ingredients, but this is why I chose the grain-free line over the grain inclusive line. GF Kinesis looks to be roughly $5 more per 30lb bag than Pursuit, too – and Dr. Tim mentioned they are considering a 44lb bag of GF Kinesis (grain inclusive Kinesis has this option available) in the future.

I’m thinking that he might have mentioned Pursuit over the two specifically because your dog is fairly young and likely very active – so he was thinking he’d do quite well on Pursuit. By no means are either a “bad” food to choose – remember, there’s several dogs out there eating low quality food every day. My mother fed our family dogs a food that is a 2 star food for his entire life and he lived to be 12. I know we’re trying to do our best with what they food them, but no matter what – by choosing a 4 star or 5 star food – we are making a better choice.

[InkedMarie]

Star right, since your dog had HD, getting any extra weight off her is very important. Help her lose the weight and get her a joint supplement (the one I mentioned wa recommended by HDM)

[Saireah]

Starbright:

My Quinn (lab/vizsla) was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at 1 year old. I switched her food to grain-free after discovering that, along with a higher protein. She needed to build muscle as she was favoring one side. She has hip dysplasia in both hips.

In terms of supplements, I can tell you what we’ve done that has made a phenomenal difference. She just turned two and there’s no way in the world I’d have thought she would be at this point. We were pretty certain she was going to need surgery (her range of motion was OK — but we just thought surgery would be more immediate than in the distant future).

As HDM suggests, a great diet with anti-inflammatory supplements was suggested to us by Iowa State University. Since being recommended, we’ve had her on Nutramax Cosequin DS Double-Strength Chewable Tablets. According to Iowa State, this is the only brand to be clinically proven. You will give her two a day for a month and one a day from then on (directions are on the bottle). Coupled with this, we also immediately started her on one tablet of fish oil per day — 1,000MG (but you may have to feed less/more — consult vet).

The diet change and supplements helped, but targeted exercise has made the difference, as well. Take your dog swimming. If she doesn’t like to swim, teach her to love it by way of rewards/playing. Swimming is the best for joint issues. Other options provided to us were walking in tall grass (makes her lift her legs all the way as opposed to close together/hopping), walking on a blown up air mattress (good for winter exercise), and frequent walks (as opposed to a long walk — more frequent is better).

Also — obviously weight. She’s a slim 43 pounds at the moment, but she did get to 50 pounds in the winter and my vet noticed it. Slim is always, always better — and I’ve had people say she’s too thin (mostly because I don’t think most people are accustomed to seeing healthy dogs — harsh, but true… I think a lot of dogs are overweight).

If you have any questions, let me know. I really enjoy talking about this subject because I couldn’t find enough information when this happened to us. It’s our personal experience, but Quinn is now running full-speed and playing for hours and hours daily. A definite turnaround.

Good luck. 🙂

[pugmomsandy]

Chicken feet is a staple at ethnic grocery stores. They usually have pig feet too. Getting a human supplement might be cheaper per dose for joint supplements. You can also buy bulk green lipped mussel. I get Jarrow True CMO from swansonvitamins(dot)com and also use Actiflex 4000. I get the horse version because I don’t like the beef flavor in the dog version and give a very small amount. This is from folks in my local raw feeding group:

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

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi starbright –

Unfortunately if your dog has hip dysplasia she has hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is a chronic degenerative condition and is not reversible. The condition will progress as she ages, although its difficult to predict the extend to which it will affect her as many factors are at play (degree of pain tolerance, size and weight of the dog, etc.). For some dogs hip dysplasia is crippling and for others it may never cause more than a mild stiffness with age. Anti-inflammatory supplements (tart cherry, omega 3’s, boswellia, turmeric, etc.) will certainly help manage pain and supplements such as glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM/hylaluronic acid (or whole foods containing these items) may help slow the joint deterioration to a certain degree – but they certainly won’t stop it. It will also be critical to keep her lean and active (low impact activities). Being that she’s over a year old calcium levels won’t affect anything at this point.

[starbright26]

Thanks for the reply.. I appreciate the advice on suppliments but I really dont thing her losing weight is my main concern.. I’m looking more for giudance on a longterm food to feed her that would benefit her joints and help cease the progression of the hip dysplasia if possible. Has anyone else been down this road before? Are suppliments more important or does the food made a larger impact.. Is grain free best for this situation? Being that she is over a year now, do the calcium levels still play a role? Sorry, Ive just been researching and reading all these posts which is only confusing me further.. Please help if you can… Thanks 🙂

[InkedMarie]

Starbright,
Thank you for adopting your girl. I hope she continues to blossom. My go-to food when a dog needs to lose weight is Wellness Core reduced fat, feeding her the amount of food for what she *should* weigh. A good joint supplement is needed; I use Joint Mobility plus from Swanson Vitamins. It’s human, fine for dogs. Also, salmon oil. I prefer just salmon oil, nothing else; I get mine from Vital Choice,

Good luck!

[starbright26]

Hi, I am new to this site but am loving all the information I have found so far! However, I believe I’m overloading myself with info and its all running together, confusing the heck out of me! So I would love to just give a little information and get a little in return if possible.. We recently adopted a young feral pup and have been working to socialize/rehabilitate her. She is a “lethal white” (I despise that term) Catahoula mix- who is deaf and partially blind as well… We were this sweet girl’s last chance at adoption and I am so grateful we found her because she is blossoming in our household! Anyway, at about ten months of age, when we adopted her, she tore her ACL and was recovering from that when we noticed her limping getting worse despite strict confinement. We took her for X-rays and the vet diagnosed her with severe hip dysplasia in one of her hips. Sigh.. I could not make this up if I tried.. Luckily the other hip joint looks amazingly healthy! We have no idea about her past and as she seems to be somewhat of a genetic anomaly, we just want to do whatever we can to help her have a healthy, happy, hopefully long life! This girl deserves it. She is a healthy 70lbs, but we are trying to slim her down slightly. She is curently on Blue Buffalo now, but my question is if there is a better quality food that would be better suited to her joint needs or if supplimentation would suffice. I just read the calcium levels are most important earlier on and now that she is about 15 months old am I correct to assume that it is not the main concern anymore? Should we go grain-free to help with inflamation? Suppliments? What is my ideal path here? Please advise anyway you can.. I should mention we have several other animals and actual children, with another on the way, and will hopefully send them to college one day so we are certainly on a limited budget 🙂 THANK YOU!!!
Rebecca

[pugmomsandy]

Trachea and gullet are great for joints as well if you can purchase them. I get mine from greentripe.com. Many pet boutiques carry this brand. Not Petco or Petsmart.