[InkedMarie]

Hi Kyle,
I am of the opinion that by the time food is baked or extruded, any added glucosamine or chondroitin is negligible. There are many supplements for dogs. I’ve used K9 Liquid Gold, Dog Gone Pain, In Clover Connectin and Swanson’s people joint support with good success.
I do agree with a vet visit just to make sure but I personally won’t feed vet foods. It is said that grains can be inflammatory so a high quality grain free food would be a good start. I think it’s the nightshade veggies you may want to avoid as well as white potato.
It is important to keep your dog lean.

[C4D]

Hi Kyle E,

That seems to be Merricks new marketing tool. Your dog would have to eat roughly 1 kg or 2.2 pounds of food to get a 1200mg dose of glucosamin and chondroitin on the Backcountry Game Bird and Great Plains recipe. The other 2 formulas have 800 mg/kg(2.2 lbs). Most joint supplements have a higher dosage than that and when you have a dog that already has joint or hip issues you definitely need separate supplementation. It doesn’t necessarily have to be from the vet. Some of the supplements Susan mentioned could be a good possibility. I use a supplement that has Green Lipped Mussel. I haven’t used the Turmeric Golden paste yet as my dog hasn’t showed any symptoms of pain. Anonymously is right about the senior blood panels and feeding a lower calorie food if your dog is getting on the heavy side. I do yearly blood panels on my dogs. It gives you a heads up on possible issues before the symptoms appear or have progressed too far.

I also have an almost 12 year old Lab that has bad knees due to torn CCL’s several years ago. I have been supplementing with fish oil (human) and joint supplements for years now. She does well, even though she has diagnosed arthritis in both knees. She goes for a brisk 1-2 mile walk daily, with her choosing to jog most of the way. The other most important thing you can do is to keep your dog on the lean side and daily walks to keep the joints from getting stiff. If you haven’t been walking or exercising your Lab on a daily basis, start very slow.

Edit: I don’t know how much 1 cup of Merrick weighs (I couldn’t find it on their website) and all dog foods are different, but as an example, I use Earthborn in my rotation and it states on it’s website that an 8oz cup of Great Plains holds 4.8 oz of food. So, if Merrick’s weight is comparable and if I did the math right, that would be feeding over 10 cups of food to get the 1200 mg dose of supplement. That’s a LOT of food.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by C4D.

[Susan]

Hi Kyle, I think your better off adding a joint supplement to the diet, there’s a few out there I’ve been looking at “Rose Hip Vital Canine” its suppose to work very well but when I spoke with the rep he said America doesn’t have the Rose Hip Vital Canine yet but will be getting it very soon. it comes from Denmark & imported to Australia, the human Rose Hip Vital is the same as the canine Rose Hip Vital, I was going to take it myself, send them a email asking when it will be in America, its for treating inflammation, maintaining healthy joints takes away inflammation pain, they are finding its helping people with Crohns Disease as well that’s why I’m interested in using it on Patch cause he has IBD & it will help him with his inflammation of the stomach as well as his joints..
http://rosehipvitalcanine.com.au/

There’s Sasha’s Blend is another good joint supplement invented in Australia for a dog called Sasha, I’m pretty sure you can buy in America….
http://www.sashasblend.com.au/cb_pages/what_makes_special.php

Turmeric Powder you make “Golden Paste” Turmeric Powder, Coconut Oil & Black Pepper, join the Turmeric Users Group on Face Book the recipe is in the files, people swear by Turmeric Powder https://www.facebook.com/groups/415313751866609/

I’ve just ordered a bag of the “Holistic Select Senior” kibble, it has 750mg/kg of Glucosamine but I was still going to add either the Rose Hip Vital Canine powder to meal or try the Turmeric Golden paste as well… but I’m pretty sure kibble with added Glucosamine is not as strong as the supplements for joint problems/Arthritis they have more Glucosamine & Green Lipped Mussel then kibble…
Some one my know more about Senior kibbles…..

[Kyle E]

The vet I go to sells Hills dog food and joint pills so I know they are going to suggest those even if there are better solutions.

[Kyle E]

I have a 12 year old Labrador that is beginning to have joint and hip problems, so I’ve been thinking about getting her some medicine from the vet. However, a salesman at my local pet store told me that Merricks has more glucosamine and chondroitin in their food than the actual joint pills do. Does anyone know about this? Would it be just as good to spend more on Merricks and not buying the joint pills? Or, do the joint pills offer some other benefits? In which case it might be better to spend a little less on the food and get the joint pills?

[Patty L]

I, too, am searching for the best canned food for my Corgi/Sheltie/Norwegian Elkhound mix. I supplement with Arthroplex by Thorne for joint issue prevention. I also supplement with Thorne Vet’s geriatric canine vitamins. I hope this helps. I so want our precious canine family members to live very long, active lives with us.

[pugmomsandy]

Foods do not contain a therapeutic dose of joint supporting supplements so that shouldn’t be a deciding factor for choosing a wet (or dry) food. I would check into separate powder, liquid, capsule or chewable joint/senior supplements. And if you haven’t already, check to see if she has any dental or gum issues and have a check up with blood work.

http://www.dogaware.com/health/arthritis.html

[Kyle E]

My good Labrador friend is getting old and beginning to have problems with her joints and energy level. She’s also not eating very much of her food anymore, even though I buy her the expensive Taste of the Wild dry food. I want to switch to wet canned food to see if that improves her appetite. Does anyone have information on a quality, healthy, and tasty canned food that is formulated for all the problems senior dogs have, especially aching joints?

[zcRiley]

Definitely ZiwiPeak, read list of clean ingredients on Chewy.com. Add Dasuquin daily for joint health. And most importantly, more exercise. Never starve or underfeed.

[Becca]

I’m am going to try the joint plus as my dog , had lyme hoping to help with that

[Marie P]

Becca mentioned the NuJOINT plus .. Also a great product.. The nice thing about this Joint supplement is it’s NATURAL, made in the USA and will help in about 2-3 weeks.. they give you a 60 day money back guarantee. My pets are on the NuJOINT DS and doing amazing , Learn more here .. Blue bottle NUJOINT DS http://www.nuvet.com/81098 NOT sold in stores , holistic

[Debra E]

HUGE DEVELOPMENT: Adequan (shots you give your pup) which I buy via PetRx and save a BUNDLE (paid for two bottles = 2 yr. worth.

Actually HEALS ARTRHITIC JOINTS. Was developed for horses post surgery. Just came back on the market. My dog’s been on it for a year and WOW! 8 LB. Maltese has good and bad days and still takes Rimadyl (tiny amt. we’re reducing), Tramadol for pain (weather related) plus some holistic help – accupuncture and chiropractic. I gently placed Thumper outside the car upon returning from his first treatment, where he’d been limping, only to have him take off running across the back yard! HILARIOUS. Same’s true with the Adequan. Thumper was a flyer and jumper in his early days so now he’s paying for it in his neck, elbows, back, legs, so give this a try.

[pitlove]

Hi Triet-

Has the 7 month old gone to the vet? If so, what did he/she say about the curved back? If she hasn’t gone I would bring her.

It is very important to feed 2 meals a day and measure out each meal. Overfeeding can cause issues with bone growth and joints.

Also you do not need to use a supplement when feeding a food that is properly balanced for a large breed puppy. Stop the supplement ASAP. It is probably doing more harm than good.

[Kim M]

Jacob,

We recently got our Charcoal lab (she’s 10 weeks tomorrow) and decided upon Earthborn’s Coastal Catch. I’m quite sure she would never turn down any food (ha) but her stools have been great on it and the kibble size is good for a pup. You can also easily switch between a few flavors as the formulas are the same.

Fromm and Wellness Core were also considered as possible brands. Our stores have nice sized samples so we picked some up to try out. She is currently at 75/25 mix as we are phasing out the Country Vet food she had been on with the breeder. I focused my study mostly on the calcium/phos ratio to be sure we don’t grow joints and bones too quickly.

Ellie’s mom is 65 while her dad is now 85. We are sure we may have a larger lab on our hands.

[Kristi G]

We have 2 Pitties, one that is 5 yrs and one that is 2 yrs, we are currently using the Hills for weight management and joint care, the older one has made a marked improvement with this food, as far as energy, much more now. The younger one had a bit of a limp when we adopted her from the pound, but since we changed her to this food, her limp has gone away as well. @ almost $90 for the largest bag it’s a getting to be a bit of a burden. Is there a viable alternative or are we better off adding the glucosamine?

[Susan W]

I’m a big fan of VeRus dog foods. http://www.veruspetfoods.com They have a puppy formula for small to medium (at adulthood) puppies and one for large breed dogs. One thing that’s really important with your pup is that his food supports his body while it grows. I had a German Sheppard once who grew too fast (for his cheap food) and ended up with joint issues. Had I known then what I know now, I would have fed him better food from the beginning. Of course, VeRus wasn’t around then.
Other great things about VeRus:
They’ve never (NEVER!) had a recall in their 20+ years.
They have a non-profit that helps train rescue dogs for veterans w/PTSD.
They have a contact form you can fill out – which they will acknowledge – and they’ll send you really nice-sized samples.
Check out their website – it has a lot of good info.
Good luck!

[Amateria]

Wow Susan you go all out when you respond haha.

Rusty is about 8-9 at this point, I don’t think we have his papers and so were not 100% sure if it’s 8 or 9 but he’s definitely getting old, I have ordered and received samples of Totw, they were pretty reluctant to send them to me because of postage charges, but I don’t live anywhere near a shop that stocks their samples, so they let me have 2 samples in the end, high praire I think and coastal(should be bison one and fish one).

He has done well on black hawk fish and potato, I wanted to add some oils to his food because of what I’ve read about them, they help me with my joints and nerve so I figured it would help with his joints and coat and it did.

But it also seems that after the dry and the blend he started to have more problems, so maybe it wasn’t the best idea in the end, I’ll make sure to tell mum to feed him the kibble once a week as a treat instead.

His teeth are generally awful looking, he does need a professional anaesthesia cleaning that’s for sure, he’s impossible when it comes to brushing, I’ve tried and failed like a pro every time, he’s super strong and he scratches me up real good so I stopped trying.

I will definitely be taking him to the vet for a more thorough check up, because he means the world to my mum, as in if she looses sight of him for 5 minutes she starts to panic and I would hate to see him die from something that could of been prevented(if it’s anything bad to begin with, could just be pancreatitis pains).

He’s also a white cream chihuahua 😛 and the puppy is white with tan spots she’s so gorgeous everyone always complements the way she looks when we’re out its super cute.

And for you Susan the kibble is just a treat, we actually feed homemade cooked, he’s always been on a chicken and rice with veggies diet, he does the best on this diet and hardly ever has flare ups, when he does it’s usually my fault because I try to add some variety to his food and some extra vitamins and minerals and than he gets sick and I don’t mean to, it just happens.

I think because of how well he did with black hawk if I feel like adding anything for his joints in the future I might add that and he did really well on the k9 natural venison freeze dried and super well on ziwipeak venison, I might just buy those from time to time as I know he did well on them, he’s gone through 5 ziwipeak bags with only two flare ups, so yeah I might just stick with that and stop trying new things that clearly aren’t working in his favor.

I’ll keep an eye on Anja while she’s on the supplement and kibble, she usually eats like 3 of them, she’s not a very big eater, but I hope she continues to do well on the blend, as I’d like to cure her leg drama before it becomes permanent.

Thanks for the help though, I wanted to be 100% sure about a few things and you guys cleared that up for me so thanks a lot 😀

[Susan]

Hi, from another Australian, I was taking Blooms Green Lipped Mussel capsules & I got bad indigestion, acid reflux, I also took the capsules with a meal…. then I google side effects Green Lipped Mussel & it said Nausea & indigestion…So I have stopped taking the Green Lipped Mussel capsules, I was going to give Patch 1 green Lipped Mussel Capsule with a meal & see how he goes…..

Ivory Coat’s Ocean Fish & Salmon is new, I got some samples the kibbles felt very greezy & has fish oil, Patch gets acid reflux when he eats any kibbles with Fish or salmon oil… Ivory Coat kibbles are hard to digest I found & the kibbles are too big, so the dog needs to really chew the kibbles… Probably the Sasha’s Blend & the Ivory coat kibble has either made Rusty feel sick or given him indigestion (Acid Reflux) irritated his stomach. .
I’m waiting for Pet Circle online pet shop to get in more “Holistic Select” Chicken Meal Senior, it’s a 5 star kibble, ingredient’s are healthy & the kibbles are smaller & easy to digest & its high in Glucosamine….Patch is 7yrs old, he’ll be 8 in November, his joints seem OK at the moment but I want to prevent any joint problems, I have Arthritis & its very painful & I can’t take NSAID pain relief irritates my stomach…
http://holisticselect.com.au/senior-dry-dog-food-chicken-meal-and-rice

I also feed Patch K-9 natural Green Lipped Mussel Snacks, Patch loves them, he gets 2 treats a day, they’re high in omega 3 fatty acids excellent for brain, joints & skin
http://www.k9natural.com/dog-food#catpage=2

This way I’m not giving Patch any supplements but I’m feeding him foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids. I have found Patch doesn’t do well on any Fish or Salmon oils when in foods or as supplements…
also next time you try another supplement give with a meal, so you line Rusty stomach with food, sounds like he has a sensitive stomach, you don’t mention what breed your dogs are?
I’d still give Anja the Sasha’s blend cause it’s expensive & feed Rusty a senior kibble like Holistic Select Senior that’s high in Glucosamine… ask vet or look online what’s doesn’t cause stomach upsets supplements for dogs joints….
if you want to feed a Grainfree kibble have a look at Artemis Osopure there’s Salmon or Bison or Duck I sent Artemis a stamped address envelope & got samples of all the Osopure formulas, they’re small kibble, easy to digest & Patch loves them…
http://www.artemispetfood.com.au/products/osopure-dog-products/

How you test a kibble is get a cup of very warm water & put a couple of kibbles in cup, look at the time & see how long the kibble takes to go soft….Ivory coat kibbles sank (No good) & took over 2 hours to soften, a good easy to digest kibble only takes about 20mins to 50mins & it’s soft….
I also rotate Patches kibbles I feed a grain free Taste Of The Wild Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb at the moment but will be buying the Artemis Osopure Bison, second ingredient is salmon meal & Patch will be getting his fish & the Holistic Select Chicken meal Senior has Anchovy & Sardine Meal & Pork meal, I feed 1 kibble for breakfast & the other for dinner or sometimes ask Patch which one does he want & he licks the open container & says this one…

[Amateria]

Hey everyone, so my mum has been having some trouble with Rusty at night, now I did some google searching but I don’t really have enough time to do anymore and also I generally didn’t find anything on the first two pages anyways.

I started both Rusty and Anja on Sasha’s blend joint supplement about a month ago, this supplement contains green lipped mussel, shark cartilage and abalone powder. I am wondering could this cause him to become restless, he just gets up randomly several times and goes for a walk, now if he didn’t sleep with my mum this wouldn’t be much of a problem, but he wakes her up every time he goes.

Is it possible the powder may be not for him? This all started after the introduction of said powder, even if it wasn’t all that long ago, Anja on the other hand seems to be doing just fine on it.

He also gets about 6 pieces of the Ivory Coat kibble with these ingredients: Ocean Fish, Salmon Meal, Peas, Potatoes, Tomato Pomace, Pea Fibre, Ground Flaxseed, Fish Oil, Canola Oil, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Kale, Broccoli, Spinach, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries, Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, D3, E), Beta-Carotene, Niacin, d-Calcium, Biotin, Folic Acid, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Copper, Natural Prebiotic, Calcium Propionate, Rosemary Extract & Green Tea Extract.

Could anything in there or maybe the abalone powder in the supplement be giving him these random night walks? Or could it just be a coincidence for something more sinister?

[theBCnut]

Having free run of an acre may cause such a young puppy to over exercise, which can burn off too many calories and cause too much wear on growing joints.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Martin G-

I’m thinking that a German Rottweiler is a large breed, isn’t it? If he’ll be over 50 pounds, then yes.

Here is a helpful article for keeping large breed pups joints healthy:
/best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/

It is important to keep them thin and lean. But, if your vet thinks he’s too thin, then he probably is because most vets prefer dogs on the lean side. So you can check the calories per cup on the bag and choose a food with higher calories, or just feed him more. You could even add more canned food to his meals as long as it is a complete and balanced recipe that you are adding.

What a lucky puppy that gets to have an acre back yard to run in! Have fun and good luck!

[Haley H]

Hi everyone!
This is my first post, but I’ve been a constant on this page for quite sometime. I have a malamute baby coming home to me this July and I want to give him the absolute best!!

I’ve found a great local-ish supplier of green tripe, raw hooves, and all sorts of cow bits. I was all about tracheas and gullets until I read the study that links thyroidtoxosis to feeding gullets/trachea with thyroid tissues present. I asked my supplier if their raw tracheas and gullets had thyroid gland on them, they assured me that their sources removed thyroid glands beforehand.

I’ve looked all around the Internet, to no avail…I’m fairly certain the entire feeding of gullet is out…too close to the thyroid glands, however do you think the trachea, sans thyroid tissue, is safe to feed???

I was planning on using the fresh or dehydrated tracheas to serve part of my puppy’s meals in. I’m a huge fan of Dr. Ian Dunbar’s positive reinforcement methods, and also his idea to allow the dog the opportunity to work for their food…something crucial to all working breeds imho. So I was going to use both forms of trachea, filled kongs, and stuffed raw horns, hooves, and bones instead of using a bowl at all for food. I know this is another topic altogether, but I’m curious to hear what everyone here thinks.

I was planning to do a 25/75 kibble/RF plan, where his kibbles are fed in the morning, his midday and evening feeding being raw, with kibble occasionally used as training reinforcement. I have read lots of the opinions on combining RF and kibble, but a study done (I’ll share the link here), shows via x ray, that the rate of digestion largely has no effect on a dog when it comes to raw versus libble, being that raw food actually takes longer to digest because the dog’s body is working to utilize ALL goodness.
LINK: https://therawfeedingcommunity.com/2015/01/08/digest-this-kibble-may-actually-digest-faster-than-raw/

I may transition him completely to raw by age 2, but I’m not entirely willing to risk messing up his joints or growth feeding strictly raw from the time I get him (which will be 8 weeks)

I’m super excited to be here, obsessed with canine nutrition, and eager to talk to someone who can follow what I’m thinking about right now…no one in my life really cares much for my research and pontificating. LOL.

[Pitlove]

Hi Sue-

Large breed puppies have much different dietary requirements than small and medium breeds. These dogs are at high risk for developmental orthopedic disorders caused by genetics, but also poor nutrition. It is important to watch calcium intake, so I would heed the suggestion to add too many toppers to the dry kibble during growth or use something like Trippett which has very low calcium and phosphorus.

The two companies that have done the most research in regards to large and giant breed nutrition and growth are Hill’s and Purina. A puppy food geared towards large breeds from one of those two companies would be a fine choice. However, I do understand that there are those who do not feel comfortable feeding diets from Hill’s and Purina. A few other LBP safe foods I can suggest that are from smaller companies are: NutriSource Large Breed Puppy, Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy, Precise Holistic Complete Large & Giant Breed Puppy, Nulo Puppy, Solid Gold Wolf Cub, and Dr. Tim’s Kinesis. If you can order online, these are all available on chewy.com.

Another important thing to remember is not to overfeed, as excess weight puts strain on the developing joints and can also lead to orthopedic disorders. Shepherds are meant to be lean by breed standard, so it is best to keep them that way during growth and throughout life.

Edit: In regards to your question about Rachael Ray Nutrish. How does the other dog do on it? How is the stool quality? Does she get a clean bill of health from the vet? Does she enjoy eating the food? Your dog is the only one who can tell you how the food is working for her. The opinions of others are irrelevant.

[Susan]

Hi, I have bad Arthritis & I’ve just started to take Blooms Green Lipped Mussel and Turmeric capsules….I buy the K-9 Natural Freeze dried Green Lipped Mussel snacks for Patch he’s 7 ys old but he’ll need more then a few green lipped mussel snacks to help his joints as he gets older..
Have you joined the Face Book group called “The Turmeric Users Group” you make the golden paste, it’s powder Turmeric, black pepper & coconut oil the recipe is in their files people swear by Turmeric paste for their dogs that have Arthritis & Cancer…I might make some for myself..

[C4D]

Hi Michael,

There is no food that provides enough glucosamine and chondroitin. I’ve had several dogs with joint issues for many years. I feed grain and potato free (potatoes exacerbate inflammation) and supplement with human grade fish oil and joint supplements. You have to be careful if using human joint supplements that there aren’t added vitamins. Your vet might be willing to give you suggestions. You also have to adjust the dosage. My current senior dog is doing well and still extremely active.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 12 months ago by C4D.

[InkedMarie]

Hi Michael,
Foods that have glucosamine & chondroitin aren’t generally woth it as the amount of the supplements are “cooked out” of the food. You’re better to give a separate joint supplement.
It has been said that grains are inflammatory so you’d be better to feed a grain free food.

[Michael S]

Hi,
I’m knew to this website and I’m sure this subject has been touched upon before but I can’t spend hours looking through old posts to find an answer to my question:

Does anyone know of a good dry dog food for hip and joint problems?

We bought some at the vet (Science Diet of course) and I did not like the amount of corn in the mix. I know that all the amino acids etc are great for the dog and that’s all well and good but ‘corn’ come on that’s not going to fly with me for long and the price is very high ($85 for 30#).

So, does anyone have a good brand that is acceptable for this type of problem…I don’t see any recommendations here on the website for this type of prescription dog food. I would appreciate any help. Many Thanks
m3schmied

[gina m]

It’s been more than a year ago that i posted on here regarding my terrier mix Dolly’s gulping. I don’t know what we did but she stopped having her panic/gulping/eating grass frenzy. We still don’t know what was the issue but i wanted to post what we did.

Dolly is 8 years old and we adopted her along with her brother a year and a half ago. She came with the gulping issue and super allergic to seasonal pollen and allergic to any bug bites (ticks, flea, mosquito, etc). Her teeth were ground down and causing irritation so some of her teeth had to be removed. She had a few lumps on her body which one was cancerous so we’re glad we were proactive and removed it.

After all these issues: we stopped giving her any chicken, beef, pork (mass produced meat) but stuck with venison & rabbit wet food – Royal Canin from the vet, and anchovy dry food from Forza. Additional supplements of enzyme and probiotic. Cosequin for her joints. Famotidine for heart burns (though i’m thinking of stop giving this to her to see if she still needs this daily). Zyrtec in the morning and Benadryl at night for her allergy. We give her Sentinel and Bravecto for fleas and ticks and heart worm. And we shampoo her once a week.

After continuing this for a year, her gulping has stopped since last summer. A small gulping happened few weeks ago but I realized we gave her a lot of cheese the day before (she loves cheese) so no more cheese for her. I think dairy might be causing it as well, as I remember giving her yogurt thinking that it will help with the gulping but may have been causing it.

Hope this helps someone or gave them a clue for a cure.

[alice d]

I would highly recommend trying DGP – the 100% natural joint and hip support that helps to ease the aches and discomfort caused by daily exercise, activity and aging. This product works extremely FAST – results can be seen in as little as 1 week. This product is completely natural – without the negative side effects that can occur with prescription medications. Please visit the website: http://www.dgpforpets.com for complete details and testimonials and reviews.

[micah g]

I have 3 dogs, my main concern is my Cavalier she has a murmur asymptomatic, but i want to get her on the best food to prolong any issues that i can, one dog is has just general joint stiffness. Zignature was suggested but its high in sodium i guess.

[micah g]

Purevita is this a great dry dog food? I have a Cavalier King Charles and a mix breed large dog, I am looking for a great food, price is really not an issue. My cavalier has a small murmur but she is 12 and un symptomatic and the other dog just joint stiffness. My holistic Pet store owner suggested Purevita or Fromm. I just want the best food for her cardiac support and his joint stiffness. Thank you.

[theBCnut]

I would definitely feed less. That’s fast weight gain which can affect joint formation. As far as safe weight gain, there is no rule of thumb. Just keep your dog on the thin side until completely grown. Never ever let her get chubby, nevermind fat. Slow growth is ideal for joint formation.

[Dog Pack Mom]

I’m not sure what type of joint supplements I will try yet. The glycoflex 3 seems to be causing GI issues with my little pom, Rooster. I think I may try the Joint Power Rx recommended by Hound Dog Mom. I do know I won’t be trying FidoActive ever.

[Naturella]

Yay! I am excited! I got mine today and I’m sipping on some collagen-enriched tea and I put a little sprinkle in Bruno’s water bowl. Let’s see how this goes… I don’t know if I will necessarily see any results on Bruno, but at least he will be getting a little extra boost for his joints.

Hope it works for Boone too! 🙂

[Naturella]

Hello, all!

I have a question…

So, I am going to try some collagen hydrolysate for myself, but I was wondering… since it is basically gelatin “on steroids” (not real steroids), and it is good for human hair, skin, nails, and joints, would it be good to add to Bruno’s food like maybe once/week (just a small sprinkle), since he is just 15.2 lbs. He is about 3 yrs old, terrier mix, with moderate to high energy and exercise level.

What do you all think? Have any of you tried it? I am going to be using the Great Lakes brand.

[Rick Dunn]

No disrespect intended here but unfortunately Jakes_Mom “A healthy dog eating appropriate food does not need vitamin supplements.” could not be more wrong.

Even the best researched, sourced and prepared foods either commercially available or homemade (which includes raw diets) fall short in all of the essential vitamins, minerals, metals and nutrients that a dog is intended to have in it’s body by nature. Subsequently their bodies become out of balance which in turn compromises their immune systems. This is a proven fact and just can not be disputed, justified or excused away by anyone.

Proper supplementation brings the body back into balance and allows the immune system go back to its normal level. You can deny this all you wish… my statements are factual, backed by scientific research and proven in dogs for more than 30 years.

What is a Supplement?

Pet supplements are defined as either dietary or therapeutic supplements. Dietary supplements (also called dietary nutrients) are substances added to pet foods to make them nutritionally complete and balanced. Therapeutic supplements (also called nutraceuticals) are foods or food nutrients that are taken orally to provide a health benefit, either for prevention or treatment of disease. To have this therapeutic effect, a nutraceutical is usually taken in a larger dose than the daily requirement of that same food when used as a nutrient.

What is Dr Kruger Pet Supplements?

It is the only complete supplement on the market, covering all aspects of a dog’s health. Dr Kruger Pet Supplements naturally correct commercial, home made and natural pet food’s deficiencies in three crucial ways by adding essential vitamins and minerals, important digestive enzymes for complete food absorption, and beneficial intestinal bacteria to supercharge the immune system. Each formulation has additional ingredients to focus on those particular areas of the pets health that it is deficient in.

Our formulas meet the specific needs of your pet through each stage of life. Whether your dog is a puppy, adult or senior; one that is active, in show or spends most of his time indoors, there is a Dr Kruger Pet Supplements formula that is just right for his needs.

Why use Dr Kruger Pet Supplements?

Since 1986 our supplements have been alleviating gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, loose stools, vomiting and gas as well as itchy skin, hot spots, shedding and allergies. Our Supplements will help with both occasional and chronic digestive problems such as bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS), toxic gut syndrome (TGS), torsion, sensitive stomach, inflamed bowel, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Other conditions helped by our supplements include allergies, arthritis, inflamed joints, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) and a host of others.

Dr Kruger Pet Supplements, when used daily provide the necessary vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, digestive enzymes, microbes and other probiotics for the health of your pet. Made from all natural ingredients, Dr. Kruger’s Supplements provide a holistic approach to your pets health helping your dog or cat absorb more nutrients from their diet. When used in combination with a healthy, organic food, Dr. Kruger’s Supplements ensure better health through better digestion… naturally!

Dr. Kruger’s approach was to address the “Whole Dog” not just a symptom, this is why our supplements work so well. Everyday Health Formula is in ALL of our Formulas as the foundation; we then add specific elements to address and make up the additional Formulas we offer. The final reason our Formulas have worked for so many years is Dr. Kruger knew that a dogs health requirements will change over it’s lifetime. He developed his Formulas to address those changes from the beginning of life through the twilight years.

Puppy & Pregnancy Formula
Everyday Health Formula
Healthy Skin & Coat Formula
High Performance Formula
Healthy Skin & Coat Formula
Healthy Joint Formula
Senior Health Formula

All of our ingredients are:

Human Grade
Non-GMO
All Natural
Sourced in the USA Only
Manufacture in the USA
There are NO Fillers in our Formulas; our Formulas are dosed by the dogs food intake as that is the only true way to know how much supplementation should be administered.

The importance of healthy digestion is critical to overall health of your pet. That is why we recommend that at least the Everyday Health Formula to be a consistent supplement to your pets food every day!

We prove this EVERY SINGLE DAY!

[Rick Dunn]

You should check out Dr Kruger Pet Supplements – Healthy Joint Formula to address hip dysplasia and arthritis. While nothing will cure your senior dog of these issues Dr Kruger Pet Supplements – Healthy Joint Formula has a 30 year track record of doing a great job of helping to relieve mobility issues. Along with the same vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes and live cultures as the Everyday Formula, the Healthy Joint Formula also contains anti-inflammatory ingredients such as Glucosamine Sulphate, Yucca Root, Dandelion Root, Devil’s Claw, Kelp, Chondroitin Sulphate and extra Vitamin E to relieve chronic joint and muscle conditions, including arthritis (hereditary or traumatic), hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, (degenerative joint disease (DJD), spinal arthritis (spondyosis), sprains, or other conditions due to illness and injury. It also improves overall ligament and cartilage health..

It costs nothing to check it out!
http://www.drkruger.com/collections/healthy-joint-formula

[Duane P]

I have to agree with the suggestion posted earlier about using fish oil supplement. I believe the Omega 3 and Omega 6 benefits of fish oil are good not just for joints and coats but also for the heart. I’d like to share this article which has helped my babies a lot:

http://bncpet.com/blogs/news/34302657-everything-you-need-to-know-about-fish-oil-for-dogs

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Duane P. Reason: removed html tags

[crazy4cats]

Hi Curtis b-
Here is a link that I found helpful when I was dealing with the same issue with my pups who are now 4-1/2 yrs old: http://www.dogaware.com. Check out the health section which includes digestive orders. There is a ton of information on my favorite subject…diarrhea! Lol!

I agree with Naturella’s suggestion of Perfect Form made by The Honest Kitchen. I still use it periodically. It has somewhat of a strong odor and most likely needs to be mixed well into your pup’s food. Pumpkin never worked for my boys. I never tried the diagel mentioned by Freddy, but I used propectalin with success. I also think FortiFlora probiotic for diarrhea is helpful. I don’t use as a maintenance probiotic, but it’s good to control loose stools.

My dogs ended up having a tough case of giardia and coccidia. Please make sure your vet is specifically testing for those parasites because they can cause intermittent loose stools. Also, very importantly, have you seen the info on what to feed large breed pups on the review side? Controlled calcium, growth and exercise are very important for their growing joints.

Also enzymes never really worked for my pups either. By the way, you can buy a lot of these recommended supps on Amazon, Healthypets, and/or Chewy.com. Good luck and check back in with what’s going on. Honestly, it took me a long time to get my pups on track. I hope it’s quicker for you!

Oops! One more thing, I think Freddy’s idea of doing a 3 to 5 day dose of Panacur dewormer is a great idea in case your pup has an undetectable parasite. It is one of the best to rid of those nasties.

[InkedMarie]

Pitlove: I remember all the advice given! I don’t know what his issues are but I do know that I have to be careful with stuff other than actual food: I once bought a joint supplement, a chewable. Had something in there that caused a yeast ear infection & paw licking.

What are your reservations on feeding Primal longterm?

[Jo K]

My boy has arthritis in his elbow joints. Have had no luck with any oral supplements, but some relief with hyaluronic acid administered intravenously once every three weeks at the vet’s. Warning- this is not cheap.

[InkedMarie]

My opinion is that if you feed the whole animal, you don’t need much. I feed primarily grinds from Hare Today; they use the whole animal mostly. I add eggs 2-3x weekly and salmon oil daily. My older dog gets some joint stuff.

Red meat should be more than white. I feed bones for teeth also.

[Pitlove]

Most large breed foods will have bigger kibble and lower fat to help keep weight off them since we all know having an overweight large breed can be devasting to their joints. They also tend to add glucosamine and chondrotin to those foods, not that it matters since the amount is not theraputic.

Fromm Gold Large Breed Adult would be my suggestion.

[Jenn H]

There’s a lot of theories floating around about when to switch a lg breed puppy to adult food. Because my GSDs are very active and use every bit of fat & protein I tend to keep them on lbp food longer than a yr. Usually up to 18 months. Or I’ll switch to an adult food for all life stages and/or lg breed adult. I’ve had dogs take 3 yrs to finish growing. (Usually unaltered males.)
No matter what food they are fed I keep the calcium as close to 1.5% or less until I am certain they are finished growing.

It’s fine to start them on joint supplements as early as 6 months. My 8 month old has already been on them for 2 months.
I prefer liquid since more of it is absorbed, but I’ve also had really great results from NuPro.
Cosequin is another brand that has worked great for a lot of my horses. They now make a version for dogs.

Things I look for in joint supplements is:
***glucosamine hydrochloride
*promotes healthy joints
*enhances body’s ability to produce collagen & joint fluid
*helps body to repair joint damage
***chondroitin sulfate
***MSM
*organic form of sulfur that connective tissue needs for maintenance
*HA

Whole food supplements w/ a lot of Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs):
•sea cucumber
•green-lipped mussel
•shark cartilage
•eggshell membrane
You’ll often find these listed as sources on labels of joint supplements. Especially the mussel & shark cartilage.

Take care to find out where ingredients are sourced blah blah blah like you would for dog food.

[Darek N]

Hello there. I have a Golden Retriever and had follow Large Breed Puppy Food List. I try few different kinds of Fromm Four Star but he had loose stool so we settle on Erthborn Holistic Coastal Catch and Dr. Tims Kinesis. now that he is going to be a one year old should I change his food to something different or start adding some supplements for joints. I just want to make sure that I’m feeding him properly spatially that he is going to be a year old.
Thank you for any advise

[Carrie P]

Try Fido Active Supplement to make your dogs even better and stronger. and no joint issues. this supplement is very effective and well proven.

[Becca]

I have a dog with hyperthyroidism, due to raw feeding. the past couple of years they have trachea and gullet, although this is a glucosamine for the joint I had no idea it would do this. till my dog had 2 seizures, lost almost 6 pounds, his fur got extremely thin and he could not get enough to eat or drink.and weakness. my other dog lost 7 pounds and thinning fur but not much else. it was so scary. so I started him on home cooked meals and he’s improving. I was so happy when feeding them raw they were on it for over 4 years.

[Jenn H]

Thank you so much. I have GSDs. And my 7 month old has the confirmation of a show dog which has me so worried about his future.
I am so careful and militant about what & how much he’s fed. I can’t believe how much time I’ve spent contacting dog food people because they put the minimum only on most labels. I’m trying to find out how to change that and make it so the max be required.

Another thing worth mentioning with large & xlarge dogs is at 6 months they can be started on joint supplements. I prefer to give the types that don’t have extra vitamins & minerals. Just the usual ingredients for joints only like glucosamine,, chondroitin, HA, MSM, etc.

[Pitlove]

Hi Leland-

Every single Orijen formula is over 450 kcals/cup, which is pretty high in calories. However, as long as you follow the feeding guidelines closely and monitor weight and body condition it should not cause weight gain. Regardless of what food you feed, especially with breeds like Bassett Hounds, watch their weight carefully. Even a few extra pounds is hard on their joints.

[InkedMarie]

Hi Rani,
I have not fed any senior type of food for my senior dogs. I do feed grainfree (grains can be inflammatory & I also don’t believe dogs need grains) with highr protein and supplement for joint and any other issues. I currently use green lipped mussel but in the past have had good results with Dog Gone Pain, In Clover Connectin and Glycoflex.