Joint Supplements

[Rocket.Chihuahua]

Supplements. Feels like a minefield!

Rocky has bilateral luxating patellae, and had surgery on both legs a couple of years ago. Im not convinced there has been much improvement, as the joints still feel incredibly unstable...thankfully, he manages just fine, and doesnt seem to have too much trouble at present. A locum put his foot in it, and suggested that the surgery should have been done differently, and i now agree. Never mind, i wont be putting him through it again in a hurry. 

Anyway, he has been on Synoquin for a year. For reasons beyond my control, this had to stop a few months ago, and I started him on Turmeric paste for a while. I can honestly say that I didnt notice much difference on the turmeric, but hes certainly been less keen to jump onto furniture since the Synoquin stopped.

I read somewhere on here about the essential ingredients required in a good joint supplement. Ill find that thread, and add it to this if I can.

ETA:

Dogs suffering with achey joints, struggling with long walks could benefit from using a food supplement. My dog is really old and I wish I had started using a supplement earlier may have given the poor old dog more of a chance. Find one which contains hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, MSM and chondroitin to help aid joint support and repair.

Im led to believe that Synoquin is the only supplement that has been clinically proven to help. And is the only one containing mamalian sources of chondroitin (more easily absorbed than marine sources, such as green lipped mussel), and also contains glucosamine. ...I looked into this over a year ago now, and not sure if these details have changed? Ive just read that it contains Dexahan (highly concentrated krill oil). Edit: I need to relook at this, I may be getting my info confused - Most joint supplements contain marine sources of chondroitin, including Synoquin, which makes me question whether it may be the other way around! Oops!  There is no additional need for Omega 3 with Synoquin, however. Some like to give this alongside other supplements such as Yumove, and Seroquin

Anyway, Im just wondering what supplements others use, and if they have clearly noticed a difference? How? Why?

TIA

[Dottie]

You have raised an interesting topic for discussion and one which I have pondered about. I'm not aware of any information which confirms that glucosamine and chondroitin is definitely beneficial to joint health so your research re Synoquin is useful.

I have friends who have used the Nutraquin+ on their dogs and found it useful. David mentions Devil's Claw on this website and it is reported to be effective in clinical trials.

I think that weight control would be crucial in the management of conditions like this, as would feeding a good quality diet. The right type of exercise would also be useful - maybe short, frequent walks. Jumping on chairs/beds would probably not be very helpful but I know how difficult that can be to stop.

My dogs have food containing green lipped mussel but as it probably will not be a therapeutic dose I don't know if it is useful or not.

Edit: Is this thread of any use?

[Doobydools]

Bit late to this thread, but is there any evidence — scientific or anecdotal — to suggest any joint supplements are worth adding to a dog's diet at a young(er) age?

[Dottie]

I don't know the answer to that but I am a firm believer in protecting the joints by maintaining good general health, feeding a good diet, keeping the weight down and giving moderate exercise but not overdoing it.  One of the things that can strain joints is throwing balls at a high level because it can cause injury as it makes the dog jump up and twist round. This movement can strain ligaments, particularly the cruciate.  This can precipitate arthritis. I also think it best not to let small dogs jump up and down on beds and furniture. I have an eleven year old dog who moves really well - no sign of stiffness. I've never given her supplements.  If necessary I would probably go for something natural like good quality bone broth as it contains a natural source of glucosamine. I have heard good things about turmeric and some manufacturers are including it in their food. It's included in the food that my two have.  It is said to have anti inflammatory properties. As with all supplements, the key thing is to be sure that it is of good quality.