Fish Oil & Glucosamine For Golden

[Staranais]

So my 8 month old golden retriever had surgery about 4 weeks ago for ocd and we have been told by the phsyio to start her on glucosamine and fish oil to help with her joints. When we went to the pet store yesterday a lady was telling my mum about eukanuba and it has added glucosamine and fish oil, just wondering if anyone has any experience with this pet food and if they have seen any benefits in relation to better mobility etc?

Also if eukanuba isn't the best choice we can start her on human glucosamine & fish oil, would we have to wean her onto it so that it is not such a strong dose at first? Attached photo is Ava having fun at her hydro session

Eukanuba "Healthy Joints" has so little omega 3 it's hardly worth feeding. The amount you'd feed a medium sized dog in a day contains less than 1 capsule of fish oil, not enough to make any difference whatsoever.

Hill's gets a bad rap on this forum (not always unfairly either), but their j/d diet has universally very good reviews from vets & clients I know in terms of increased mobility in arthritic dogs. It includes the equivalent of approx 3 fish oil capsules in each 100g of dry food (ten times as much as the Eukanuba).

You don't need to buy any special joint diet, though. My 28 kg girl had OCD and she gets 5000 - 6000 mg of human quality fish oil per day, added to her regular diet. That costs no more than buying the j/d, and means I can feed her far better ingredients than j/d has.

I don't bother with glucosamine. Interestingly, although the Hill's j/d also includes glucosamine & chondroitin, according to the company rep I talked to that's only because people expect to see it in there, not because they have any evidence it does anything beneficial. Whereas the fish oil has been proven to have anti-inflammatory effects.

Don't forget the vit E if you're feeding fish oil on a regular basis, as OSoSwift says.

[Kiara&Heidi]

Staranais - I wasn't aware that there was no good evidence to support the use of glucosamine - but it appears you're right. I just did a search on Google for glucosamine studies and most of what came up suggested glucosamine was no more effective than a placebo. Funny though - I'll still be reluctant to give it up.

[monique.c]

Staranais - I wasn't aware that there was no good evidence to support the use of glucosamine - but it appears you're right. I just did a search on Google for glucosamine studies and most of what came up suggested glucosamine was no more effective than a placebo. Funny though - I'll still be reluctant to give it up.

And that's how pharmacies make money :D

I work in a pharmacy and I know that some stuff probably doesn't work but I still buy it just in case it does work...

[Lab lady]

Staranais - I wasn't aware that there was no good evidence to support the use of glucosamine - but it appears you're right. I just did a search on Google for glucosamine studies and most of what came up suggested glucosamine was no more effective than a placebo. Funny though - I'll still be reluctant to give it up.

This is what i was told by the orthopaedic surgeon who repaired my Labs knee. I had been giving glucosamine to my dogs for years, when my girl had TTO surgery i asked about the dose i should be giving her now and his reply was to not waste my money, in the 20 years he had been a orthopaedic surgeon he had not found any proof that it is beneficial and a good general diet and exercise was of more value.

After this my mother asked her spinal specialist on his thoughts and he said he felt it wouldn't do any harm but doubted if it really had any beneficial affects.

I know of people who swear by it but you have to wonder if it is a placebo effect.

PS, forgot to add, My mum stopped taking it in march and to date hasn't noticed any difference.

Edited July 17, 2011 by Lab lady

[Staranais]

Staranais - I wasn't aware that there was no good evidence to support the use of glucosamine - but it appears you're right. I just did a search on Google for glucosamine studies and most of what came up suggested glucosamine was no more effective than a placebo. Funny though - I'll still be reluctant to give it up.

Well, I guess there's always the possibility that it works for some dogs or some people and not for others - unless you designed the study really carefully it wouldn't pick that up. I've talked to many clients who swear that it does help their individual dog (again, that could just be the owner seeing what they hope to see.

So, no reason not to give it if you've got lots of money to spend on supplements. It won't hurt. But, since there's plenty of evidence that fish oil is useful, I'd never recommend skimping on fish oil in order to give glucosamine.

To the OP, Pentosan injections might be worth looking into as well.

[gwp4me]

I absolutely believe that adding Fish Oil and Glucosamine makes a difference in comfort for a dog with OA. I also use them both for my arthritic knees, soon after I lower the daily dose of 1500mg Glucosamine, I have trouble bending my knees. Please, someone tell me the best source of Vit E to add to a dogs diet.

http://www.purinavets.eu/PDFs/ResearchReport_vol8-issue3.pdf

[toughgirl27]

So my 8 month old golden retriever had surgery about 4 weeks ago for ocd and we have been told by the phsyio to start her on glucosamine and fish oil to help with her joints. When we went to the pet store yesterday a lady was telling my mum about eukanuba and it has added glucosamine and fish oil, just wondering if anyone has any experience with this pet food and if they have seen any benefits in relation to better mobility etc?

Also if eukanuba isn't the best choice we can start her on human glucosamine & fish oil, would we have to wean her onto it so that it is not such a strong dose at first? Attached photo is Ava having fun at her hydro session

Thanks

I have my boy on Glucosamine& Chrondroitin tabs and fish oil capsules. Also glucosamine& chrondroitin is in his food.

He had a problem limping on his front leg and now he doesn't seem to limp at all. So I think it works.

Also it has been proven to work effectively in humans so I suppose it may work as well in dogs.

[tomas]

For those interested in joint health,you would be advised to check out this link.

Here are the stockists of Gelatinnat in Australia.

http://www.primeval.biz/canine/avail.html

My 6 dogs get it and my 12 and 11 year olds can still regularly run 22kms a day and these are 35kgs dogs!

It works WAY better than glucosamine which your dog then has to convert into collagen,so why not give them a colagen they can absorb.

http://www.primeval.biz/canine/primeval.html

[Tilly]

I feed chicken feet as I heard they are a natural source of glucosamine ... and the boys love them.

[oonga]

For those interested in joint health,you would be advised to check out this link.

Here are the stockists of Gelatinnat in Australia.

http://www.primeval.biz/canine/avail.html

My 6 dogs get it and my 12 and 11 year olds can still regularly run 22kms a day and these are 35kgs dogs!

It works WAY better than glucosamine which your dog then has to convert into collagen,so why not give them a colagen they can absorb.

http://www.primeval.biz/canine/primeval.html

Tomas do you feed fish oil as well? or some other type of Omega oil blend? or just the Primeval Gelatinaat?

How long have you been using this product for?

from what age do you start using this product?

[tomas]

For those interested in joint health,you would be advised to check out this link.

Here are the stockists of Gelatinnat in Australia.

http://www.primeval.biz/canine/avail.html

My 6 dogs get it and my 12 and 11 year olds can still regularly run 22kms a day and these are 35kgs dogs!

It works WAY better than glucosamine which your dog then has to convert into collagen,so why not give them a colagen they can absorb.

http://www.primeval.biz/canine/primeval.html

Tomas do you feed fish oil as well? or some other type of Omega oil blend? or just the Primeval Gelatinaat?

How long have you been using this product for?

from what age do you start using this product?

Just answered your pm.

Do feed fish oil but not often,sometimes miss a whole month. This is way better for joints and my guys eat raw so get salmon and sardines anyway.

Been using it about a year.

They have a puppy version which my 10 month old is on,that has no calcium,but the others all get the regular stuff,I even take it,I mean it's just pure (very expensive) collagen and I know it works cos my knees were WAY better after a month!

[oonga]

Thanks for all that Tomas

[**Super_Dogs**]

For those interested in joint health,you would be advised to check out this link.

Here are the stockists of Gelatinnat in Australia.

http://www.primeval.biz/canine/avail.html

My 6 dogs get it and my 12 and 11 year olds can still regularly run 22kms a day and these are 35kgs dogs!

It works WAY better than glucosamine which your dog then has to convert into collagen,so why not give them a colagen they can absorb.

http://www.primeval.biz/canine/primeval.html

Thanks for the links. It is hard to find a good product reasonably prices so I can maintain the dosage long term!

Edited August 8, 2011 by buddy1