Joint supplements for large breed dog?
I have a large breed dog. He is a Pit Bull/ Bull Mastiff cross weighing 95-100 lbs. He will be 2 in September.
He is a perfectly healthy dog But I would like to get him some joint supplements just to be safe because I know larger breed dogs have joint problems later on in life.
What are some good joint supplements for a reasonable price?
Many joint problems actually occurr in large breed puppies because they grow faster than their bones/joints can handle. It sounds like your puppy made it through that OK.
I’d have his hips x-rayed when he is 2. It will give you a good baseline as to what problems he may have as he gets older with hip dysplasia. Hips are usually rated Good, Fair or Poor.
I don’t think you need to start supplements at this time since he is young. Save your money and spend it on a high quality dog food like Science Diet and Eukanuba. This will give him the right ingredients to keep all his bones, joints, muscles, etc. working.
When he gets to be 7, switch him to a mature dog food (I like Science Diet) that has the nutrients that are better for older dogs.
The best thing you can do is to keep him exercised and keep him at a good weight. Being overweight has the biggest effect on joint problems.
You are a good dog owner for thinking about this, but I wouldn’t worry about any supplements at this time.
Same this as humans take – Glucosamine, condroiton with MSM. Any brand is good. 1 a day for dogs. I put it in p-nut butter to give to my dog.
I’m not sure, maybe add some calcium to his diet. Also, try giving him small leg massages every morning and night, and ask your vet what you can do.
I’m a big fan of the Glyco-Flex line by VetriScience. The best prices I’ve found on it are at amazon and http://www.kvpet.com
Synovi G3 is also pretty good.
Cosequin is popular and safe. but has almost no MSM in it and is also lower in glucosamine per pill.
You might try Missing Link, added to his food every now and then. Although, being so young, I’m not sure if he’d need it yet. Just make sure you feed him a high quality food – that’s more important than most people think. No purina, no science diet, no iams, no eukanuba! Try Taste of the Wild, Orijen, Innova EVO, Canidae, or Blue Buffalo. It’ll definitely make a difference and that’s better than supplementing a crappy diet.
Large breeds of dogs tend to suffer from arthritis more often than smaller breeds. This is probably due simply to the extra weight and stress on the joints of larger breeds.
I’ve used Nupro Join Support Supplement and it really seems to help a lot! Here are the ingredients:
Nupro is made with fresh quality health food ingredients that are human-grade, not animal-grade. It contains a full range of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and essential fatty acids in their natural raw forms. The specific joint support ingreedients are:
Glucosamine Complex (500 mg. per scoop) is a special formula that is an easily absorbed natural substance that stimulates the production of proteoglycans which help to maintain the health and resiliency of connective tissues and restores the damaged cells of cartilage tissue. Glucosamine complex helps promote the synovial fluid that lubricates the joints.
MSM (300 mg. per scoop) is a natural source of bioavailable sulfur, essential for the growth and repair of tendons, cartilage and other connective tissues. MSM is also an anti-inflammatory agent.
Ester-C Chelated Mineral Blend (300 mg. per scoop) boosts the absorption of the glucosamine complex and MSM and promotes collagen formation.
http://www.petwellbeing.com/joint-supplement-large-breed-p52.cfm