[AmaWil05]

I am currently on the hunt for a new food for my 12yr old chihuahua/terrier who has arthritis and mediation hasn’t been much help. I was advised that feeding a grain free food could make a big difference for him. I also have a 1 1/2 yr old chihuahua/dachshund (with a dandruff problem when he gets nervous) who will eat the same food. A family member recommended Natures Instinct; The groomer recommended Taste Of The Wild. I’ve looked at both and am just utterly confused on what food to choose.

[HealthyMenuPetFood]

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[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Amawil05 –

Going grain-free would be a smart idea – grains are inflammatory (something you really want to avoid when dealing with arthritic dogs). I’m assuming that by “Nature’s Instinct” you’re referring to Nature’s Variety Instinct. I would go with Nature’s Variety Instinct over Taste of the Wild. Nature’s Variety Instinct is manufactured by a reputable company, Taste of the Wild is manufactured by Diamond, a company known for producing low quality products and having frequent recalls. If you aren’t already giving joint support supplements, I would start a natural supplement regimen as well. Glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and hyaluronic acid are all great for maintaining the joints; you can buy these supplements individually or in whole food form – some whole foods that contain some of these components and that are known for promoting joint health are green lipped mussel, sea cucumber, velvet antler, shark cartilage and eggshell membrane. There are also numerous natural supplements you can give that have anti-inflammatory properties – omega 3’s (up to 300 mg. per 10 lbs.), turmeric, boswellia, yucca, bromelain and tart cherry.

[InkedMarie]

I echo what HDM said. I also want to mention that keeping your dog lean is a good thing.

[pugmomsandy]

I’ve been feeding my grumpy 14 yr old foster grain free food and also give him Actiflex 4000, and sometimes: tumeric, cetyl-myristoleate, and omega 3 sardine oil. He still uses the doggy door too and can still stir up a fight!

[theBCnut]

Chicken and turkey necks have a lot of cartilage in them and have helped my 11 year old JRT more than joint supplements did.

[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.

[cinner00]

HDM,

Sorry to keep bugging you. I now want to switch my 12 year old arthritic golden lab to a new food. He does have a sensitive stomach and has always had a weight issue (gland issues). He is on a glucosamine regiment per our vets instructions. Do you have some recommendations for him. Our new pup has given him more pep in his step and I’m no where near ready to see him go any time soon.

cinner00

[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!

[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?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Marie –

Sorry to hear the supplements aren’t working for Gemma. I’ve heard very mixed things about Chinese herbs – they seem to be hit or miss. I’m surprised the Swanson Mobility Essenials isn’t helping at all though. To make sure – are you basing her daily serving on the human dose of 6 caps per day (feeding her a percentage of that)? On the bottle it says serving size 3 caps but then recommends it twice a day (total of 6 caps per day) so I just wanted to make sure you weren’t accidentally basing her serving off 3 caps per day.

In some cases it’s just trial and error – you need to try things until you find something that works. I just started Gus on an esterified fatty acid supplement (NOW Foods Celadrin + MSM) and I know Sandy has said she has some of her seniors on one as well (I forget which brand she said she uses). So something like that would be worth trying. Have you tried enzyme supplements like Wobezyme? Other supplements I’ve heard good things about that could be worth a shot: duralactin, phycox, reservatrol, liquid hylaluronic acid and SOD.

[pugmomsandy]

I had bought Cetyl-M by Response Products and now have Jarrow True CMO and Actiflex 4000 horse.

[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!

[InkedMarie]

Bumping so HDM sees my question!

[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]

I don’t know patty, til I found you guys, I used mostly dog stuff!

[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.

[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 11 years, 5 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[Cavalierluvr]

Have any of you heard of a product called Platinum Performance? In “The Dog Bible” by Tracie Hotchner she highly recommends this product. She claims it worked better than any Glucosamine product marketed to pets and really saw a difference in her own 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.

[InkedMarie]

Thanks HDM….I will do two & two for a week, then one & one. I have been doing five on, two off but forgot to type it 🙂

Not ignoring your post, patty but I think HDM answered it!

[theBCnut]

No worries!!

[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.

[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 [email protected], with any questions at all. Thanks so much! 🙂

[Miriam B]

Hi, I have a 13 year old Labrador with arthritis/arthrosis. I give her 1 Flexadin Advanced every day. I also put her on Hills mobility. 10 days ago she had hydraulic acid and special painkiller injected deep into her elbow. She is limping badly what else can I do? I live in Spain can you please give me names of grain free food and other things I can give her. My heart is breaking I adopted only 4 years ag0.

[InkedMarie]

You would have to tell us what foods are available there. Most of us have no idea whats in another country. I would follow up with your vet; maybe another drug(s) are in order.

[Carrie V]

Look into a product called Sulfurzyme. It’s MSM and wolfberry. You need the wolfberry. 🙂 (I’ve tried ‘pure’, ‘quality’ health food store MSM for my own aches and pains. No results. Same for the dogs and horses. You need the wolfberry. This stuff is like WD40 for joints! Plus sooooooooooo many other benefits.)

Our 9 year old Mastiff takes Sulfurzyme every day to manage arthritis (and previously to manage pain/help heal a partially torn ligament). On it, she’s a spring chicken…not one sign of her age. (Our vet can’t believe it.) Off it, she has trouble getting up from her bed and moves stiffly. (She reacts badly to the most common prescription pain meds…I’m not sure what we’d do if the Sulfurzyme didn’t work!)

Best of luck!

[Susan]

Hi Miriam,
the Hills Mobility wet & dry dog food or any other dog foods for Arthritis are very high in Omega 3 oils, omega 3 is an anti inflammatory very good for Arthritis, this would have given your girl the bad acid reflux this happens with my 9 yrs old boy also, look for a food that agrees with her, can you cook some of her meals?? a cooked balance diet is heaps better then feeding a dry kibble & it probably won’t cause any stomach problems, just make sure the fat isn’t too high as high fat diet can also cause acid reflux…then start adding supplements to her diet that will help with with her Arthritis but I have found most of the supplements or meds for Arthritis can cause bad acid reflux & stomach problems with myself & my dog, so I avoid them now..
I buy my boy “K-9 Natural” Freeze Dried Green Lipped Mussles & & give him 1-2 mussles a day they agree with him & green lipped mussels are really good for arthritis also have you tried Glucosamine & Chondroitin tablets? you can give your girl the Glucosamine/Chondroitin tablets that’s for humans….
Many veterinarians recommend approximately 500 mg of Glucosamine and 400 mg of Chondroitin per 25 pounds-11kgs. For oral Glucosamine for dogs, here’s the daily dosage that one veterinarian recommends: Dogs 5-20 pounds = 2-9kgs give 250-500 mg per day.

I bought a Wheat heat pack for my dog, you put the wheat pack in the Microwave for 1-2 mins & then I wrap the Wheat pack in a tea towel if its too hot & I put on my boy lower back where his Arthritis pain is, you could use a hot water bottle but they can be dangerous with dogs,…
I also walk my dog for 15min walk every morning & afternoon at first my joints are really stiff & sore but once you start walking your joints become better, start taking your dog on a little walk in morning & afternoon, not real big long walks, just small 15min walk to begin with then after 2 weeks see does she want to walk for 20mins… make sure she is not over weight as this makes Arthritis worse…also when its cold keep her joints warm & put on a jumper or dog jacket…

Ask your vet about “Zydax” injection (unlike other drugs) it treats the disease process that causes arthritis – not just the symptoms. It works on the cartilage and joint fluids inside the joints, reducing friction and pain. A course of 4 weekly injections will often provide 6 – 12 months of relief from arthritis – reducing or eliminating the need for other drugs. The injections are given under the skin (just like a vaccination). They aren’t expensive ($23 – $42 per injection*) and you pay a consultation fee only on the first visit. Zydax works in 80% of cases
A good supplement in Australia is “Glyde” powder & Chews – containing chondroitin, glucosamine and green-lipped mussel powder.

I feed my boy “Wellness Core” Large Breed dry food, it’s high in protein-35%, low fat-13% low carbs-31% & this kibble doesnt cause any acid reflux with my boy like other dry or wet foods cause…..I dont know if you can get the Wellness Core large breed in Spain or online, maybe Wellness is sold on Amazon.
Another good dry food is “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior….

[natasha M]

thanks

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