joint supplments

[ips]

I have never considered supplements.
I feed Arden grange plus chicken and carrot for treats. Am I missing a trick ??

[Judy]

Saul, I had an old arthritic Flatcoat who had to give up working earlier than perhaps, she should. I tried one of the supplements, nothing, tried Joint Aid for Dogs, inside six weeks she was rejuvenated, any time I ran out she quickly became stiff and sore again. The old girl I have here now is never stiff after her days out working. I'm not prepared to stop giving her Joint Aid for a few weeks just to prove a point so I'm making a basic assumption that the supplement is doing for her what it did for the Flatcoat.

Ips, not sure you need to give supplements until middle age but lots of people do, including some vets. I started the Cocker when she was about 8 or 9 before she became obviously stiff after a lot of exercise.

[farleigh]

My mother (79) takes Cortaflex capsules and swears that if she runs out, that she starts to suffer within a week of not taking them. And no she does not get a kickback from the company for saying so.

I agree that much of the recommendation I have seen for joint supplements is anecdotal but the weight of credible anecdotes is huge.

Farleigh

[Saul]

Ok, so in the absence of evidence (or any yet pointed to) personal hearsay appears to be sufficient for some people.

My grandad used to wrap his arthritic knee in a mustard and brown paper poultice and swear by it. There are crystal healers and clients who swear by the coloured stones and pay them for it, and Mesmer and his rods had a staunch and paying clientele. Some people swear by copper bracelets for arthritis, the power of prayer, homeopathy, alien possession and many other things, and if you're happy that proves there must be something in it you will surely be satisfied.

Even if you don't have evidence, is it even plausible that a dried manufactured product said to contain a glycosaminoglycan, which must be digested into tiny chemical fragments to be absorbed by the gut, and then be reassembled into the animals own glycosaminoglycans should by virtue of its manufacture be superior to natural sources of bone cartilage, connective tissue etc. ?

Anyway, sorry if I rattled any cages, I've got some patients waiting for blood letting, and a bit of cupping and a full afternoon of leaches to get through, and they all swear they're feeling loads better

[Judy]

All I know is my dog, who had been in some considerable discomfort, spent the last three years of her life at ease, it was sufficient evidence for me. When yours end up uncomfortable you have two options, either euthanasia or paying the vet for chemical anti inflammatories which may well shorten the dog's life. Well, three options, you could try one of the quack remedies which appear to work for quite a few dogs... Just bear in mind placebo effect doesn't work with dogs.

[munstyman]

I was pretty sceptical when these products made an appearance, but friends were given samples as part of a marketing strategy, tried them and saw improvements in their older dogs. I was given some free samples, which were put in the cupboard and forgotten about.
At around 11 my last bitch started to show signs of `old age' after a days work and on finding these sachets decided to use them up. I have to say over the week the dog improved and looked younger in all her movement. It was sufficient for me to buy a months supply and over that period of use the dog went back two years. Like you Saul I wasn't convinced how the product survived the digestive process and was directly effective at the joints, I still don't But I was convinced that the two were linked.
So much so, The work I do puts a lot of wear and tear on my knees, and sometimes I do more than I should....and then regret it. It seems the cartilage just can not regenerate fast enough, so A few years back , whilst starting to get the warning pain, with still a good part of the season to go, I bought some human joint supplements and started taking them. I have to say this sceptic was turned, knees seem to stabilise and I made it through the season. I'm tight so, once my work finished I let nature catch up and stopped using the supplements, and that's how I use them now, when I feel I need them as a `supplement' for when life pushes us past the natural bodies ability to cope.

[Stacia]

Joke not Saul, my vet is using Leache treatment . And she isn't one of your touchy feely vets.

[madrags]

Maggots and leeches are widely used for wound treatment in human medicine.

[Stacia]

Joke not Saul, my vet is using Leache treatment . And she isn't one of your touchy feely vets.

Self edit to correct spelling of Leeches!

[ips]

Maggots and leeches are widely used for wound treatment in human medicine.

Not on me they wont be, I absolutely detest maggots, slugs anything like that..urgh.