By now you should know that even our furry friends need Glucosamine. And, much like humans, they may need it even before they are showing signs of Osteoarthritis. The question then becomes, what is the best Glucosamine for them?
Of course, after “The Arthritis Cure” was published back in 1997, it seems the entire world was finally taking notice of the benefits of using Glucosamine. And, it was a natural progression for companies to begin offering “Glucosamine” in food products for pets. And, those products soon flooded the marketplace. Your local veterinarian began carrying food products containing Glucosamine and so did many other places. You couldn’t miss these products. They were everywhere.
So, is this the best method for getting Glucosamine into your dog or cat? You just buy some brand-name pet food that has Glucosamine in it? Or, is this giving your dog or cat the short end of things? This is the real story on these products and it is the straight facts.
First of all, Glucosamine standing alone in a food product is not going to deliver the amount of Glucosamine that a family pet needs. As well, if you understand how the premier liquid Glucosamine products work, there is a very critical ingredient missing. That would be Chondroitin Sulfate. The clinical trials have found over and over again that Glucosamine performs better when it is combined with Chondroitin Sulfate. And, there are other big problems here.
Just like their human owners, dogs (and cats) produce Glucosamine in their bodies. However, as they age they produce much less. Again, just like a human does. So, there lies the need to supplement with Glucosamine.
Not all vets are on board with Glucosamine. However, more and more they are getting there and recommending Glucosamine for your pet in the presence of stiffness or soreness in the joint areas. (Something your pet demonstrates when they walk) But, on the same side of this is the fact that the vet has a product they want to sell you. (Of course they have something to sell you and it is usually expensive)
It might be an injection; or it could be a product like Cosequin. Or, it may be a food product with Glucosamine in it. But, as to the last group this is what some vets have determined.
In dogs that weigh between 45 and 60 pounds, some vets have determined that your dog will need about 1,000 mg. of Glucosamine daily. Of course, the other interesting thing they observed was that the dog would have to eat 20-25 servings of food to get their required Glucosamine. That is not even feasible. You would have a bloated, sick dog who was not getting the Glucosamine that they need.
The following is a list of the types of Glucosamine that are available.
The first problem with synthetically-produced Glucosamine is that your dog’s body may not recognize this “unnatural product.” Also, they likely will not absorb them as they should.
Dogs have what are called “receptors for gathering biologics. These turn cellular functions to (on and off).” And, if they are receiving synthetic Glucosamine those receptors can become clogged with these synthetic products.
Of course, when your dog is first using these synthetic products they might show a little improvement for a time. This happens because the receptor sites are empty and they want to receive these nutrients. However, when those sites become clogged up, the receptors begin to malfunction. That’s when “Fido” begins to limp again.
For any veterinarian to claim that a 45-60 lb. dog needs 1,000 mg. of Glucosamine a day defies logic. Think about it. Let’s say your dog weight 50 lbs. That would mean a 150 lb. dog would require, 3,000 mg. of Glucosamine a day. That’s absurd. Let’s take a look at this example.
This writer notes that a liquid Glucosamine came to the international market in 2001 that blows that theory out of the water. At that time, Synflex® liquid Glucosamine was only offering a 1,250 mg. product. And, for pet owners the company set out a chart of usage based on your dog’s body weight. It all makes sense when you consider the absorption and bioavailability issues.
No matter what your dog’s size, 1,250 mg. is more than adequate to provide the daily Glucosamine your pet needs. And, why is that?
It is back to the absorption and bioavailability discussion. What the company found was that Glucosamine pills and capsules were only providing about 17% of the stated Glucosamine found in the products. Conversely, Synflex® liquid Glucosamine is delivering about 83% of the stated amount of pharmaceutical-quality liquid Glucosamine in the product.
What is true for humans, is also true for human beings. That said, you can find numerous examples of their findings in the testimonials provided by pet owners:
As a pet owner, don’t be sold on the idea that a pet food (or snack) containing Glucosamine alone will fill the bill for your arthritic pet. It is expensive and frankly, it does a disservice to consumers to sell such products. (In this writer’s opinion)
If you are going to be serious about dealing with your pet’s arthritis, be just as serious about the product you use. Synflex® now offers both the Synflex® Original formula (1,250 mg.) and a Synflex® for Pets beef flavored product. (1,500 mg.) This way, you can use the product you feel is best-suited for your pet’s issues.
Joint care for your pet is serious business. Treat it that way and give your family pet a product that you yourself would use. Anything less is just short-changing their needs and it can become an expensive mistake as well.