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 It is sad for dog owners to see their pets slowing down, wincing with pain or getting less out of life. Ensuring your dog can walk, run and play easily and comfortably is a fundamental way of keeping your dog happy and healthy.
Joint pain and arthritis can be a common cause of symptoms like difficulty walking and running, a reluctance to play, or stiffness when your pet stands up after a sleep. There is good evidence to show that glucosamine for dogs can help to bring a new lease of life to senior dogs and dogs with mobility problems or injuries.
Glucosamine is an amino sugar that is found in healthy cartilage. It occurs naturally in the body where it plays a crucial role in the smooth working of the joints and helps maintain connective tissues. It is found in the cartilage and synovial fluid of joints which provide both cushioning and lubrication where bones come together.
Arthritis, or osteoarthritis, occurs when the cartilage wears away and the bones rub together without sufficient protection leading to inflammation, pain, swelling and stiffness.
Arthritis in dogs - also known as osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease (DJD) - is probably the most common reason why older dogs need to see a vet. It can affect as many as one in five of all dogs. Arthritis is a broad term that covers inflammation in any joints where two or more bones meet.
The ends of these bones are covered in a substance known as cartilage which, together with the synovial fluid secreted by the tissues lining the joint, provides cushioning to protect bones against knocks and allow flexible, comfortable movement.
When arthritis in dogs sets in, the cartilage wears away and inflammation can flare up as the bones rub together without protection leading to joints becoming swollen and painful.
Factors like diet, exercise, the breed-type, and genetics can affect the likelihood of a dog developing arthritis. Dalmatians, German Shepherds, Border Collies and Labrador Retrievers are breeds predisposed to suffer from arthritis. Large dogs and high activity dogs, particularly those who jump, are at a greater risk but any dog can suffer from arthritis.
Everyday wear and tear on a dog’s joints can be made worse if dogs carry too much weight. There is some evidence that obesity can even start arthritis in dogs.
Arthritis in dogs can also follow some trauma or disease such as cranial cruciate ligament rupture, osteochondrosis, or hip dysplasia meaning that some younger dogs can suffer from arthritis.
Young and healthy dogs are usually able to produce enough glucosamine to keep their cartilage healthy, but, as the dog grows older or if the cartilage becomes damaged by accident or illness, they often cannot produce enough of the substance to ensure pain-free, mobile joints. This is where glucosamine for dogs can help.
Studies have shown that when glucosamine for dogs is swallowed and absorbed it has anti-inflammatory properties which can also help osteoarthritic conditions like hip dysplasia.
As an anti-inflammatory it can relieve the pain that animals feel in their joints, tendons and other ligaments. Glucosamine for dogs works by bringing back the lubrication and nourishment needed for the joints to work properly.
Signs to watch out for that might indicate your dog would benefit from taking a glucosamine supplement are:
- Difficulty getting up again after lying down - particularly in the mornings
- Difficulty walking, playing, or going upstairs - or reluctance to walk and play
- General lethargy
- Getting behind and slowing down on walks
- Limping
- Signs of pain, or an aversion to being touched
- Struggling to get in or out of a car
Dogs cannot tell us when they start to feel some pain or discomfort, so by the time things are bad enough to prompt the signs above it is time to look at ways of easing their difficulty.
Taking a glucosamine supplement may also work as a preventative measure to help your dog’s joints stay in good condition, flexible and comfortable before problems start through old age or injury.
As a natural dietary supplement, glucosamine for dogs soothes your pet's joints and eases pain. A good-quality glucosamine for dogs supplement added to a well-balanced diet and exercise regime may bring about signs of improvement in as little as one or two weeks. In more severe cases, your dog may need to take glucosamine for around 30 days for the benefits to be seen. Your pet will be more active and interested in life and able to move more easily.
A great advantage of giving glucosamine is that it is 100% natural and there is no risk of side-effects you may well find with powerful drugs and medication.
Glucosamine has been widely used in both people and animals with joint problems for more than 20 years.
Many products on the market use glucosamine alongside chondroitin - another key substance found naturally in joint cartilage - for the best results.
Giving your dog glucosamine and chondroitin is thought to slow down any degeneration caused by ageing or injury and it can help to maintain a healthy cartilage for longer. Even owners of younger dogs find it a beneficial supplement to feed without any risks from an early age.
Cortaflex® is one supplement that includes both glucosamine and chondroitin and is specially-formulated to ensure that it is easily absorbed for maximum benefit. Canine & Feline Cortaflex® Liquid is a unique formulation of the smaller key active isolates found in Chondroitin and glucosamine for dogs (Glutamine, Proline, Glycine, Glucuronic Acid, Glutamic Acid). Many joint supplements that rely on the much larger Chondroitin and Glucosamine molecules, but Canine & Feline Cortaflex® Liquid works on the concept that smaller molecules will be absorbed more easily and effectively than larger molecules.
Testimonials from Cortaflex® users speak of how quickly their dogs were able to enjoy walks, and jump around and play again without fear of pain.
Feedmark Agility is a supplement that is especially beneficial to older animals, highly active or working dogs.
Feedmark Agility contains Glucosamine but blended with, and complemented by, herbs selected for their soothing effects on the musculoskeletal system: Devils Claw root, Yucca, Meadowsweet, Celery Seed and Chamomile Flower.
Another powerful option is Pernamax™ Canine tablets - a revolutionary canine health supplement including optimum levels of Glucosamine, MSM, Vitamin D and Calcium to maintain healthy joint mobility.
The patented active ingredient in Pernamax™ Canine is called SuPerna™ the powdered extract of the New Zealand Green Lipped mussel. This natural product contains pure 'fatty acids' and naturally-occurring Chondroitin Sulphate to maintain flexible pain-free joints.
NAF Canine Superflex Liquid is specially recommended for working and sporting dogs, older dogs prone to stiffness and for dogs with genetic skeletal variations.
Formulated to taste great, NAF Canine Superflex Liquid contains Methyl-sulphonyl-methane, Glucosamine HCl, l-Glutamine, meat flavour, Chondroitin sulphate, and vitamin & mineral premix.
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