glucosamine, chondroitin etc.??? - Page 1

The puppy food we fed our male GSD pup was a high quality large breed puppy food which also contained glucosamine and chondroitin. Are those ingredients really necessary/beneficial for a puppy? The adult food he's on (he's 3 years old) does not have either ingredient and we're wondering if supplementing with glucosamine or glucosamine + chondroitin is something we should have been doing all along. What do those of you with lots of GSD experience recommend? What dose of which supplements are normally used and are there any other frequently used supplements that are beneficial for a GSD? I've seen ester-C also mentioned on this site. Thanks so much for any advice/information. Gwen

Yes, they are beneficial as they help to lubricate developing joints. What is the true success rate compared to a food that does not contain these additives? I certainly cannot say. It is perfectly okay to supplement an older puppy or older dog with a chondroitin-glucosamine supplement. I only have one that I do, as she is old and a bit arthritic. The only concern that I ever heard voiced about these aditives in puppy and/or dog food is that they may "help" a set of borderline hips pass examination later in life as the joints might not develop arthritic nodes as they normally would due to less joint contact. Can I substanciate this? No, I can not, other than to say it is an interesting theory. Regards, Bob-O

I agree with Bob-O in that to some degree it may relieve some discomfort as a lubricant to the joints. The same has been said of the Omega 3 fish oils, one being Salmon oil, among others. I think in some cases, at least in some of the people I've come across, it is mistakingly thought the use of glucosamine/chondroitin can "prevent" hip dysplasia. Therein lies the problem. As Bob-O said and is correct, there is no scientific evidence to offer support. Please don't get me wrong. I don't have a Ph.D. (lol)in this area but I have a good friend and sport dog owner/handler, German Shepherd Dog being her breed, who was a fine Orthopedic Surgeon as is her husband. We have had numerous discussions regarding hip and elbow dysplasia. She is not an advocate as far as prevention in any way shape or form. Sorry if I got a little off track, and I would certainly understand if people disagree. At the same time if the use of any "safe" product helps relieve discomfort and improves the quality of life for our dogs, then why not?

Thanks very much Bob-O and sonnental for your posts... much appreciated. Any other thoughts or recommendations?

I have all my dogs on Nupro w/joint support, even the younger dogs and they all seem to have more bounce to their step. My own vet has said that there is no scientific studies that will prove or disprove the use of these supplements but he is an advocate of using them. With Nupro they're getting the Omega's and Ester-C on top of the glucosamine and chondroitin and I've been pleased with the results and the shiny coats.