I bought a bottle of ​

Nutri-Vet Hip & Joint Level 1 Early Care for Dogs

 for my puppy who is 21 weeks old. I don't have really any concerns of her hips. But it's a very delicate situation with puppies. And I want to do anything that I could just to help the development of her hips. She is a sport dog and when ready I want to breed her. So what do you guys thing of this product for helping the development of my pups hips? Do you have anything you suggest? Vitamins? Anything! I also give her 100 mg vitamin c everyday. Any info would be great!!!!
thanks

We put all of the pups that we keep or purchase on Glycoflex stage one for 1 year. So far have had good luck. 

What are you feeding? Overcooked table scraps?
Puppies fed with puppy formula already receive an overabundance of vitamins and minerals. Too many minerals end up as (calcium) deposits on their joints and decrease mobility on the long term. Commercial kibble usually contains vitamins. If you add some on top it will either be peed out or if the amounts are huge, will ruin kidney and liver...
If you feed a high end kibble you don't have to add anything except maybe an occasional marrow bone (also helps with teething).
If you feed a high quality raw food with some veggies/fruit you don't have to add anything at all unless the bone content is too high for your puppy, which will show as constipation. If that is the case, add Omega 3 oil or Salmon Oil (dose according to label) to your puppy's diet.

Why is it a very delicate situation for puppies? I agree with Tingiesand Tails. If the food your feeding is good and its not raw, then you are giving puppy what they need. I feed raw most of the time and I will add a supplement to the food. Other than an enviromental accident (and this is jmo) the hips are what they are. I personally do not believe that with vitamins much will change from what you already have.

Barb


 

I have never supplemented puppies;  always raised on a quality
complete kibble, as T&T says they are getting plenty of everything,
it is all too easy to throw it out of balance by adding extra bits.
Different if you feed raw and make up the balanced diet for yourself.
The only 'extra' I'd choose is green tripe, to help the biscuits along.

Once dogs are fully grown they start to get additions like Cod Liver
Oil, maybe seaweed, Cosequin  (MSM/glucosamine), salmon oil  -  
depends on what they look like they still need, versus careful reading
of the kibble's ingredients and any 'medical' conditions they have developed.  
Current old boy is on the fabulous Coconut Oil because he had some drying
out of skin & coat, and folks on PDB were getting good results - as am I
beginning to. 

PLEASE avoid anything with extra Calcium in it like the Plague - too
much evidence that it starts arthritic change early ...

There has been research that implies Adequan can help both joint function and development.  I use Adequan as needed for puppies and tweens with Pano and it helps with the pain and limping.  The raw food diet gives me better and healthier pups so I feed raw meat and bones.  Vitamin D if the dogs do not get adequate sunlight exposure and Vitamin C and B complex have also shown some positive effects.  Inflammation of the joints due to immune malfunction and/or injury and lack of exercise to develop strong muscles are also possible causes of poor bone density and joint development.  Exercise ( running not walking ) builds strong muscles, bones, and connective tissues that position and hold the joints in proper alignment during development.  Dogs produce many growth factors as part of a healthy body and endocrine system,  Vaccines and dietary supplements found in dog food kibble do nothing to help the endocrine system function better.  Good species appropriate food, exercise and lots of it, and do about half of what the vets recommend as far as heart worms, vaccines, and other money making veterinarian cash cow practices will help your puppy grow strong.  I spend more money on human grade raw food and lots less on vet care. 

Ditto all of the above and I cannot stress the difference in my dogs, young and old from feeding raw and the only thing I add is Salmon Oil + 400 mg Vit E.  That is  it.   I now have a 14.3 year old sammy girl.  Going strong.  She does get a small amount of herbal (Vetionix) arthritis supplement.  Seems to help her with stiffness.  She walks about l/2 to 1 mile per day with her daddy, as she is a daddy's girl.  Nan

I feed her raw actually. Table scraps?? No. lol I feed her chicken necks. I incorporate puréed veggies occasionally. I think of it as a delicat situation because I my research as stated that a lot can happen to a puppies hips while their developing. My puppy is thin/lean and active, I don't have any worries of her hips. I just am careful. Her sire is ofa excellent, grandsire is also excellent. The rest are a2, fair, b. so I have nothing to worry genetically. Thanks for all your information, though some of it had nothing to do with the product I asked about . Thank you very much!!

1020ma
You do feed a wider variety than just chicken necks and occasional veg?

Word of caution - some general puppy supplements are designed
to be non breed specific;  some other breeds seem to have proved
to have less problems with getting extra calcium than others.  So
if there is extra calcium in the product to which you refer, it might
be fine for someone else's young Outer Mongolian Plott Terriers -
but still not advisable for GSDs, which is what I believe you have ?