Longevity or Nupro

[Cheerful1]

Joey's almost 6. I'd like to give him one of these supplements, but don't know which one is better.

If it helps, he scratches a lot (don't know if that means his skin is dry), and he sheds a lot.

[Rott-n-GSDs]

I just Googled Nupro to look up the ingredients and they aren't half bad, however the site I'm looking at doesn't state that it contains any joint supplements (glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM) which, in my opinion, is VERY important with large breed dogs.

All three of my dogs are on Longevity by Springtime, Inc. I have been very happy with the results. For my Rottweiler, it has helped with his gas issue and with his elbow dysplasia. With my female GSD, it was an important element in her recovery from an ACL tear. My male GSD is on it as preventative measure.

Whichever you choose, I would also add in fish/salmon oil for the coat.

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by Rott-n-GSDs

I just Googled Nupro to look up the ingredients and they aren't half bad, however the site I'm looking at doesn't state that it contains any joint supplements (glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM) which, in my opinion, is VERY important with large breed dogs..

Nupro Silver is the one with the joint supplements. I think Springtime Longevity and Nupro Silver are both great products and they're quite similar. I use Nupro Silver, other people that I respect and trust use Springtime. I don't think you can go wrong with either.

[PaddyD]

NUPRO (Original Formula Joint Support) has Glucosamine Complex (whatever that means) and MSM and Vitamin C as Ester-C. I don't see any expiration date on the container.... hmmmm

[Cheerful1]

I see that you can mix it with water to make a gravy to put on the food.

I was reading that if you mix water with the Royal Canin food we're feeding Joey, it increases the chances of bloat.

I'm so confused!!!!!

Can't you tell I'm a first-time dog owner?

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by Cheerful1

I see that you can mix it with water to make a gravy to put on the food.
?

You can, you certainly don't have to. Mine like it even without water. When I do add water, it's only 1 or 2 Tbsp.

Also, some people say adding water to the food and letting it sit before the dogs eat helps to *prevent* bloat.

[PaddyD]

Originally Posted by Emoore

You can, you certainly don't have to. Mine like it even without water. When I do add water, it's only 1 or 2 Tbsp.

Also, some people say adding water to the food and letting it sit before the dogs eat helps to *prevent* bloat.

I mix it with cottage cheese.

[ChancetheGSD]

Emoore, the concern the OP was worried about (posted on another topic) is citric acid is used to preserve Royal Canin.

Personally, I don't buy into it. I'd add a little water with the supplement and food and then serve. I've ALWAYS added water to my dogs food and never had a problem, even in large breed/deep chested/bloat prone breeds.

If you are really THAT worried about it (which I personally wouldn't be since bloat has never been proven to be caused by any specific factor), then mix it with a little yogurt and feed it that way. Then you get some probiotics (to help keep a healthy gut) and the Nupro or Longevity supplements.

I've never used either supplements (though I do feed a variety of vitamins and joint supplements) but personally I'm a big fan of Springtime who makes the Longevity. They've got the best customer service I've ever seen in a company and their products I have tried, have never let me down. But I've heard wonderful things about Nupro as well. I'd go with what someone else above said, "you can't go wrong with either". Figure out which would be easier for you and possibly even cheaper and go with that. Because of his age, maybe let whatever one has more joint supplements in it play a role in your choice.

I also agree with adding fish oil and 400IU vitamin E to his diet. Fish oil has so many wonderful benefits to it, for us and our dogs! Kibble diets tend to be deficient in omega 3 oils giving an improper ratio of O3s to O6s. Fish oil is packed full of O3 oils! It's great for the skin and coat but also it reduces inflammation, promotes a healthy brain, WONDERFUL supplement for your heart health! And it can even reduce the risk of some cancers! The vitamin E is used because fish oil needs E to prevent it from going rancid in the body and loose the benefits. This means fish oil uses the E the body has to go through the body and in some cases can lead to a vitamin E deficiency so it's recommended to supplement with it on the side. But regardless, vitamin E makes for a great supplement in it's self. It is great for the skin and coat and being an antioxidant, it helps fight off free radicals in the body which can help prevent against problems such as cancer.

My dogs get fish oil, vitamin E, vitamin C, cranberry pill, vitamin B-Complex garlic and glucosamine/chondroitin each day and do well on it.

[Rott-n-GSDs]

Originally Posted by Cheerful1

I see that you can mix it with water to make a gravy to put on the food.

I was reading that if you mix water with the Royal Canin food we're feeding Joey, it increases the chances of bloat.

I'm so confused!!!!!

Can't you tell I'm a first-time dog owner?

My dogs are rawfed so I don't mix with anything. I just dump it on top of their meat and they eat it up. Any Longevity that falls off the meat is promptly licked up after they're done eating. They love it (though I have heard of dogs that don't like the taste).