Should I cycle supplements?

[justdhutch]

Hi, first post here. I have 3 year old GSD named Axle. Around a year old I noticed he had a limp in his front left leg. I put him on a GNC hip and joint supp and it went away a few weeks later. He has been on it for a year or more now. I am wondering if I should cycle him on and off of it every few months, or just keep him on it?

Here he is...

[doggiedad]

if my dog had a limp i would take him to
the Vet. i wouldn't prescribe any sort of medicine.
i also wouldn't buy anything from GNC.

[Jax08]

Keep him on it. If you take an animal off a supplement when you restart, you'll have to do the loading dose again. My guess, if you didn't take him to a vet for the limp, is it was an injury that took a few weeks to heal.

[justdhutch]

Originally Posted by doggiedad

if my dog had a limp i would take him to
the Vet. i wouldn't prescribe any sort of medicine.
i also wouldn't buy anything from GNC.

I did take him to the vet, they said to try the supp. The GNC is made for dogs and is sold at petsmart. Instead of being negative and not helpful, how about a suggestion that would be better then the GNC supp?

[BowWowMeow]

I like the supplements from Springtime Inc.

Other people like Cosequin

Other people like Nupro (the one for joints)

[justdhutch]

Originally Posted by Jax08

Keep him on it. If you take an animal off a supplement when you restart, you'll have to do the loading dose again. My guess, if you didn't take him to a vet for the limp, is it was an injury that took a few weeks to heal.

I'm pretty sure it wasn't from an injury. It went on for weeks. He usually would only limp after high activity and then laying for a bit and then getting up to walk.

[Emoore]

I looked at the GNC hip and joint for dogs, it doesn't look bad but there are better ones out there. Some like Cosequin or Nupro Silver or Springtime or Annamet Endure. I use Endure with my dogs.

I would NOT cycle joint supplements. Joint supplements are not pain relievers or drugs. All the joint supplement does is provide the body with more of what it needs to keep the joint healthy, kind of like a multivitamin. If you cycle him off of it, you're just taking away the nutrients his body needs to keep the joints comfortable. You don't have to worry about an effect where his body gets used to it and it no longer works, like you would with a drug.

[Jax08]

Originally Posted by justdhutch

I'm pretty sure it wasn't from an injury. It went on for weeks. He usually would only limp after high activity and then laying for a bit and then getting up to walk.

Did the vet do hip xrays? That is the ONLY way to diagnose HD or ED. It could have been a ligament injury. That would present with the same symptoms.

I've used the springtime inc supplements and liked them but I see better results for my dog with Dasuquin with MSM. Others use people supplements because it's less expensive but for the dosage in the Dasuquin I don't see the price savings if I buy it from Amazon.

Amazon

Amazon

[Holmeshx2]

I like Nupro Silver however some of the others recommended I have heard good things about. Like others said I would not cycle him on and off it serves no purpose and actually makes you start over each time.

As far as the vet goes I'd be a bit leary of a vet that never gave a diagnoses but told you to do a supplement not that I have anything against supplements especially joint ones but it could be a number of things. My guess would be either a minor injury (sprain, pulled muscle etc...) or if it has reoccurred a few times and it started at a year there is the possibility of Pano also however if it's happening at 3 it probably isn't.

[Jax08]

I'd like to share something my farrier shared with me yesterday regarding supplements. He said that different supplements will work for different animals depending on what they are missing in their bodies. Makes sense, huh? I have been giving the same hoof supplement for years without seeing any results but just kept doing it based on what a previous farrier told me too.

So, try a different supplement and see if you get any better results. I would also urge you to get xrays done to verify that he even needs these supplements! They aren't going to hurt but seems silly to spend the money on them when all he really needs is a smaller maintenance dose if anything. Doing the xrays might save you a ton of money in the long run.