Joint supplements

spiritsmom · 10-01-2009, 11:22 PM

Kaiser is coming up on 10 yrs old in December. He's not acting stiff or anything and still runs fine, but I want to get him on a joint supplement now before any of that really starts in. Any good brand to look for?

We just moved this summer and I now live close to a holistic vet. I think I will try to get him an appointment because he's still got skin/coat problems. I had to shave him down the last two summers to prevent his hot spots that he's always gotten. It worked but he still has greasy fur and skin and stinks horribly - even a day after a bath.

His weight has been gradually going down over the last 2 years - nothing dramatic like a huge drop at once and his usual vet has found nothing wrong with his bloodwork which was done last year and earlier this year. He used to weigh 115-120# 3 years ago and yesterday at the vet he weighed 97#. And yes he does look and feel thin, but his appetite is normal and his activity/demeanor hasn't changed. Just a gradual decline in weight.

I'm changing his food next week from Nutro NC to possibly Orijen (now that I can find it locally). He gets pudding poops on occasion, not frequently. I had his TLI done 2 years ago and he was well within normal so I don't suspect EPI. He has normal stool for the most part and then pudding sometimes.

Otherwise he's doing very well and you wouldn't guess his age from the way he acts.

LisaT · 10-01-2009, 11:36 PM

When was the last time a blood panel, including thyroid, was run?

There are lots of joint products out there. While no symptoms are showing, if there aren't any allergies, then I like the glycoflex products by vetriscience.

mjbgsd · 10-01-2009, 11:39 PM

Cody has SEVERE allergies and gets hot spots around his groin every summer and has arthritis. He is taking Joint Strong and this has helped with his arthritis tremendously(sp?). Hasn't had an allergic reaction and has been taking it for almost 2 years now.

spiritsmom · 10-01-2009, 11:46 PM

He's still on his thyroid pill twice daily (was slightly hypothyroid) so his levels were within normal when it was done in May 09. Lower normal but still normal. That was the bloodwork that was sent out. The regular CBC was done in house and I did not get the actual numbers, just the report that everything came back within normal limits.

TT4 = 19 (up from 7)

TT3 = 1.3 (up from 0.8)

Free T4 = 8

FT3 = 4.9 (up from 2.2)

He has no known allergies. Thought he had a grain intolerance which caused his skin problems but that's not it because he has had the greasy/smelly fur on grain free kibbles as well as ones with grain. So he's a mystery.

LisaT · 10-01-2009, 11:58 PM

The greasy skin and smell is often low thyroid. Your vet is using a different lab than ours, so I don't know the therapeutic levels for the thryoid. Dogs on thyroid pills should test in the upper levels of the range, and I if the pills were close to the test, they should test just above normal range.

What is the dosage of each pill?

spiritsmom · 10-02-2009, 12:05 AM

He's on 1.0 mg soloxine BID. He sure didn't test in the upper levels. He's been on that dosage for over 2 years now. They've not said to change anything.

LisaT · 10-02-2009, 12:15 AM

It looks to be about the right dosage (multiply by 100 should be about the weight), though he should be testing higher. Are you giving the pill with mealtime, or separate from it? How long was the time between when you gave the last pill and the blood test?

spiritsmom · 10-02-2009, 12:22 AM

Maybe that was the problem. He gets his pills with his kibble in the morning around 8-8:30am. I know his blood was drawn in the morning so it may have only been 1-2 hours since taking his pill.

LisaT · 10-02-2009, 12:30 AM

No, with the pill that close, his values should have been *high*.

There are certain nutrients that can interfere with the pill (iron, calcium, etc.). It's recommended to give the pill separated by food by a couple of hours. Personally I find that difficult to do. BUT, I do get up in the morning, give the dogs their thyroid pills, and then feed after I shower and get ready. So there is about an hour in between, and according to Dodds, that should be okay. Try separating the food and the pill and see if that makes a difference?

BowWowMeow · 10-02-2009, 12:31 AM

Gotta put a plug in for Longevity from Springtime Inc. It's really helped some of my dog with major joint problems.

10-01-2009, 11:22 PM	#1 (permalink)
spiritsmom Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Middletown, Ohio Posts: 5,812	Joint supplements Kaiser is coming up on 10 yrs old in December. He's not acting stiff or anything and still runs fine, but I want to get him on a joint supplement now before any of that really starts in. Any good brand to look for? We just moved this summer and I now live close to a holistic vet. I think I will try to get him an appointment because he's still got skin/coat problems. I had to shave him down the last two summers to prevent his hot spots that he's always gotten. It worked but he still has greasy fur and skin and stinks horribly - even a day after a bath. His weight has been gradually going down over the last 2 years - nothing dramatic like a huge drop at once and his usual vet has found nothing wrong with his bloodwork which was done last year and earlier this year. He used to weigh 115-120# 3 years ago and yesterday at the vet he weighed 97#. And yes he does look and feel thin, but his appetite is normal and his activity/demeanor hasn't changed. Just a gradual decline in weight. I'm changing his food next week from Nutro NC to possibly Orijen (now that I can find it locally). He gets pudding poops on occasion, not frequently. I had his TLI done 2 years ago and he was well within normal so I don't suspect EPI. He has normal stool for the most part and then pudding sometimes. Otherwise he's doing very well and you wouldn't guess his age from the way he acts. __________________ Michelle Spirited Shepherds IntCH Blackthorn's Onyx RN BN ~ Nyxie 7/4/10 (LC GSD) Int JuA Spirited Glory of Brick Chapel ~ Glory 5/12/11 (Shiloh Shepherd) Nat BA Spirited's Twilight Sparkle of Lobo ~ Tala 12/20/11 (Australian Shepherd)

10-01-2009, 11:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
LisaT Crowned Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Northern CA Posts: 17,002	Re: Joint supplements When was the last time a blood panel, including thyroid, was run? There are lots of joint products out there. While no symptoms are showing, if there aren't any allergies, then I like the glycoflex products by vetriscience. __________________ K9 Tick Disease Information http://www.rabieschallengefund.org

10-01-2009, 11:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
mjbgsd Crowned Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 5,877	Re: Joint supplements Cody has SEVERE allergies and gets hot spots around his groin every summer and has arthritis. He is taking Joint Strong and this has helped with his arthritis tremendously(sp?). Hasn't had an allergic reaction and has been taking it for almost 2 years now. __________________ Akbar- http://www.dogster.com/dogs/1072443 Isa- http://www.dogster.com/dogs/175256

10-01-2009, 11:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
spiritsmom Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Middletown, Ohio Posts: 5,812	Re: Joint supplements He's still on his thyroid pill twice daily (was slightly hypothyroid) so his levels were within normal when it was done in May 09. Lower normal but still normal. That was the bloodwork that was sent out. The regular CBC was done in house and I did not get the actual numbers, just the report that everything came back within normal limits. TT4 = 19 (up from 7) TT3 = 1.3 (up from 0.8) Free T4 = 8 FT3 = 4.9 (up from 2.2) He has no known allergies. Thought he had a grain intolerance which caused his skin problems but that's not it because he has had the greasy/smelly fur on grain free kibbles as well as ones with grain. So he's a mystery. __________________ Michelle Spirited Shepherds IntCH Blackthorn's Onyx RN BN ~ Nyxie 7/4/10 (LC GSD) Int JuA Spirited Glory of Brick Chapel ~ Glory 5/12/11 (Shiloh Shepherd) Nat BA Spirited's Twilight Sparkle of Lobo ~ Tala 12/20/11 (Australian Shepherd)

10-01-2009, 11:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
LisaT Crowned Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Northern CA Posts: 17,002	Re: Joint supplements The greasy skin and smell is often low thyroid. Your vet is using a different lab than ours, so I don't know the therapeutic levels for the thryoid. Dogs on thyroid pills should test in the upper levels of the range, and I if the pills were close to the test, they should test just above normal range. What is the dosage of each pill? __________________ K9 Tick Disease Information http://www.rabieschallengefund.org

10-02-2009, 12:05 AM	#6 (permalink)
spiritsmom Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Middletown, Ohio Posts: 5,812	Re: Joint supplements He's on 1.0 mg soloxine BID. He sure didn't test in the upper levels. He's been on that dosage for over 2 years now. They've not said to change anything. __________________ Michelle Spirited Shepherds IntCH Blackthorn's Onyx RN BN ~ Nyxie 7/4/10 (LC GSD) Int JuA Spirited Glory of Brick Chapel ~ Glory 5/12/11 (Shiloh Shepherd) Nat BA Spirited's Twilight Sparkle of Lobo ~ Tala 12/20/11 (Australian Shepherd)

10-02-2009, 12:15 AM	#7 (permalink)
LisaT Crowned Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Northern CA Posts: 17,002	Re: Joint supplements It looks to be about the right dosage (multiply by 100 should be about the weight), though he should be testing higher. Are you giving the pill with mealtime, or separate from it? How long was the time between when you gave the last pill and the blood test? __________________ K9 Tick Disease Information http://www.rabieschallengefund.org

10-02-2009, 12:22 AM	#8 (permalink)
spiritsmom Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Middletown, Ohio Posts: 5,812	Re: Joint supplements Maybe that was the problem. He gets his pills with his kibble in the morning around 8-8:30am. I know his blood was drawn in the morning so it may have only been 1-2 hours since taking his pill. __________________ Michelle Spirited Shepherds IntCH Blackthorn's Onyx RN BN ~ Nyxie 7/4/10 (LC GSD) Int JuA Spirited Glory of Brick Chapel ~ Glory 5/12/11 (Shiloh Shepherd) Nat BA Spirited's Twilight Sparkle of Lobo ~ Tala 12/20/11 (Australian Shepherd)

10-02-2009, 12:30 AM	#9 (permalink)
LisaT Crowned Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Northern CA Posts: 17,002	Re: Joint supplements No, with the pill that close, his values should have been high. There are certain nutrients that can interfere with the pill (iron, calcium, etc.). It's recommended to give the pill separated by food by a couple of hours. Personally I find that difficult to do. BUT, I do get up in the morning, give the dogs their thyroid pills, and then feed after I shower and get ready. So there is about an hour in between, and according to Dodds, that should be okay. Try separating the food and the pill and see if that makes a difference? __________________ K9 Tick Disease Information http://www.rabieschallengefund.org

10-02-2009, 12:31 AM	#10 (permalink)
BowWowMeow Crowned Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 14,798	Re: Joint supplements Gotta put a plug in for Longevity from Springtime Inc. It's really helped some of my dog with major joint problems. __________________ Ruth & the 4 Legged Rescue Gang Rafi the malaroo http://www.dogster.com/dogs/693238 Gio & Varda, the krazy kittens ....In my heart: Cleo Kitty Chama Kai Basu Massie

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