Greyt Goodies: Supplements

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Jolly Joints

Good parents want the best and longest life for their children. Greyhound parents are no exception. Just about every greyhound has joint issues - Osteoarthritis, also called Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD), is the most common. Broken hocks and toes, spinal injuries, disk compressions and calcifications, ruptured cruciate ligaments, spondylitis and other joint and neurological issues are appearing as more greyhounds find their way to loving homes and longer lives.

My most favorite topic of discourse on greyhound health is arthritis. The majority have it. You might not notice it as it may not have progressed to a point where pain is evident, and they might be stoic and not telling you - but they are feeling it. The wear and tear from training, racing, and living in crates wreaks havoc on the joints and cartilage. It's visible in the hundreds of greyhounds that have passed through the Gang's home. It's visible in all those dogs walking Dewey Beach each year. Greyhounds, in particular, need help to ease the pain in those joints.

Analogy
Here's an analogy for a very basic joint/cartilage summary. You're sitting on the wood floor. It's hard and inflexible. You put a pillow under you, and it's softer and more comfortable. The longer you use that pillow, the less plump it becomes as it suffers the trauma of you using it (some more vigorously than others), and the dog pulling pieces out of it (some more vigorously than others), and the more you start to feel the hard floor, and it hurts.

As we and our pets age, we just don't have that "plumpness" of youth. Bones creak from wear and tear, from lack of fluids to cusion them, and from inflammation. Your joints and bones need the cushion provided by the articular cartilage.

Cartilage is made up for water, collagen and some complex proteins. Age and wear and tear degrade this cartilage just like a pillow loses its cushiony plumpness. The joint capsule, which produces (synovial) fluids, encloses the joints and its cavities nourishing the cartilage. When damage occurs, repeatedly, enzymes erode cartilage, synovial fluid loses its lubricating quality and the cycle just escalates.

As you read this list of natural supplements, which can help retard and correct this arthritic degradation, please understand that this is information based on research and knowledge gleaned from hundreds of greyhounds passing through the Gang on their way to their forever homes. Consulting a qualified traditional vet and holistic vet is always a good idea. I consult with a few vets at all times, because not all vets have the same knowledge base; and I use the internet. The more information I have and the more educated I am on the subject, the best help I can give my dog. A traditional vet will prescribe traditional medicines like buffered aspirin, rimadyl, prednisone for arthritis. These medicines will provide pain relief, but they will only mask the problem, not correct it. From my experiences with arthritis, I prefer to try and fix the problem by using more natural methods first.

This list (which is always mutating) is what I give to any greyhound that has trained, raced or broken something. (I also use this for all the spinal/disk injuries evident as greyhounds age.) I start with the first supplement - glucosamine, and add and subtract as I watch the dogs and their reactions. You can even give when no signs are visibly present, but other issues present themselves - like broken hocks, toes, racing career, age, etc. Preventative care, as well as treatment of current aches and pains, is always a good idea.

The web has lots of technical information about how and why these supplements work. This article will not go into detail about why this stuff works. You can find that information on the internet. These natural supplements have the ability to replenish the fluids, decrease the inflammation, and stop enzymes from killing all the good cells. These herbal remedies have been used for centuries by the Chinese and Europeans, and in the past years Americans are finally starting to see the value of these supplements. Do give them a try for it's a win-win situation for you and your dogs. They are inexpensive, and they can truly make a difference.

Products That Work
Glucosamine HCL - To help repair cartilage, replenish synovial fluids. A natural amino sugar from shellfish. One of the basic building blocks of cartilage, it aids in joint lubrication. Athletes have used glucosamine for centuries. It can reverse the degenerative process, not just mask it.
Dose: 1500 mgs a day for a dog over 50 lbs.
Two months minimum, daily
Get Up & Go offers a 60 day bottle with 1500 - 2000 mgs a day for a large dog for only $14.95. A 720-day jar is only $149.95. 60-day refills in plastic bags are $12.95

Chondroitin - Bovine or Shark -Rich in gycosaminoglycans, or mucopolysaccharides, large macro molecules found in joints, blood vessels and organs. It helps restore cartilage and lubrication. Anecdotal evidence for reduction of cancerous tumors.
Dose: 800 - 3000 mgs a day
Two months minimum, daily
Get Up & Go offers two size jars. On sale now - One for $70, another for $120

MSM - Methylsulfonylmethane
Natural form of organic sulfur that supplies a dietary sulfur, which plays a major role in stabilizing and promoting numerous body functions. Most noted for its anti-inflammatory properties. Recommended with Glucosamine HCL and Calcium Ascorbate.
1000 - 2000 mgs a day
Get Up & Go offers a 60 day bottle with 2100 mgs a day for only $12.95

Calcium Ascorbate - Vitamin C
Calcium Ascorbate (Ester C tm) is created to be more easily absorbed by the body. It has anti-inflammatory properties, and is essential for the maintenance of connective tissue, collegan and bone health.
Dose - to bowel tolerance
Get Up & Go offers a 120 day bottle with 1100 mgs a day for only $15.95

CMO - Cetyl Myristoleate
CMO is an ester made from adding a cetyl alcohol molecule to the 14-carbon chain fatty acid myristoleic acid. It lubricates, reduces inflammation, regulates the immune systems, and reduces pain. Recommended with Glucosamine HCL and Digestive Enzymes.
Get Up & Go offers a 46 gram bottle with 2200 mg daily for only $39.95. Or a special package of CMO, Glucosamine and Prozyme for $59.95.

Omega 3's - For antioxidants and inflammation, and skin.
As needed or daily

Acupuncture - monthly or more often as needed

Chiropractic - monthly or more often as needed

Massage - daily. Please come to my house too.

Velvet Elk Antler - www.qeva.com
For joints, as needed

Other herbal tinctures:

Www.herbsforanimals.com
www.azmira.com

Adequan - A very intensive application of glucosamine. Six shots over a month's time frame.
Expensive when done by your vet.

Other ways to help arthritic Dogs
Dogs getting into cars
Help your dog. Spot them. Have them put their front feet up and then you put your hand underneath their belly, and behind their butt and gently move them forward into the car. It doesn't hurt you, and doesn't hurt them. It helps their spines with the wear and tear of jumping into a car. Or get a ramp or steps made.

Walking
Don't take your dogs for a longer walk than they can handle. Don't make them stand forever while you are busy talking to a neighbor, doing Meet & Greets etc. Always bring a bed for them to lay down on at Meet & Greets.

Bedding
While any soft, deep surface is coveted by greyhounds. Egg Crate mattresses with lots of padding (comforters, blankets etc.), and heated beds are helpful for arthritic dogs.

Natural Feeding
History shows that dogs are not grain eating animals. Yet all kibble is basically grain based. My belief is that kibble was created for the ease of humans, and not in the best interest of hounds. I have seen a significant difference in my greyhounds since I started feeding natural foods. The web has lots of information on this.

Caveats:

1. Not all supplements are created equal, and you want to make sure you are getting a good product. Bottle should say standardized, high quality, and disclose complete information. Bottle should tell you how much and what is in each pill. Look also for testing information. Get Up & Go provides all of this, at the most inexpensive prices. (www.drtheo.com reviews glucosamine/chondroitin products; www.consumerreports.org also reviews supplements)

2. Dog supplements are just human supplements repackaged. No difference, just the price. You can buy good products for your dog (and you) at Get Up & Go, health food stores, and even Wal-Mart. Check the labels closely on items bought in grocery stores and warehouses - they might not be high-quality and a waste of money and time. Supplements bought in vet offices are usually high quality, but also very expensive because of the distribution chain.

3. Glucosamine in food or treats is NOT enough to help most arthritic situations. 1500 mgs a day (for a dog over 50 lbs.) is needed initially, and you will not get that from glucosamine baked in food. I'm not even sure glucosamine retains its efficacy when baked. In my opinion, those products are just using it as a marketing ploy.

4. My review of the studies indicates that Glucosamine HCL is a better product than Glucosamine Sulfate. It only goes through one process, and so the efficacy of the glucosamine is much higher per mg. My anecdotal evidence shows that Glucosamine HCL is the foundation for any joint care, and then other products can be used in conjunction with it.

5. Every dog is an individual, and what works for one, doesn't necessarily work for another. You need to try, and monitor and judge, and make decisions based on your observations and your intuition. If you are trying to help, you will.

6. When any of my greyhounds have a health issue, I become an expert in my own mind.
All the information presented here is knowledge gleaned from research and first hand. I am not a vet, though I pretend to be one many times.

Please don't let arthritis debilitate your dog. Give your dog the opportunity to romp and cockroach and play bow. The suggestions above can help, and keep your dog (and you) alive longer and in better health.

Claudia Presto founded the Greyhound Gang in 1995. Her adoption, fundraising and education efforts continue and are totally supported by the sales of Get Up & Go Supplements.They are inexpensive, high quality, and proceeds go back to help greyhounds still in need. A win-win-win situation.
 

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