When do I start adding supplements

I was talking to a friend at our pug meet and I told her that Murphy would be 5 and a half soon and he's our old man. It got me thinking, he is getting older. When should I start adding supplements for his joints?

Thoughts?

LOL--I'd go ahead and start adding them. I pretty much add joint supplements to any dog in my care regardless of age--especially pugs since they are so prone to joint problems.

I started adding them for Jackson when I got Sammy and he was already on supplements, so Jax was about 4 and a half.

Oops, guess I'm a bad pug mom. Mack just turned 5 and Mattie is guesstimated to be 6-7. So, what should I be adding?

I don't think you're a bad pugmom, Sabra! I give my guys a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement and Ester C, both from the human section of the pharmacy. The glucosamine/chondroitin I buy is 500mg glucosamine and 400mg chondroitin. They each get 1/2 a tablet, twice a day. The Ester C is 500 mg, and they also get half a tablet, twice a day. I just put both right on their kibble and they gobble it down. Of course, my guys are the world's easiest dogs to pill, so take that for what it's worth.

Lola is 4 1/2, Bella is 5 1/2 and Hanky is 1 1/2 and due to recent discoveries about Hank they are all on joint supplements. My foster is 5-6 ish and I put her on them immediately due to her knee issues. Figure it can't hurt.

I've been doing the same joint supplements as Ginger since Co-Pilot was about 2, this breed is so susceptible to problems with hips and knees and the vet said it could not hurt, I use these, she thinks they are a treat.

http://www.zukes.com/woof/hip-action.html

But I have used other brands in the past, you know pugs, they like treats so these work for us and she is benefitting from the joint supplement.

I'm trying to research on the best ways to give LuLu some supplements. I see she's pretty creaky when she wakes so before she tries to get up I go to her and stretch and massage her out.

Gotta get me some Zukes treats. LuLu might like those.

Some things are reasonable but some of these dog specific supplements get to be pricey?

What are people's favorites? Something with Vit C specially. I've heard and read around that it helps with glucosamine and condroitin absorbtion.

I hear a lot of good things about Synovi g3 but for $70 a container, I dont know if theres something just as effective but also cost efficient?

And that would be why I buy my supplements at the grocery/drug store! I admittedly have the world's easiest dogs to pill, however. I just put them on their kibble and they gobble them right up. When Jackson is on the canned food portion of his prescription diet, I do have to use pill pockets to get pills into him. At times like those, I probably need to look at more treat-based supplements. But if you normally serve kibble, I'd try plain-old human pills before spending more money on veterinary stuff. At the worst, you've just bought your own 1st supplements at a young age!

I put Mack and Mattie's in a little bit of soft food and they swallow them down. They don't get soft food unless they're getting medicine so it's like a treat for them. Bread, cheese, or anything else soft that I can wrap around a pill works good too, but they don't always swallow the pill and I have to redo it. Soft food works every time for me. Mattie used to just swallow pills without anything, but she caught on to me.

I once accidentally bought $40 joint supplements that were "chewable" tabs and she WOULD NOT eat them! That was upsetting.

A small bag of Zukes Hip Action are $6, worth a try I'd say, if you like them a big bag is closer to $9-12 (depending where you buy) and has about 60 of the treats.

No way would Co-Pilot eat pills in her food, she'd rather starve, she must not be all pug! LOL I think she must be mixed with dem rare princess pugs.

LuLu_Cooking_Monstor wrote:Gotta get me some Zukes treats. LuLu might like those.


I hear a lot of good things about Synovi g3 but for $70 a container, I dont know if theres something just as effective but also cost efficient?

We've tried the Zuke's Hip Action treats & they were a big hit here! My gang also loves their mini-naturals.

I don't think that you can get Synovi G3 right now - it was made by DVM Pharmaceuticals (the same company that made Malaseb pledgets & has been shut down by the FDA - according to what I've read). We use Drs. Foster & Smith's Joint Care Level 2. It has glucosamine/chondroitin, msm, and vitamin c and no artificial flavoring or colors in it, like some of the others do.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+58+19905&pcatid=19905

GingerSnap wrote:At the worst, you've just bought your own 1st supplements at a young age!

I'm creaky boned already. I'm only going to be 21. LuLu's not the only one who needs stretches and massages before getting up.

That's the thing, is there really any difference with ours and pet vitamins? Doesn't seem to be now that I'm looking around, aside from them being dog flavored.

I'm getting her some Zukes for sure though. I think she'll really enjoy those

I use Missing Link with glucosamine for the boys (Sophie has a whole other routine ). Anyways, it's a powder type thing so I just sprinkle it on their yogurt in the mornings:

http://www.1800petmeds.com/The+Missing+Link+Plus+Canine+Formula+with+Joint+Support-prod10780.html

I use a variety of things based on the dog. Everyone here, except the shih tzu, are easy to pill--either in their food or wrapped in cream cheese.
For Lola I use Elk antler as she can't take any product that has shellfish or bi-valves in it therefore eliminating almost all the glucosamine products. She also gets Previcox (vet prescribed anti-inflammatory)--Thanks Cathy (Dalaran Dame) for the head's up on Previcox.
The rest get Sasha's Blend added to their food. Made by Centaur VA.

I've used the Missing Link Plus that Saira mentioned and it is a good product, but has too many botanicals in it for Tank who is allergic to the world.

Sara wrote:

No way would Co-Pilot eat pills in her food, she'd rather starve, she must not be all pug! LOL I think she must be mixed with dem rare princess pugs.

Well then Snifter can't be all pug either! He is the devil to pill.

I have been thinking about supplements for him as he is now 4 and he does agility, so I'm glad this thread turned up.

LuLu_Cooking_Monstor wrote:

GingerSnap wrote:At the worst, you've just bought your own 1st supplements at a young age!

I'm creaky boned already. I'm only going to be 21. LuLu's not the only one who needs stretches and massages before getting up.

That's the thing, is there really any difference with ours and pet vitamins? Doesn't seem to be now that I'm looking around, aside from them being dog flavored.

I'm getting her some Zukes for sure though. I think she'll really enjoy those

I have always used the glucosamine/chondroitin supplements for people from Walmart. I get the double strength and give the pugs a half of a pill at night. Vet said it was fine and I have done it for my big dogs too! They get as much as a person would, two pills, twice day.