# Human Glucosamine/Chondroitin for dogs?



## Kooshdakhaa

I have been giving my dog Greta Schiff Glucosamine/MSM for a couple of years.  She is 8 1/2 years old and started showing some signs of stiffness.  My vet said it was okay to give her that Schiff product, it's for humans but he said no problem.

Now I have decided to give her Glucosmaine/Chondroitin instead of MSM because I have come to believe that Chondroitin is superior to MSM.  So I picked up a bottle of Spring Valley Glucosamine/Chondroitin.  

Now I have started looking at the ingredient list and...worrying.  The Chondroitin forumla has more sodium, it has 160 mg per her daily dose.  I think that's with in reason?

It's not the dosage or anything I have questions about, it's that ingredient list with  Silicon Dioxide, Stearic Acid, Mangesium Stearate, etc. that has caught my attention.

I'll ask my vet, but I know he'll just say it's okay.  I don't always trust my vet.  I want to make sure.

Any thoughts?  Has anyone researched this?


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## strollingbones

i use the doggie stuff for them....cosequin ds  and triple strength treats...you really cant give them too much they just piss it out


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## Kooshdakhaa

strollingbones said:


> i use the doggie stuff for them....cosequin ds  and triple strength treats...you really cant give them too much they just piss it out



Problem is, there is a tremendous price difference between the ones made just for dogs and the human formulas.  The human tablets cost less, and my vet said they were okay to use.  

I'm not cheap when it comes to my dogs, but I think we're really being gouged with the prices for the dog formulas.  I just checked the price and the cosequin ds is almost double the cost of this human formula.


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## Kooshdakhaa

Well, in case anyone else is wondering about this, too, I went to a site called JustAnswer.com  You can talk to "experts" about a variety of topics and for a minimum fee of $15, get answers.

I talked to a vet and sent her a list of all the ingredients.  She told me what they were and that they aren't of any concern.  She said the sodium amount didn't concern her either, the dog may just drink a little bit more.

So, yeah!  I can use this product.  I want to see if the Chondroitin is more effective than the MSM, so I'll give her this for a couple of weeks and see if I notice a difference.


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## strollingbones

try entirely pets......i normally catch it on sale

Cosequin DS for Dogs & Cats - Cosequin Chewables

i use the triple max too

but i have a doberman with a knee replacement


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## Douger

This.
EasyShop - Joshua Kennels


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## Unkotare

Kooshdakhaa said:


> I have been giving my dog Greta Schiff Glucosamine/MSM for a couple of years.  She is 8 1/2 years old and started showing some signs of stiffness.  My vet said it was okay to give her that Schiff product, it's for humans but he said no problem.
> 
> Now I have decided to give her Glucosmaine/Chondroitin instead of MSM because I have come to believe that Chondroitin is superior to MSM.  So I picked up a bottle of Spring Valley Glucosamine/Chondroitin.
> 
> Now I have started looking at the ingredient list and...worrying.  The Chondroitin forumla has more sodium, it has 160 mg per her daily dose.  I think that's with in reason?
> 
> It's not the dosage or anything I have questions about, it's that ingredient list with  Silicon Dioxide, Stearic Acid, Mangesium Stearate, etc. that has caught my attention.
> 
> I'll ask my vet, but I know he'll just say it's okay.  I don't always trust my vet.  I want to make sure.
> 
> Any thoughts?  Has anyone researched this?




It's fine, don't worry about it.


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## Kooshdakhaa

strollingbones said:


> try entirely pets......i normally catch it on sale
> 
> Cosequin DS for Dogs & Cats - Cosequin Chewables
> 
> i use the triple max too
> 
> but i have a doberman with a knee replacement



My doberman, Greta, is 8 1/2.  I've had her on glucosamine/msm for quite a while now because she started getting creaky and stiff.  There was a noticeable improvement when I started using it.

There is something new going on.  With spring and the snow melting and all, we have had more opportunity to get out and really RUN!  I'm not sure if she hurt herself, but she is sometimes reluctant to sit, and when she does sit she sometimes holds her left front leg out at an awkward angle at the shoulder.  But if she sits on a soft surface like the couch or bed, it's fine.  I have rubbed her all over and moved her legs around and she doesn't show any pain.  And it seems to be improving...slowly.  Sometimes she'll even sits normally, like it comes and goes.

I thought I would try the glucosamine/chondroitin and see if it helps.  Otherwise we will be going to the vet, and there will be no holds barred...whatever she needs she will get.


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## Unkotare

She may have hip displasia, or have a ligament injury. Your vet may need x-rays in addition to an exam to determine for sure.


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## Kooshdakhaa

Unkotare said:


> She may have hip displasia, or have a ligament injury. Your vet may need x-rays in addition to an exam to determine for sure.



Yeah, I'm not going to wait too much longer before I take her in.  At least she doesn't appear to be in any pain, based on the way she still runs and jumps around like a maniac.  I know they supposedly try to hide their pain, but if something's hurting them I can tell.

She sat pretty good today for the lunchtime treat and she's only been on the chondroitin three days now.  We'll see.


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## Kooshdakhaa

Unkotare said:


> She may have hip displasia, or have a ligament injury. Your vet may need x-rays in addition to an exam to determine for sure.



Unfortunately even then they can't always determine for sure.  I say this because my other doberman, Hannah, was limping and it would come and go but wasn't getting better.  My vet decided to refer me to a specialty clinic.  The proceeded to take x-rays that cost  $800!  They took x-rays of both the limping side and the side that was fine, so they could compare.  I was thinking, so you don't know what the dog's bones, etc. are supposed to look like, you have to take a picture of the good side for comparison?  Sheesh.

Anyway, $800 worth of x-rays and they could see nothing wrong.  The vet said in that case we would just treat the symptoms.  So he put her on a couple of different medications, I don't remember what.  It worked! I was grateful for that. 

If I knew they were going to take x-rays of the good leg, I would have protested, but I didn't know.  Live and learn, I guess.


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## HomeInspect

My great dane has had mild hip dispalsia for 5 years. She is now 9, and I have had her on the human stuff for 4 years. Two 400 count bottles at Sams Club for 19.00.  Don't know how much it's helped, but she isn't in pain. No bad effects I've seen for all those years.


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## buggie1988

You can use the human glucosamine for your dog, but there may be better alternatives since glucosamine for dogs is usually flavored and breaks down in your dog's intestinal tract.


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