Is Glucosamine Sulfate Beneficial for Dogs & Cats?

Dogs and cats can suffer joint pains and stiffness in much the same way that humans do. Up to 30% of dogs and cats get Osteoarthritis. Their joints use the same cartilage, fat, fluid etc as our joints do. So glucosamine for dogs can help maintain healthy joint movement in your pets just as it does for humans. Glucosamine can also help with a dog's inflamed discs, siatic nerve, and inflamed joints that are associated with ageing.

Unfortunately one of the main ingredients of some types of dog food is red meat. This has high levels of uric acid which is a main contributor to lots of arthritic and stiff joint problems.

Unlike humans, pets generally have a high pain threshold. Pets cannot do anything about their pain, therefore, they learn to deal with it. When the pain becomes so bad that they are showing some external signs, they are in a large amount of pain and action should be taken to help them.

Supplements like glucosamine can be very helpful in maintaining a pet’s joint health and ensuring that they remain mobile and active throughout their lives. Supplements to a pet's diet like Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate, Omega Fatty Acids (fish oil), Vitamin E, Selenium, and MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) all assist in lowering joint inflammation and maintaining joint mobility into later life.

Most pet owners that supplement their dog's diet with the right Glucosamine supplement see an improvement within a short period of time. An overwhelming majority of pets respond to Glucosamine, and larger breeds of dogs seem to respond particularly well to having Glucosamine supplements added to their diets.

A glucosamine chondroitin supplement can help when your dog or cat can't keep up with the repair of cartilage.

Supplements will not help or reverse structural damage in a joint such as torn cartilage, calcium deposits and advanced scar tissue.

As pets grow older, they lose the capacity to make enough glucosamine for themselves within their bodies. Having ample glucosamine in your pet's body is essential to producing the nutrients needed to stimulate the production of synovial fluid, the fluid which lubricates your pet's cartilage and keeps your pet's joints healthy.

Liquid Glucosamine for Dogs

Liquid glucosamine is far more convenient to take, for both humans and pets. Simply pour it over your pet's food. Also, with liquid glucosamine, you can get a much more concentrated dose. As a result, you only have to take 1/4 to 1/2 ounce daily (depending on the brand), instead of 3 - 6 large pills. Glucosamine has a pleasant taste for most all dogs and they simply think it's a treat.

Dosage Recommendations for dogs

Large dogs should receive a glucosamine supplement starting at four or five years of age, before showing symptoms. Any large breed dog is going to have stiff uncomfortable joints when he gets old and these products work much better at preventing joint damage than treating it. A large dog (60-90 lbs.) needs enough of whatever formula you are using to supply between 1,000 and 2,000 milligrams of glucosamine per dog per day, divided into morning and evening doses.

When large breed dogs start showing signs of joint pain (reluctance or difficultly getting up in the morning, stilted gait or reluctance to jump) add a therapeutic dose of MSM, about 1,500 mg per day divided morning and night. Also consider adding antioxidants like DHA and EPA.

Technical Chemical Info - Why the HCL form of Glucosamine is best.

Glucosamine Sulphate 2KCl, NaCI and Glucosamine HCl.

Most supplements are made using Glucosamine in the form of Glucosamine sulphate di-potassium (2K) Chloride (Cl). The potassium chloride is joined to the Glucosamine to form a stable molecule and its wide availability means that it has been used in most of the clinical studies to date.

Glucosamine also exists in the Hydrochloride (HCl) form, which because it is not bound to a potassium salt, contains more Glucosamine gram for gram. This is the form that is used in better tasting glucosamine liquids and in the new vegetarian form. Glucosamine Sulphate 2KCl is approximately 75% Glucosamine Sulphate and 60% pure Glucosamine. Glucosamine HCl is 83% pure Glucosamine.

The NaCl and KCl ("the salts") refer to carrier molecules that can be up to 30% of the product's weight. Some carrier molecule is needed because raw glucosamine by itself is unstable - it needs to be bound to the sulfate or HCL carrier in order to be stored for any period of time. So if you have one of the KCl or NaCl forms of the sulfate when you think you are buying a quality product, you are actually getting 30% of your dose as ordinary table salt.