For those who use Glucosmamine or Glucosamne & Chrondroitin, Tesco have a special off right now.

Also, if Mastifflover reads this can you put that research link you gave last year & your experience of how Glucosamine helped your dog, many owners may not know about giveing it.

This was my 11 year old in Jan this year, note, her mobility & freedom of joint movement is unimpaired & without any of the aches & pains not uncommon in a dog that size at that age - she's been on it daily since she was 5 years old (middle age).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRuMCwYnnvA
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Hope you don't mind, I'm in a rush so I've found my old post & copied a section.

I swear by Glucosamine. It was so effective that I was able to take Buster off of Metacam for elbow displasia. Busters vet was very helpful when asnwering my questions re. supliments (and no, he didn't try to make me buy the vet product, I had one in mind that was for humans & he looked over the ingredients list for me).

Also, anybody giving their dog  human supliments, please check with the vet  first. Some human (and canine) suppliments contain things that are contra-indicated for some conditions and/or with some medications/supplimets. For example white willow bark is contra-indicated in patients on NSAIDS (amongst other things). Always worth checking first.

The link I included is this, re glucosmaine sulphate vs glucosamine  HCL.

I was always advised by my vet that dogs should be given Glucosamine hydrochloride rather than the one with sulphate so just double check which the Tesco one is.

I was always advised by my vet that dogs should be given Glucosamine hydrochloride rather than the one with sulphate so just double check which the Tesco one is.

Thats interesting, did they say why hydrochloride (i have not checked it out yet). Yes Tescos' is with sulphate but my vet approved it long ago, he said the sulphate is just to hold the tabs together, he said it in a way that it seemed to have no other purpose.
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Mastifflover
The link I included is this, re glucosmaine sulphate vs glucosamine  HCL.

I only just noticed that, I will read it through but the link I meant was to glucosamine  & chrondroitin, which is also on offer at tesco.

I read enought to understand - actualy the exact wording of tesco on the glucosamine mg content says:

393mg
equivilent to glucosamin sulphate 500mg.

It says the HCL is the delivery vehicle which is what the sulphate seems to be. I was giving mine 2 tabs per day so thats 393x2. I have bot increased the dose beyond that because her movment is unimpaired & she's completly free of aches & pains....(well part from me that is)
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If this works, great and for sure, getting off needing Metacam is always a good idea, but be aware that recent studies of these products suggests there could be an element of placebo effect going on.    And good dog food contains this - so be careful with over-supplementing.

And good dog food contains this - so be careful with over-supplementing.

I did ask the vet if I could 'overdose' (my dog) on them he said no >>>BUT<< that was 6 years ago and it is certainly well worth a visit to the vet for no other reason that to ask the same question now, it would at least give peace of mind to those who feel the need & peace of mind is a very important part of the relationship with any dog
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Glucosamine hydrochloride
http://bit.ly/1giqNMm

glucosamine sulphate
http://bit.ly/1o0ptUY
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> but be aware that recent studies of these products suggests there could be an element of placebo effect going on

Wasn't the 'placebo' effect found in a study on humans with knee 'pain', where people said how much pain they did or did not have prior to and after suppliments, rather than any increase in actual mobility being measured?

In my experience, my pups pain wasn't a matter of 'is he or isn't he in pain', he actually could not walk further than about 4 yards before he legs went form under him. I find it hard to understand how he could have had a placebo effect of actually being able to walk properly and even run & play, but that's just my opinion from my own experience.
Glucosamine itself, is not going to cause calcified deposits in the joints like over-supplimenting with calcium will (for example) and will not have an adverse cumulative effect, it can however cause a simple upset stomach if the dog is given to much in a single dose.

As I said in my earlier post, it's always best to check with the vet first - for ANY suppliment, as some things that are often included with many seemingly innocent suppliments may have contra-indications for certain problems and/or with some medications (eg. willow bark is contra-indicated in those taking NSAIDS etc...)

be aware that recent studies of these products suggests there could be an element of placebo effect going on

be aware that when somone, in this case you, 'suggests' there is "study" without giving any details or refs whatsoever then all that exists is a post on net message.

Be aware an emperical study has been carried out >on a species not subject to reliable placebo tests< showing a conspicious improvement. See one post up from this one for the study results!
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mastifflover - what brand do you give, and what dosage?

Ooooh - so many people ready to jump down my throat around here.   I only put this forward as a 'be aware' fgs.   And I did say 'if it works, fine'.   And I meant it!!!

what brand do you give,

Although I use Tesco moment that's only because Tesco is close to me, if Asda or another supermarket were closer I would use theirs >dependant< on how many mg's per tab.

My priority is based on the fact there is no difference in the Glucosamine itself whichever brand I use. If I ever used different brands I would always get vets approval first. In the early days I took a couple of brands to them & they said some of the other contents were either unknown and therefore they would not approve them and/or some of the contents were not good to be used with dogs, I remember Holland & Barrats were one of they would not approve.

and what dosage

She was on one tab of 393mg Glucosmamine >content< between 5-9.5 years.  At 9.5 years she went on 2x393mg at the same time I changed to her food to 'senior'.
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I use synoquin EFA and have seen good results.

This however is a brand tailored for dogs, it contains glucosamine HCL and chondroitin sulphate
I would not like to use human grade supplements on a dog however this is my own personal opinion