I've been recommended cortalfex by Soli's chiropractor for her possible arthritis.  Looks good, but there is just no way on this planet I can afford it - it works out at around £25 a month.  Her insurance already costs me £29 a month, and I'm not sure this would be covered (will check tho when I claim for the chiro), and feeding the dogs costs me £20 a week.

Is there a decent but cheaper alternative?  She's been on Tesco cheapie glucosamine but seeing as I realised something was up a couple weeks back, and she's been on it since January, clearly it's not as effective as I'd hoped. :rolleyes:  I did read on a raw feeding site that chicken feet are good for natural glucosamine - anyone have any know-how/experience of that?  She's on a raw diet, though it's only been two weeks so whether that makes a difference I don't know yet.  I hope so.

Our arthritic Chow X Rottie is on Vetri-Flex supplements.  We get them from the vet and they are covered by his insurance (although that site is £10 cheaper than from the vet!).  He has 2 per day (50kg dog) so that would work out around £15 per month...a little bit of a saving.  Or you could try green lipped mussel supplements (try http://www.healthspan.co.uk) which would be cheaper still.

Wanted to add but couldn't be bothered to edit as it makes the links go haywire :rolleyes:....

Perhaps you should have a chat to your vet to see what he would recommend as your insurance will probably cover anything 'prescribed' by the vet.

Supplements designed for pets are generally much more expensive than those for humans.  In most cases there is absolutely no reason NOT to give dogs those formulae designed for people.

Not all supplements are created equal and some contents of some are of less value than their container.

You need to buy supplements from specialists who will tell you how much of the active ingredients that are beneficial are actually in the product.

If we take glucosamine as an example there is a difference3 between the sulphate and the HCI one is far more bio available than the other.  Then there is the source, some dogs have problems with marine sourced stuff.  Healthspan do several products which are HCI and "stronger" than something you buy in the supermarket.

Mixed with chondrotin this has a synergistic effect.  You can also give MSM, Devils Claw, Bromelain, Turmeric and Fish Body Oils.  Again with the latter it is essential to determine the levels of DHA/EPA and to give it with Vitamin E, I would choose natural over synthetic as it is better absorbed.  Vitamin is also useful in joint problems.

Discuss with your vet but one of the benefits of doing this is obviously you and your dogs can take the same products!

Molly has previously been given CortaVet (£26 per month) by the Vet and Izzy is on Synoquin (£70 ish for 6 weeks), both were paid for by the insurance companies :)

I found that for my own benefit I had to take the right glucosamine supplement at the right dose. The first time I tried it I wasn't taking enough and it didn't have chondroitin. Getting the right dosage of the right product made all the difference for me. Now I take a daily dose that contains GLUCOSAMINE: 1500mg, CHONDROITIN: 1200mg, MSM: 250mg. Could it be that a complete supplement at the right dose would help.

http://www.vitaminsdirect.co.uk This is where I buy the Glucosamine & Chondroitin for my Dandy -without it he could not use his hindlegs at all, now he can go for long walks. Their usual price is about £25 for 3 tubs of 120 capsules, but if you watch the newspapers for adverts they frequently have offers where you buy one for a tenner and get one free, no postage cost and usually £2 off as well. Dandy (40 kgs) gets 2 capsules a day and I'd say his therefore works out at £2.50 a month when the offer is on (I by for a whole year then) -otherwise £4.15. I showed my vet the tub and he said it was fine to use them and Dandy have now been on them for about 4 years.He no longer needs Rimadyl because of them. (He has very severe HD.) My mother takes the exact same ones! They are the HiStrength G&C on the website.

Someone posted on here a while ago that the canine and equine cortaflex are the same thing, but the equine one is cheaper and a bigger tub.

Someone on here uses the equine for their dogs but they don't contain the same ingredients in the same proportions.

The Cortaflex website says this:

"There are fundamental differences in the formulation of the three versions. Horses require different nutrients than dogs or humans. For example, Equine Cortaflex contains copper sulphate. This form of copper should not be fed to dogs, as it cannot be properly digested."

However, if you google "copper sulphate dog" it comes up as being an ingredient in lots of dog foods I emailed the company a while back asking if they could clarify further but they said I'd need to speak on the phone to them. Got the feeling I wasn't going to get a straightforward answer so ended it there!

Been giving my arthritic hound the powdered equine cortaflex for years.  With fantastic results i will add ;)
You are right Zarah the only difference is the copper sulphate and you are right again that Equine America will not give you a straight answer to your query and if you look at the price difference in the canine/equine products you will see why
I, as have many others I know, have been advised by very specialist people (inc vets) that the powdered equine product is as beneficial to dogs as the canine liquid/powder.
It costs me around £55 a year (at 1 teaspoon a day) instead of approx the same every 2 months!! 
All I can say is that I have only had positive effects from it.
Sarah.