Dogs Need Glucosamine Every Day

As is it with people, arthritis is a common condition among old dogs.  When it strikes, it takes the energy out of a once playful dog.  That’s because your dog is suffering from pain in its joints.  Fortunately, the supplement glucosamine provides a natural and effective treatment for this pain.  It is safe and its side effects are rare or very mild if they do occur.

Effects of Joint Pain

When dogs are young, they move around with ease largely because the cartilage in their joints is still intact and is constantly being repaired.  As they age, their ability to repair that cartilage diminishes.  Natural wear and tear erodes that cartilage, leaving bare bones to rub against each other.  This condition can be made even worse if the dog is eating a poor diet.  A staple diet of red meat may not be a good thing.  Red meat contains uric acid which gradually eats away at joint cartilage.  This causes your dog to have arthritis related conditions which can be very painful. 

Glucosamine comes in the form of pills, powders, treats or as a liquid.  All forms are effective but many dog owners like the liquid form since it is so easy to administer.  You can adjust the dosage easily unlike pills that may have to be broken into pieces if your dog is smaller or give multiple pills if your dog is larege.  So the dosage is based on your dog’s weight.  Dogs weighing less than 10 pounds require about 300 mg per day.  Those that weigh between 10 and 30 pounds require double that.  Check the directions on the bottle for the proper dosage for that particular brand.  Dogs cannot overdose on glucosamine, but sometimes taking too much may lead to digestive issues.  Side effects like these are uncommon.  They can usually be fixed by adjusting the dosage or mixing in with food.