Can Glucosamine help your dog become mobile again?

An article on pet arthritis and joint pain.

As your dog ages, its joints, ligaments, tendons and joint fluids wear and "age" too. Depending on their level of exercise and their diets, some dogs can remain very healthy until their last days whilst others get very stiff and immobile within a few years.

Unfortunately the main food for dogs is red meat, which is high in uric acid. Uric acid is a main contributor to many arthritic-type conditions. In a way, feeding your dog the foods they love can be setting them up for mobility problems later on in life!

Many dog owners are unaware that certain nutrients can greatly help their dog’s health and joint management. Proven agents like Glucosamine can be very beneficial in maintaining a dog’s joint health and ensuring that they are mobile and active. Glucosamine is found in cartilage and synovial fluid. It is a normal constituent of your dog’s glycosaminoglycans. Glycosaminoglycans form part of the ground substance of connective tissue, which is found throughout your dog's body.

Several recent studies have shown that oral Glucosamine is absorbed and distributed to joint tissues and that it does have anti-inflammatory properties, meaning it can be beneficial in osteo-arthritic type conditions.

Glucosamine as a supplement comes in many forms, including Glucosamine HCL which has been found to be the most effective. The other form of Glucosamine is glucosamine sulphate which is actually made from Glucosamine HCL, through the addition of either sodium or potassium sulfate. This addition provides no absorption benefits to the Glucosamine molecule and instead compromises its purity. When the sulfate molecule is attached to the Glucosamine molecule, it takes away some of the active constituent of the Glucosamine. Therefore, Glucosamine hcl provides a much greater percentage of active than Glucosamine sulfate, making it more bioavailable. Both forms of Glucosamine provide an equal absorption rate, but your dog would need a greater amount of Glucosamine sulfate in order to have the same effect as a lesser amount of Glucosamine hcl.

Glucosamine has been reported to be supportive in arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, disc degeneration, bursitis, ankylosing spondylitis, tendinitis, cartilage/ tendons/ ligaments repair, skin wound-healing, carpal tunnel syndrome and in reducing inflammatory response.

Glucosamine can also assist with dog's inflamed discs, sciatic nerve, and inflamed joints associated with ageing.

If you have a dog that is losing its mobility or is suffering from joint pain, introducing a Glucosamine HCL supplement can be of great benefit. Most pet owners that supplement their dog's diet with the right Glucosamine supplement see an improvement within a short period of time.