What's the best supplement for healthy joints?

alicefred · 10-18-2010, 08:00 AM

Hello friends..
I am first time on this forum and just want to greet you all. Well, I have 5 yrs old male Basset Hound and I have been noticing for the last couple of weeks he has difficulty getting up/down stairs and jumping on the bed. I read somewhere that in this age it is common for their joints to become less flexible. Can anyone recommend me good supplement that helps my dog to maintain healthy joints? I searched around and found many brands available in the market, but can't decide which one to buy. So what do you guys suggest?

Thanks..

Soundtrack · 10-18-2010, 08:31 AM

The best "supplements" are a nutritious diet, appropriate exercise and maintaining a healthy weight and muscle tone. Five is awfully young for a dog to be stiffening up.

Yogi's Mom · 10-18-2010, 06:06 PM

I use GlycoFlex II for Yogi. Have you taken your dog to the vet to be checked out just to see what's going on?

Tuesday · 10-18-2010, 06:21 PM

I would suggest getting him checked out. That could be a symptom of Lyme disease, something that can be cleared up. Or their could be something else going on. Good luck! Hope he feels better!

SophieB · 10-19-2010, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alicefred

Hello friends..
I am first time on this forum and just want to greet you all. Well, I have 5 yrs old male Basset Hound and I have been noticing for the last couple of weeks he has difficulty getting up/down stairs and jumping on the bed. I read somewhere that in this age it is common for their joints to become less flexible. Can anyone recommend me good supplement that helps my dog to maintain healthy joints? I searched around and found many brands available in the market, but can't decide which one to buy. So what do you guys suggest?

Thanks..

You have maybe answered your own question!! Three generations of my family have kept and still own Bassets, and breeders and vets have always said to NEVER let a Basset Hound up and down stairs... going down is especially bad for them as it puts too much weight on their front legs and stairs are also bad for backs! Also not to let them jump on/ff anything higher than they are!!!

I can honestly say that none of my Bassets (from pups or rescues) have had back or joint problems and they have always been kept off stairs with a stairgate!

PS: Rose Hips may be OK as a joint supplement, better than Glucosmine that is now said to be not what it was cracked up to be!

Soundtrack · 10-19-2010, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SophieB

You have maybe answered your own question!! Three generations of my family have kept and still own Bassets, and breeders and vets have always said to NEVER let a Basset Hound up and down stairs... going down is especially bad for them as it puts too much weight on their front legs and stairs are also bad for backs! Also not to let them jump on/ff anything higher than they are!!!

I can honestly say that none of my Bassets (from pups or rescues) have had back or joint problems and they have always been kept off stairs with a stairgate!

PS: Rose Hips may be OK as a joint supplement, better than Glucosmine that is now said to be not what it was cracked up to be!

Mine go up and down stairs all the time. We've had no problems from this. The only dogs of mine that have trouble getting on the furniture are Chili (who is fat) and Ginger and Lucy (who are 12 1/2 and arthritic - however their litter sister Gabby is still able to leap onto the bed).

sadeyes2 · 10-19-2010, 01:07 PM

Like SophieB I too had been told not to let him do stairs, jump off furniture etc. This house is like a 'BMX track' with the ramps, gates etc to stop Toby damaging his joints.

Having said all this he was diagnosed as having arthritis in both his back legs, which probably started when he was just under 7 although wasn't diagnosed till later.

He was put on Metacam (anti-inflamitory) and seraquin (glocusamin & chondroitin). I then read on the internet that the seraquin had not been proven to help this condition and decided to stop giving him it. Within a week I noticed the difference, he was not as agile and certainly a lot stiffer. The seraquin IMO definately works for arthritis.

Before giving it to your dog, I would get him vet checked as I don't if it would do any good unless your dog had a specific condition that merited using it.

SophieB · 10-19-2010, 05:26 PM

Soundtrack, perhaps some smaller, finer built, more agile Bassets can probably jump on and off a bed OK and manage stairs, but hounds like my two girls, that are quite big built and chunky and weigh 66 and 70 lbs, could not jump on a bed and they can't jump in the back of my Golf hatchback either and going down stairs is a no-no as that would be far too much weight on their leg joints!

ama_ya · 07-25-2011, 12:51 AM

Take foods and vitamins rich in calcium or coral calcium. Also the glucosamine is good is good for the joints too.

__________________
Mesothelioma Clinical Trials

Wworm · 07-25-2011, 04:53 AM

Worm is allowed to go up on things, but not jump down. Unfortunately, we do have a flight of stairs up and down, which is unavoidable, but otherwise, we use the elevator for going down. He had straight legs at ~4 months. Now at 1 year, his legs are turning out more and more and there is some knuckling over. So I have started him on hip/joint supplements too. They are the kind with chondroitin and glucosamine-- more for preventative measures than anything else.

If your basset has a change in activity level, I might think it would be good to make sure from the vet that your basset doesn't have a back (slipped disc) problem that is making it harder or more painful for him to move around. That certainly can happen at this age.

10-18-2010, 08:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
alicefred Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: California Posts: 1	What's the best supplement for healthy joints? Hello friends.. I am first time on this forum and just want to greet you all. Well, I have 5 yrs old male Basset Hound and I have been noticing for the last couple of weeks he has difficulty getting up/down stairs and jumping on the bed. I read somewhere that in this age it is common for their joints to become less flexible. Can anyone recommend me good supplement that helps my dog to maintain healthy joints? I searched around and found many brands available in the market, but can't decide which one to buy. So what do you guys suggest? Thanks.. __________________ Fashion Trends

10-18-2010, 08:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
Soundtrack Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,577	The best "supplements" are a nutritious diet, appropriate exercise and maintaining a healthy weight and muscle tone. Five is awfully young for a dog to be stiffening up. __________________ Rosie-Ch Soundtrack Cracklin' Rose CGN AGN RA Am RN TT Melody-Ch Soundtrack Unchained Melody TT Sailor-Ch Soundtrack Expedition Sailor RN TT Chili-Ch Soundtrack Spice Up Your Life Curry-Ch Soundtrack Canadian Brass Pepper-Ch Pennieslogon Living La Vida Loca CGN Vina-Ch Soundtrack Grand Illusion Leila-Ch Soundtrack Almost Paradise Deela-Ch Soundtrack Wink Of An Eye Hermione - Soundtrack Spellbound Eowyn - Soundtrack Rain Dance

07-25-2011, 04:53 AM	#10 (permalink)
Wworm Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Left Coast Posts: 1,966	Worm is allowed to go up on things, but not jump down. Unfortunately, we do have a flight of stairs up and down, which is unavoidable, but otherwise, we use the elevator for going down. He had straight legs at ~4 months. Now at 1 year, his legs are turning out more and more and there is some knuckling over. So I have started him on hip/joint supplements too. They are the kind with chondroitin and glucosamine-- more for preventative measures than anything else. If your basset has a change in activity level, I might think it would be good to make sure from the vet that your basset doesn't have a back (slipped disc) problem that is making it harder or more painful for him to move around. That certainly can happen at this age. __________________ see what the Worm is up to: http://bassetworm.blogspot.com/

10-18-2010, 06:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
Yogi's Mom Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,101	I use GlycoFlex II for Yogi. Have you taken your dog to the vet to be checked out just to see what's going on?

10-18-2010, 06:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tuesday Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 160	I would suggest getting him checked out. That could be a symptom of Lyme disease, something that can be cleared up. Or their could be something else going on. Good luck! Hope he feels better!

10-19-2010, 01:07 PM	#7 (permalink)
sadeyes2 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: glasgow Posts: 589	Like SophieB I too had been told not to let him do stairs, jump off furniture etc. This house is like a 'BMX track' with the ramps, gates etc to stop Toby damaging his joints. Having said all this he was diagnosed as having arthritis in both his back legs, which probably started when he was just under 7 although wasn't diagnosed till later. He was put on Metacam (anti-inflamitory) and seraquin (glocusamin & chondroitin). I then read on the internet that the seraquin had not been proven to help this condition and decided to stop giving him it. Within a week I noticed the difference, he was not as agile and certainly a lot stiffer. The seraquin IMO definately works for arthritis. Before giving it to your dog, I would get him vet checked as I don't if it would do any good unless your dog had a specific condition that merited using it.

10-19-2010, 05:26 PM	#8 (permalink)
SophieB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 838	Soundtrack, perhaps some smaller, finer built, more agile Bassets can probably jump on and off a bed OK and manage stairs, but hounds like my two girls, that are quite big built and chunky and weigh 66 and 70 lbs, could not jump on a bed and they can't jump in the back of my Golf hatchback either and going down stairs is a no-no as that would be far too much weight on their leg joints!

07-25-2011, 12:51 AM	#9 (permalink)
ama_ya Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 1	Take foods and vitamins rich in calcium or coral calcium. Also the glucosamine is good is good for the joints too. __________________ Mesothelioma Clinical Trials

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