Liquid Health: K-9 Glucosamine

Since the discovery of Conker's Luxating Patella I have done a lot of reading on the subject and how joint health could play a role in the ordeal.  While giving a joint supplement is not a cure for LP, it could possibly help by keeping the joints lubricated so when the patella does slip out of place it is less likely to cause damage that will turn into arthritis further down the road. 
I looked into many different supplements, some a combo of sorts, others with only one joint-health ingredient.  In the end I decided upon K-9 Glucosamine, a liquid supplement made by a company who also makes stuff for people and horses.

There are three varieties of the dog supplement.  I got the regular kind, but there is also a concentrated and vegetarian variety.  I avoided the veggie kind since it uses corn as a source for the glucosamine.  It comes in 8, 32 and 128 ounce bottles.  There is also a formula for small dogs.

Active Ingredients per fluid ounce:
Glucosamine Hcl (shellfish): 1600mg
Chondroitin Sulfate (beef and/or porcine): 1200mg
MSM (Methyl-sulfonylmethane 99.9%) :  1000mg
Manganese Chelate: 7mg
Hyaluronic Acid (as Sodium Hyaluronate): 10mg

Inactive Ingredients: 100% Pure Aloe Vera Juice, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Purified Water, Sodium Benzoate, Vegetable Glycerin. 

After opening this product needs to be refrigerated.  The people in my household have gotten used to a plastic box sitting on the bottom shelf in the fridge that holds Conker's supplements and food just in case something spills.  The bottle also says to shake well before giving to your dog since it can settle/seperate if it sits for long enough.


Directions on the bottle say the dosage is:
Under 10 lbs:  1 teaspoon (1/6th oz)
10-24lbs: 2 teaspoons (1/3rd oz)
25-49lbs: 3 teaspoons, 2 in AM 1 in PM
50-100lbs: 4 teaspoons, 2 in AM 2 in PM
Over 100lbs: 6 teaspoons (1/2 oz), 3 in AM 3 in PM

In order to get the supplement out you have to squeeze the bottle and it will squirt some liquid into a small container that's got 1/2 ounce and 1 ounce measuring lines on one side and 1, 3 and 6 teaspoon lines on the other.  Conker gets 2 teaspoons which is about half a cap-full so I don't bother with measuring it out exact every day.

It might just be the increase in exercise (muscle building to help hold the patellas in place) since I found out Conker has LP, or the supplement really is helping in some way.  Conker's patellas went from slipping once or more times a day to once a week then finally only about twice a month since I began giving him this.  I haven't yet tried to see if it really is helping by not giving it to him.  Mainly because I don't want the patellas to slip and have the joint get damaged by the loss of lubrication or something.

Anyways, I bought the 32 ounce bottle for $24.99 and it has lasted quite a while since I only give it to Conker, and I think it is well worth the price.  I don't know what the shelf-life is once you open it, but it appears to still be working after having it for more than three months.  My bottle is due to run out soon and if I don't test the effectiveness by putting off on buying another one for a bit, I'm going to grab another.

I am a weirdo and tasted this since I'm curious about what my dog's stuff tastes like and frankly I found it to be completely disgusting. Conker though, he loves it and will lick it up as quickly as possible.  Due to the odd taste picky dogs may not take to it like Conker did but you can always mix it in with a broth or food.  The instructions do say to give it with or after food to avoid digestive upset (Conker hasn't experienced this even when given it without food.)

All in all I find this supplement to be a great product and highly recommend it to anyone with dog who is arthritic, has joint problems, is very active (working/sports) or jog on hard surfaces.  Even dogs with LP, like Conker, could benefit from this supplement.


Edit:  It's been a couple weeks since I ran out of this and there has been a change in Conker, and not a good one.  After he'd been on the supplement for a while his right knee would only go out about once a month, the left hardly ever.  Now that he's been off it his right knee goes out more often.  He is also less quick to start a game or run.  So, my overall conclusion is that this thing definitely works, and I'll be getting Conker back on it or something similar as soon as possible.