Out and about

Today Conker and I meandered downtown to get some chicory. I have not been successful in finding any wild chicory on my hikes (I've seen it before, last year, but not this year) so I had to get some from the herb shop instead.

Conker did alright when I left him outside the shop. He was not happy about it, but he did not bark or whine while I was inside.

It was warmer than I thought it would be today (yay!) so we stopped at a coffee shop to get a smoothie. Conker waited patiently for a lick of whipped cream.

He got to clean the cup out as well. He thought that was awesome.

While I was deciding what to get, some hobolady came up to us and started talking to me.

"Hey, that's a Dingo. Didn't you know? It's from Australia. It's a Dingo. You gotta watch out for aggression, 'cause it's a wild dog. It's a Dingo from Australia."

She also informed me that because Conker was shy, he was abused. Erm, no, that's not quite right either...

On the way home we found some hot pink trees. I had Conker pose under them.

We took a detour towards the petshop, and I accidentally said "Kitty." and send Conker into a hunting spree.

Conker, like usual, did not exactly enjoy being in the petshop, but he got a few treats from the employees so it was worth it.

And that's about the jist of what happens when Conker and I go out and about in GP.

Conker's current supplements

Several people have asked about this lately, so here goes.

6 of 8 supplements, 2 not pictured

Conker gets an assortment of supplements for various reasons. Some are diet related, others for specific reasons. Several are important to him in some way or another, there is a noticeable change (negatively) when he goes not get some of them.


Fish Oil (large golden soft gels)
Conker gets fish oils for many reasons. The main reason he gets fish oil is that they are a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids which are very important for the living body. Commercially raised meats are very low in O3's, so I supplement with fish oil to replenish them. I also give fish oil since it is good for the skin and coat and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Conker will readily eat these on his own. He likes to pop them.

Vitamin E (not pictured, liquid form)
Vitamin E is also something that is low in factory farmed meats. Omega 3's can deplete the vitamin E in the body, so Conker gets vitamin E since he gets a large amount of fish oils for his size. Vitamin E is an important anti-oxidant so I supplement it to ensure he gets proper levels.

Probiotics (small white capsule)
Conker gets this to ensure he digests his food properly. He does a lot better when he gets probiotics more often than less. Sometimes I do not give him any for a day or two. Probiotics are also good for the immune system.

Chicory Root (not pictured, brown powder)
A type of prebiotic that contains inulin, food for probiotic bacteria. I have noticed an increase in good digestion when Conker gets this. Like the probiotics, he does not always get it daily.

MSM (large white capsule)
Conker gets this due to his Luxating Patella. It is supposedly good for ligaments.

Glucosamine/Chondroitin (brown tablet)
Conker also gets this one due to the LP. Both of these are given as a preventive measure.

Kelp (tiny bit in the center, recently added)
I just started using kelp so I have not noticed anything good yet. I use kelp to supplement iodine. Conker gets 1/4 of a tablet, supplementing about half of his daily requirement.

Green Lipped Mussel (greenish capsule, recently added)
Scientific studies have suggested that this particular critter has beneficial properties, namely joint protection and whatnot. (They also suggest that glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM does relatively little, while GLP is noticeably more effective.) I am experimenting with it to see if it does anything or not. It is relatively inexpensive, and Conker loves the powder.


Two more things I consider (whole food) supplements are canned oysters and clams. I need very small amounts to meet Conker's needs of the nutrients they supply, so it is inexpensive to use them.

Oysters
I give these for their high zinc content, which is pretty low in most meats, even red meats. Conker's coat and nails are in much better condition when he gets oysters.
I could just use a zinc supplement, but Conker really likes his canned oysters.

Clams
Clams are high in iron and also have some copper. I use clams when I feed Conker a lot of poultry and less red meat/hearts. I do not always use them.
I could also get an iron supplement, but I prefer to use whole foods when possible.

I also pull the membranes out of eggshells since I have read that it could be good for the joints.


Gee that's a lot for one dog. But he's a problematic dog. I have no issue with spending a bit more to than usual keep him healthy.



If you would like scientific studies pertaining to specific supplements and their usage, feel free to drop me a comment and I'll post link(s) for you.

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.