This post is sponsored by GlycoFlex. We only share what we think is relevant, and all opinions are mine all mine.
By our rough count, this handsome guy turned 12 this summer!
I don’t know how it’s possible for time to move as quickly as it does.
Anyway, with his ongoing cancer treatments and checkups, sometimes it’s difficult for us to tell the difference between symptoms that indicate progression of disease or symptoms that are just a factor of him being a handsome old man. One of those things has been a bit of trembling in his legs.
At an oncology visit ages ago, the trembling was barely discernible, but the resident felt we should book a neurology consult because, though rare, hemangiosarcoma can metastasize in the brain. The neurologist took a quick look and felt that wasn’t the case. Relief, of course, but I worried that we could be seeing the first signs of some bigger problems. Right around that time, I headed off to BlogPaws, and I met the super nice folks at VetriScience Laboratories. They gave me some samples of Glyco Flex® Plus to try with Emmett and then sent along a couple more bags (plus some for one of you to win below…). The chews are designed for joint support but also include antioxidants, which I think are super important especially for senior pups.
I had the chance to ask Sara Phillips, the strategic brand manager at VetriScience Laboratories, a few questions about the line.
OMD: How were the chews formulated? What ingredients go into the product–and why those ingredients?
SP: Our products are formulated based on market analysis, input from field sales reps, and ideas from consumers and our employees. We utilize an Innovation Funnel which allows us to determine the feasibility of a product from market size to production capabilities to unique selling propositions.
Ingredients vary depending on the product. Our soft chews all start with an inactive matrix – this is what gives the chew its texture and taste. We have spent over a decade perfecting the matrix – and our R&D division continues to look for natural, functional ingredients to improve this matrix even more! The active ingredients – the ingredients that make the products work – are highly researched ingredients, often from exclusive suppliers. All ingredients must have safety data showing us that they are safe for use in pets. Our ingredients always go through a battery of tests before we will accept them. They must meet our standards from purity and label claim. Because FoodScience® Corporation has been in the industry for over 40 years, we have very deeply rooted relationships with suppliers around the world. This ensures that our ingredients are pure and safe.
OMD: What makes GlycoFlex Plus different from other similar products?
SP: Glyco Flex® Plus contains our most popular formula of Glyco Flex® 3, PLUS chondroitin. This is the most comprehensive joint support formula on the market. In addition to chondroitin, glucosamine, and antioxidants, our product contains GlycOmega® brand Perna canaliculus, from an exclusive supplier in New Zealand. Perna is a whole food, naturally containing essential fatty acids, amino acids and all 6 classes of GAG’s – the nutrients that are the building blocks for healthy joints. The Glyco Flex® 3 formula has been clinically proven to increase hind leg strength by 41% in just 4 weeks. No other joint supplement can make that claim.
OMD: What types of dogs–age, breed, fitness, etc.–is GlycoFlex Plus for?
Glyco Flex® Plus is great for dogs of all ages, sizes, breeds, and fitness levels! VetriScience® strongly believes that proper veterinary care is an essential part of any wellness plan and we recommend all pets be seen by a veterinarian prior to adding any supplement to their regimen.
Emmett certainly likes the flavor of the chews (no surprise there). His legs continue to tremble, but his strength hasn’t decreased one tiny bit. I was worried about degeneration, but if you ask the vet tech he flew around the clinic like a kite, well, he’s still a beefcake. I’m definitely going to keep him on these chews indefinitely as we focus on keeping him as strong and healthy as possible. In hindsight, actually, I wish we had started him on this regimen as a preventative, rather than waiting until there was a problem. Lesson learned. In fact, I think that would be my advice: Talk to your vet about starting your dog on a Glyco Flex supplement before you start to notice any joint/mobility issues to hopefully stave them off.
If you’re interested in giving the chews a whirl, the brand very generously offered a giveaway of the same bags you see pictured with Emmett above! This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. The widget will load below (sometimes it takes a second). If you’re reading this via email or through a feed, you might have to click the link.
I’m happy to keep my old guy on this routine and will definitely report any changes we notice! Thank you, VetriScience, for so generously offering this review and giveaway!
Oh leg trebling, I know you well! Melvin had a leg tremble (long, long, long before the cancer). There was no rhyme or reason to when it happened (standing, laying down) but after several years of watching it, we did come to the conclusion it was due to medication, likely the prednisone but it did pick up some as his tramadol was increased. It’s one of those things that haunts you — WHAT COULD IT BE — but in our case, it was nothing. For once!
My YaYa has leg trembling also. She doesn’t have cancer that I am aware of. She does have hip displaysia and problems with her front knees. The doctor really doesn’t want to keep her on pain meds for an extended period of time, so I suspect that it is just caused by her not trusting her own legs to support her weight. God bless the elderly dogs!! The product looks awesome. I am always open to trying new things to help with her discomfort.
Love your blog, been reading for a while now. Always great info and this review was very helpful. Would love to try the chews for my furbabies!
Being that we don’t know Ziva’s history, and she had some joint problems as a pup…to top it off, doing doggy sports we definitely have our pups on joint supplements as a precaution. I’d love to try these chews! We finally got through our last bottle of tablets and the pups hated the flavor, I had to coat them in peanutbutter to get them to eat them.
We haven’t tried supplements yet, but I know that Dexter has a chance of developing Luxating Patella (sliding kneecaps) so it would be a good thing to get him started on.
I’ve been toying with the idea of putting Nala on joint supplements as a preventive for a while. She’s still young, but rescue GSD = probable genetic train wreck, sigh. When I was shopping around, I noticed that the dosing on a lot of these for a big dog is crazy–multiple pills per day. Yikes! I still want to try preventive joint care, but we’ve been waiting ’til it’s financially feasible.
We used to give a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement as a preventive but took him off of it (and his other supplements) to stabilize him after a bad IBD flareup. I would like to reintroduce a supplement at some point since he is approaching middle age now.
Mr. N is taking some joint supplements as a preventative.
Ray’s leg trembles too, but I’m hoping that post-surgery and a good building up exercise routine will help. Ever since you posted about DGP, we’ve been using that and have been happy with the results.
I’m so glad you brought that up, and it’s something I should have mentioned. Finding the right formula is totally the key. These particular active ingredients were in the first supplement we tried for Lucas (I can’t remember the brand name… we bought it at the vet’s office…) and it really didn’t help him much. The DGP did and still does. It’s what he’s on. GlycoFlex worked for Em, so they each get their own individualized joint routine! Sure, it would be easier to buy one bottle of one supplement, but that just didn’t work out for these monsters!
I am always on the lookout for good joint supplements for my senior and adult dogs!!!
None of my dogs are currently on a joint health regime, but I’ve been wanting to try it with two of them. My senior girl, Suki, has been having increasing difficulty with her joints as she’s aged. My Kyoko, who is only about six, was nearly starved before I adopted her. I have noticed that she gets some “creaking” in her joints and would like to prevent the issue from getting worse.
I started my 7 year old dog on Glyco Flex this year after her vet check up. The vet said she had a luxating patella but that there was nothing to be concerned about, I guess it slides back in place on its own. I researched it a bit when we got home and decided to start her on some joint support and found Glyco Flex during my research. She must really like the flavor, she gets really excited when she hears me grab the bag!
None of mine haven’t had any leg trembling but it’s probably not too early to get them started!
Maddie will be 10 in November. No supplements, yet, but I do notice her slowing down a bit. She seems surprised when she is not as spry as she was, poor thing.
Love to see Emmett’s beautiful face. How I miss his ‘twin brother’, Cole, who would also have probably been 12 this year. Every day you get to spend with Emmett is such a blessing..
Keeping all of you in our prayers.
I do not yet use a joint supplement for my dogs, but I know that the day will come soon when I will need to start one. Both of my dogs are performance dogs, so they will need to start supplements before any symptoms of joint deterioriation pop up.