joint health Archives

Emmett’s leg trembling and our new joint care regimen

07•29•15

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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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!

A runner’s physique: Tips for dealing with joint problems in dogs

10•20•14

Several years ago, we had an incredible vet who worked with us to get to the root of Lucas’ limping. After years of on-and-off problems, he continued to limp in the cold winter months and after activities like hiking or, even worse, a day at doggy daycare. We had him on a joint supplement but hadn’t yet arrived at the root of the problem.

After a series of tests and x-rays, we discovered that, at some point during his puppyhood, he had sustained a trauma (like, getting hit by a car) that was left untreated. As a result, his pelvic bone grew too narrowly to support his big frame. So, while the joint supplements helped – and a doggy aspirin and heating pad on bad days – there wasn’t much to do to alleviate his pain.

Except.

Our wonderful vet recommended that we drop weight off of him. He wasn’t overweight, but she said to think of a runner’s physique: lean, trim, nothing extra. Lowering his weight would decrease the strain on his hips and too-small pelvis. We needed to get him lean. Here he was in July 2009:

Here he is today:

He’s definitely dropped a bit of weight, though not that much – only a few pounds – which you can see mostly behind his ribs. But that lighter load has helped immensely.

We’ve kept up with supplements, too. He’s been taking DGP for a few months now and hasn’t needed any extra aspirin after a day at doggy daycare. The supplements have become as much a part of his daily routine as an afternoon walk. It’s just part of overall health and maintenance. With Lucas, especially, I worry a lot about aging, so we’re trying to do what we can now while he’s still young (although… he’s younger at heart than in reality, but don’t tell him that).

Joint problems in dogs range from Lukey’s oddity to things like hip dysplasia, nutritional deficiencies, and dozens of other possibilities. If you suspect there’s something going on with your dog’s joints, definitely get a full work-up at the vet. I’d encourage x-rays because it wasn’t until our vet here in Bloomington that a set was ordered, thus getting us to the root of the problem. (His DC vet felt that his limp was likely because he had been severely malnourished, and he would grow out of it. He didn’t.) Talk to your vet about supplements, too. DGP has been great for Lucas, and we intend to keep him on it.

We’ve gotten a few comments here and there – most recently from my mom! – about Lucas looking way too skinny. He definitely is thin, thinner than most shepherd mixes his age. However, it’s kept the pressure off those delicate joints, so as long as he’s healthy – eating like a pig and exercising like a champ – we’ll strive to keep his runner’s physique.

Do you deal with joint issues with your dog? What steps have you taken to alleviate any issues? Any preventative measures?

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Disclaimer: We were not compensated for this post, though DGP did provide Lucas with samples of the product to see if it would work for him. It did. All these opinions are mine, all mine!

Healthy New Year: Joint health

01•13•14

Let’s start the year off with a healthy bang, shall we?! One of my big health concerns with my guys is joint health.

According to the State of Pet Health report put out by Banfield, the prevalence of arthritis is increasing dramatically among our pet dogs – up 38 percent.

Joint health isn’t just about arthritis either. There are genetic conditions to factor in, of course. And there are weird incidents like Lucas (possibly hit by a car before 6 months old, hips grew narrower than his frame), and other accidents to take into consideration.

And then there’s just plain old preventative measures.

That’s where we are with Emmett. Because of Lukey’s hip problems, he’s on a carefully-monitored regimen. With Emmett, though, at over 10 years old, we want to keep him well-oiled, so to speak. We’ve tried a few different joint products, but we were really excited when Pet Research reached out about their Wag Lifetime Joint Care with a free sample for Em because it’s designed to target joints, bones, tendons, and ligaments.

As an aside, when I went to the Total Pet Expo a few months ago, there was a lot of buzz about a new ingredient called NEM® which is Natural Eggshell Membrane. It’s getting a TON of hype, and the results seem to back up the buzz. The Wag product contains this ingredient, so I was interested to give it a go. Incidentally, if you have a dog with a protein allergy like Cooper, they shouldn’t take products containing NEM. Boo. Poor pups.

Bottom line: We were really happy with Wag. Emmett’s been pretty limber and active lately (thanks to his thyroid med) so it was nice to know that we were keeping his joints safe while he zoomed around the yard with Lucas and Cooper. He loved the taste of the pills and gobbled them up without needing any trickery.

And, because we enjoyed the product so much and thanks to the generosity of Pet Research, we have a giveaway for one reader to win a bottle of Wag!

To enter, use the Rafflecopter widget below (or, if you’re in a reader or reading via email, you have to click the link).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much, Pet Research, for offering this generous giveaway to help an OMD! reader take care of his or her pup’s joints and have a healthy new year!

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