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Old July 20th, 2009, 05:35 PM
Brute Brute is offline
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Opinion needed for long term glucosamine use for dogs

Hi everyone, I have a 7 year old yorkie that I put on glucosamine supplement recently due to joint problem. He is an active but overweight yorkie. On top of that he has to take potassium citrate to prevent the calcium oxalate stones from forming in his bladder. He had 2 surgeries done to have the oxalate stones removed from his bladder. Because of the recurring stone formation in his bladder, he has to be put on potassium citrate for the rest of his life. Plus he has to be on a special diet with low protein (Hills UD).

What I would like to know if it's OK to give him glucosamine for long term with his condition. Would there be any side effects to give glucosamine and potassium citrate together for long term? I tried to find as much information about the content of the glucosamine (I'm currently giving him Recovery SA) and it dosn't look like it has calcium content.

Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Old July 20th, 2009, 08:14 PM
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hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
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If you're worried about possible cross-reactions or side effects, you could try a different approach to the joint problem. Excess weight can be extremely hard on a dog's joints, so the first thing I'd recommend is to cut down on your boy's weight. Moderate exercise can be beneficial, especially low impact exercise. Swimming is very easy on the joints and is a great form of exercise if your dog tolerates water. (Mine don't ) Maybe some of the joint problems will resolve without the use of the supplements.

Also, have you considered a change of diet? I know of a dog that suffered from bladder stones and was switched to raw. His urine acidified on the raw diet and the stones were no longer a problem (I don't know for sure what kind of stones he had, though ). I'm no food guru, but maybe some of our other members who have more experience in nutrition can offer you some suggestions for research.

Good luck with your dog, Brute! And welcome to the forum. When you have a spare moment, we'd love to see pics of your yorkie if you have some to share.
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Old July 20th, 2009, 11:51 PM
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Gail P Gail P is offline
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I don't know about the effects of glucosamine and potassium citrate in combination (best to check with your vet maybe), but the long-term use of glucosamine itself should not be a problem. Many brands of food have it added nowadays. The brand I was feeding until recently contained both glucosamine (625 mg/kg) and chondroitin (500 mg/kg) for joint health. The one I'm feeding now also has it in lower quantities (glucosamine 300mg/kg, chondroitin 100mg/kg). My neighbour gives her two older dogs a daily glucosamine supplement.
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Old July 20th, 2009, 11:54 PM
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Dr Lee Dr Lee is offline
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Calcium oxalate crystals can be a challenge to manage sometimes. Also the formulations on glucosamines can vary. I would recommend that a urine sample be submitted while on the glucosamine. 4-6 hours post medicating might be helpful.

Another option for joint heath would be fish oil supplementation. Omega 3 fatty acids, specifically EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) will help reduce joint inflammation.

Also adding in an NSAID can also help. Previcox, Metacam, etc...

Hope this helps.
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