The Role of Glucosamine and Its Effectiveness

As a pet owner it is your responsibility to ensure that your dog is well looked after. Because of its communication difficulties and the high pain threshold of animals in general, it is possible that you will not get any warning signs that there are problems until very late in the development of the condition. The pet will begin to fall backwards when it walks and will generally be uncomfortable with petting. Glucosamine is the supplement which many pet owners rely on to reduce the level of discomfort for the animal. It can be consumed as either a tablet or in liquid form depending on the most convenient method.

1. Watch out for the older steps: Like human beings, older pets tend to have problems with their bones. Arthritis can be a debilitating condition which makes it very difficult for the animal to climb stairs or travel long distances. You have to prepare a program through which you will be able to deal with the underlying condition and also reduce the escalation of existing symptoms. For example some form of occupational therapy might be combined with the controlled use of glucosamine in order to give the pet a chance.

2. Where does this medication work? In fact the animal's body will already contain high levels of the glucosamine compound within the synovial fluid and ligaments. You are merely topping up when you start the treatment program. In some estimates the supplement can only give you 1/1000th of what is in the body. Therefore you need to get the dosage absolutely right. Cold nights will be particularly uncomfortable and you might need to increase the level of medication. You have to monitor the progress of the animal even as you administer the treatment program.

3. Expanding the options for your dog: The branding process has meant that there is plenty for you to get your teeth into. Do not just walk into the shop and get the nearest item. Instead you should consult with the family vet in order to ensure that you are getting the right product for the right condition. Word of mouth is not really an ideal way to handle this issue. Of course you also need to watch out for adverse reactions since the pet may well be allergic to the treatment program which you are proposing. These are simple measures that you can work with in order to avoid the serious problems that are associated with a sick pet. As for the issue of effectiveness, this supplement has been deemed to be effective (albeit on anecdotal evidence).