joint pain relief for dog

Question
I have a 9-yr. old female German Shepherd(Hannah), spayed, feed her 2 cups of Iams daily.  She is definitely showing signs of pain when she walks, not as willing to go for our walks as she always was.  I had her on Adequin last year, but that got too costly.  I started taking Osteo Bi-Flex, Triple Strenght last fall, it has helped me considerably, IS THIS SAFE FOR DOGS?  If so, what dosage?

Answer
Hi there, Terri. I would not recommend giving Osteo Bi-Flex to your dog, because it contains several artificial colorings, dextrose, salt (sodium), and soy. What you might want to consider instead is Glycoflex. Its cost is comparative to the Osteo Bi-Flex, but it comes in a tasty chewable 'treat' format that dogs love, so you won't have to worry about trying to get your dog to take a pill. Glycoflex comes in 3 'strengths.' Here is a little bit of information about each one:

Canine Glycoflex I
An all new formula with perna canaliculus, glucosamine hcl (500mg), and dimethylglycine For basic, general joint health and maintenance in large breed puppies and younger dogs of breeds predisposed to joint dysfunction issues.

Canine Glycoflex II
Another new formula for moderate joint issues with perna mussel and added ingredients glucosamine hcl (750mg), dimethylglycine, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM, 500mg) and manganese (500mg). Often prescribed for moderate joint dysfunction, designed to help rebuild joint health after sprains, joint injury or orthopedic surgery. Good for moderate activity canines too.

Canine Glycoflex III
Comprehensive ingredients with perna canaliculus, glucosamine hcl (1,000mg), dimethylglycine, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM, 1,000mg), manganese (1,000mg), vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, grape seed extract, and glutathione for dogs in advanced stages of joint dysfunction including geriatric canines with degenerative joint disease, working dogs and high activity sporting breeds.


They also come in 'soft chews,' but the soft chews are a little more expensive, and if your dog has no problems eating her dry kibble, she should have no problems eating the regular Glycoflex tablets, either. They are not hard.

I'm not going to tell you which 'strength' you should give your dog, because I have not seen her, but it will not harm her to give her Glycoflex III even if she really only needs Glycoflex I or II, so just use your best judgment, and/or ask your vet.

You may be able to purchase Glycoflex locally, but if you cannot, then you can compare prices and find the cheapest source online by going to http://www.yahoo.com and doing a search for it. Because you will need to give her 2 tablets per day for the first month, I would recommend that you go ahead and get the largest bottle you can, so it will last longer (it's more cost-effective in the long run to buy the bigger bottles, too). After 4 weeks of giving her 2 tablets a day, you will only need to give her 1 tablet a day, so a bottle of 90 tablets will end up lasting you 2 months to start with, and then 3 months from there on out. A bottle of 120 tablets will last you 3 months to begin with, and then 4 months from there on out. It's probably cheaper to go this route than to use the Osteo Bi-Flex, actually.

Good luck.