How Long Does It Take For Glucosamine To Relieve The Symptoms of Dog Arthritis?

Almost all dogs will suffer from arthritis to some extent as they age. Different breeds and individual dogs will exhibit more symptoms than others. Oftentimes the disease simply causes some stiffness. But for other canines it can be extremely debilitating.

There are prescription drugs available which do a good job in relieving the symptoms of osteoarthritis, but all of them are expensive and most can cause severe side effects and in some cases even death of the pet. One of the all natural alternatives available to dogs with arthritic conditions is liquid glucosamine. However, since this safe supplement does not mask the pain as do prescriptions meds, it does require a dosage period before any observable benefits occur for the animal. How long this takes for glucosamine to relieve the symptoms depends on a number of factors.

The first factor seems to be related to the animal's size. In general, the larger the canine is, the longer it will take to experience benefits. This may be due to the fact that larger dogs suffer more severe symptoms because of their extra weight and size. Whatever the cause, owners should be aware of the extra dosage time required for larger breed pets.

Another factor of course is how serious the joint disease is and how far it has progressed in a particular canine. Obviously, the greater the symptoms are and more severe the symptoms are already, the longer it will take for any natural supplement to offer the canine help for the disease. Although there are no hard and fast time periods required for glucosamine to help, there are some general guidelines pet owners can go by. However, always remember that any time periods suggested are simply estimates and can greatly vary between different dogs.

For small dogs with only moderately severe symptoms, good results can be seen in just a few weeks oftentimes. For small dogs with more serious symptoms, daily doses for a month or more may be needed. For medium sized and larger breed canines with mild symptoms, benefits may be observed in 4 to 5 weeks. For advanced cases in larger animals, it can easily take 6 to 8 weeks before results are seen.

While considering these time periods, it is important to remember that to achieve them, the dogs with arthritis must take a continuous and daily dose of the liquid glucosamine during those time periods. Additionally, it is suggested that the daily dosage be doubled during the first 7 days when beginning the supplementation.

In closing, it must be remembered that, although this natural and safe form for treating canine osteoarthritis is highly affective, it does take a period of time before any relief is experienced by the animal suffering from the joint disease.

Steve Weber, an avid dog lover, has much experience in dealing with dog arthritis and other canine health related issues affecting pets. On his website, Steve offers many more articles and detailed information
about using his product, Syn-flex glucosamine, for treating osteo-arthritic disease.