Glucosamine for Dogs and Other Pets
Robert Davidson
Glucosamine for Dogs and Other Pets
Robert Davidson
Published by Robert Davidson at Smashwords
Copyright 2011 Robert Davidson
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Chapter 1 -What is Glucosamine?
Glucosamine is a compound found naturally in the body, made from glucose and the amino acid glutamine. Glucosamine is needed to produce glycosaminoglycan, a molecule used in the formation and repair of cartilage and other body tissues. Production of glucosamine slows with age.
Glucosamine is one of the most abundant monosaccharides. It is produced commercially by the hydrolysis of crustacean exoskeletons or, less commonly by fermentation of a grain such as corn or wheat. In the US it is one of the most common non-vitamin, non-mineral, dietary supplements used by adults.
Glucosamine is available as a nutritional supplement in health food stores and many drug stores. Glucosamine supplements are manufactured in a laboratory from chitin, a substance found in the shells of shrimp, crab, lobster, and other sea creatures.
Most studies involving humans have found that short-term use of glucosamine is well-tolerated. Side effects may include drowsiness, headache, insomnia, and mild and temporary digestive complaints such as abdominal pain, poor appetite, nausea, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting. In rare human cases, the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin has been linked with temporarily elevated blood pressure and heart rate and palpitations.
Since glucosamine supplements may be made from shellfish, people with allergies to shellfish should avoid glucosamine unless it has been confirmed that it is from a non-shellfish source.
Why Do People Use Glucosamine?
Glucosamine supplements are widely used for osteoarthritis, particularly knee osteoarthritis. In osteoarthritis, cartilage -- the rubbery material that cushions joints -- becomes stiff and loses its elasticity. This makes the joint prone to damage and may lead to pain, swelling, loss of movement, and further deterioration.
Since the body's natural glucosamine is used to make and repair joint cartilage, taking glucosamine as a nutritional supplement is thought to help repair damaged cartilage by augmenting the body's supply of glucosamine.
There is promising evidence that glucosamine may reduce pain symptoms of knee osteoarthritis and possibly slow the progression of osteoarthritis.
The title of this eBook is “Glucosamine For Dogs And Other Pets”: Why are we talking about people and this compound?
Just as in humans, Glucosamine has shown great effect for your dog's joint health. More importantly, as a natural dietary supplement, it also rehabilitates and soothes your dog's joints. Glucosamine is a preventive measure that will ensure your beloved friend will have maximum joint health. You will begin to notice the results in your pet within one to two weeks. You’ll find your dog more lively, active and animated. For some animals, the results are simply amazing.
Do You Need Glucosamine For Your Dog?
Is your best friend slowing down? He must be suffering from canine Osteoarthritis and/or hip dysplasia. Did you know that up to 30% of dogs and cats have Osteoarthritis? Here are the signs of when glucosamine may be needed for your dog:
•Difficulty or adverse reaction to walking, playing, or going up stairs
•Falling behind you on walks
•General lethargy
•Limping
•Difficulty getting up when laying down
•Signs of pain when petted or touched
•Aversive to any contacts
Unlike us, pets have a very high pain threshold. Think about it. If we feel a headache coming on, we can attack that headache with medicine before it becomes a problem. When we have pain, we either tell someone or we do something about it. Pets on the other hand though, cannot do anything about their pain. Therefore, they learn to deal with it. When the pain becomes so overwhelming that they are experiencing some of the signs (noted above), they are in an extreme amount of pain and action should be taken right away.
Another important point is that there is no placebo effect in dogs. The dog does not know if he or she is getting a dietary supplement, (such as glucosamine) therefore when you notice your best friend walking and jumping in the car again, you know they are feeling better. An overwhelming majority of pets respond to Glucosamine, and larger dog breeds in particular seem to respond extremely well to Glucosamine.
Canine Osteoarthritis
The most common form of canine arthritis is Osteoarthritis (OA). Osteoarthritis is also one of the most common causes of lameness in dogs. It is caused by a deterioration of joint cartilage, followed by pain and loss of range of motion of the joint. Cartilage is a smooth, resilient tissue that lines the joints, allowing nearly frictionless joint movement, and providing shock absorption. Disruption of cartilage leads to increased friction and inflammation in the joints. This erodes the bone and can cause formation of new bone, called osteophyte (bone spur) formation, which interferes with normal joint movement and can cause pain. Eventually, the joint cartilage can wear away to the point that the underlying bone, named subchondral bone, is actually grinding against the adjacent subchondral bone. Because subchondral bone is rich in nerve supply, having exposed subchondral bone is a main source of pain in dogs with OA. The hips may be the most commonly affected joint, due to the high prevalence of hip dysplasia in dogs. One study identified hip Osteoarthritis in 30% of German Shepherd dogs (Hedhammar et al., 1979). A survey of 100 dogs identified OA in 52% of hips, 37% of shoulders, 36% of stifles (knees), and 5% of elbow joint. Osteoarthritis is more prevalent in overweight dogs than their non-overweight siblings.
Symptoms of Canine Osteoarthritis:
At a young age, the signs of OA are acute joint pain and lameness. This acute phase of OA is often ignored and OA is generally diagnosed later in life when its chronic signs become more significant. Many owners first notice that their dog seems stiff after vigorous activity or when the dog first gets up after resting for a period of time (for example, upon waking up in the morning). The dog will often warm out of stiffness when beginning an activity, but may refuse to perform strenuous activities altogether. Dogs may be reluctant to jump into the car or go down stairs, and may lag behind on walks, or may appear slow to rise. They may also seek warmth and soft, comfortable surfaces, and may lick or chew at the affected joint. Dogs do not normally cry when in pain, so it is important to recognize other signs of OA pain.
Predisposing Causes for Canine Osteoarthritis:
OA can be caused by conditions that result in abnormal shape of joint surfaces, such as hip or elbow dysplasia (abnormal development) and patellar luxation (slipping of the kneecap to the side of the joint). Additionally, OA can result from trauma (for example, a fracture that leads into a joint or ligament damage resulting in an unstable joint). Two reports reviewing the outcome of management of fractures of the hip socket using bone plates identified OA in 72% to 85% of the patients. Unlike humans where OA is often primary, OA rarely develops without a known underlying cause in dogs.
Any condition that results in abnormal strain on the joint can predispose a dog to developing arthritis. Obesity has been proven to predispose dogs to arthritis and makes the disease progress faster in dogs that already have arthritis. Therefore, it makes sense to keep dogs slim. Further studies are needed to determine if obesity truly initiates OA in dogs; however, it is well known as a risk factor in humans.
How to Diagnosis:
Your veterinarian will diagnose your dog with arthritis using several different procedures. First, he or she will listen to you describe your dog’s symptoms, and then will conduct a complete physical and orthopedic examination. The vet may watch your dog move around, note the position in which your dog chooses to rest, and palpate (feel) the joints and their range of motion. Other diagnostic tests may include radiographs (x-rays) and arthrocentesis (sampling the joint fluid using a needle). Radiographs often show joint changes, but severity seen on x-rays often does not correlate well with the amount of pain a dog experiences. Some dogs may appear very painful but show little bony change on radiographs, while others may exhibit no symptoms, but have severe changes on radiographs. Other imaging techniques may include arthrography, (a contrast dye is injected into the joint that can be seen on x-ray), CT scan, or MRI, which is expensive but may provide the best imaging of the joint and can allow cartilage loss to be seen.
Canine Arthritis Treatment:
The goals of treatment are to eliminate the underlying cause of the arthritis (possibly with the use of surgery to stabilize or correct an abnormal joint), to reduce pain and inflammation, to improve joint function, and to slow or halt the arthritic process. Treatment can include both management as well as drug therapy.
Weight: It is important that the dog maintain a normal weight; obese dogs should be put on a strict diet. Lower weight leads to less stress on the joints, and this can help reduce the dose or frequency of drug administration, which, in turn, can reduce side effects.
Exercise modification: A controlled, moderate exercise program performed consistently is best. Moderate exercise can help maintain range of motion of the joint, maintain muscle mass, and promote cartilage health. Exercise also helps with weight reduction. The exercise level should be modified according to the needs of the individual dog. If the dog seems stiff following a certain amount of exercise, it should be slightly reduced during the next activity period.
Environmental modification: Ramps can help to reduce the painful activities like jumping into cars, or onto couches or beds. Small dogs can be carried up flights of stairs or during other uncomfortable activities.
What is canine osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis (OA) is by far the most common form of arthritis in the canine, affecting an estimated 20% of dogs in the US. Also known as degenerative joint disease, OA is a slowly progressive disease involving the breakdown of the articular cartilage in a joint. This cartilage is a specialized tissue that intimately covers the bone surfaces that contact each other. It provides lubrication and shock-absorption for the joint, and prevents bone-on-bone contact, allowing frictionless, pain-free movement. Anything that causes abnormal forces within the joint can concentrate extra load on cartilage, damaging this cartilage and initiating OA. There are many factors that can lead to such damage, including developmental skeletal abnormalities, obesity and traumatic injury. The body’s inability to repair the injured cartilage results in permanent damage and the pain and inflammation of OA
How do I know if my dog has osteoarthritis?
Because OA is a slowly progressive disease, it can be difficult for an owner to notice its onset in his/her dog. Consequently, canine OA is grossly under diagnosed. While human arthritis patients can readily describe the pain they feel, dogs tend to show that they are in pain in subtle ways. In particular, a dog experiencing aching pain is unlikely to express discomfort by barking or whining. Instead an owner should look for behavioral changes, such as slight alterations in gait and reluctance to engage in certain physical activities like jumping into a car or going up or down stairs. The owner may also notice the dog becoming less willing to interact with people or other pets, and acting uncomfortable or depressed.
A veterinarian who suspects OA in a dog will typically begin by observing any gait abnormalities, feeling the joint for enlargement or swelling, and noticing a reduced range of motion. Radiographs are often helpful as they can reveal characteristic changes in the bones and soft tissues of an arthritic joint. It also may be valuable to analyze fluid taken from the suspected joint. Additionally, the veterinarian may perform further tests to rule out forms of arthritis other than OA.
How did my dog get osteoarthritis?
Many of the developmental skeletal abnormalities that predispose a dog to OA are known to run in breeds. The hip and elbow joints in certain large breed dogs and the knee in some small breeds are common sites for problems. A person looking for a new puppy should take the time to research the orthopedic status of the parents. There are different certification systems for the dam and sire which can help give the potential owner some assurance about the genetics of a new pup. However no testing protocols can completely guarantee a healthy adult pet.
Aside from these heritable predispositions, environmental and lifestyle factors can have a major impact on the development of OA. The most important of these is body weight. Several studies have demonstrated a significantly increased risk of OA in overweight dogs. Besides placing more stress on joints, carrying around extra weight tends to aggravate genetic skeletal abnormalities and predisposes a dog to traumatic injury. Maintaining a dog in ideal body condition is one of the best ways an owner can prevent or slow the progression of OA.
What are the treatment options for osteoarthritis?
At the present time there is no cure for OA. However, weight loss, lifestyle modification and medications for pain can greatly improve the quality of life for an arthritic dog.
The two most important non-medicinal approaches are weight reduction and exercise modification. In many cases these two treatments can greatly diminish the clinical symptoms of OA. Exercise for a dog with OA should consist of regular, limited physical activity and/or physical therapy. Intense activity can exacerbate OA and therefore should be avoided.
Medical treatment of OA centers on the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce inflammation and pain. Dogs metabolize NSAIDs differently than humans and thus the exact drugs and dosages used do not mirror human medicine. For this reason, an owner should never attempt to medicate a dog with a human NSAID by extrapolating from human dosage recommendations. There are many NSAIDs designed for dogs, including several so-called COX-1 sparing drugs, which are associated with reduced gastrointestinal side-effects. Diets rich in certain types of fatty acids are now on the market and there is promising data to support their use in the relief of OA pain. Additional nutritional supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are also available. While some initial data on these products is available, there is much to be learned (such as the correct dose and which compounds are most effective) before wide ranging recommendation can be made to support their use.
In the case of an extremely arthritic and debilitating joint, the owner and veterinarian may consider surgical treatment. Surgical options include arthroscopic surgery, total joint replacement, or fusing the joint. Please check with your veterinarian or a board-certified veterinary surgeon (member of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons) before pursuing surgical options.
Recently introduce in the United States, glucosamine and chondroitin have been used to treat dog arthritis in both Europe and Australia for more than 20 years. When a drug has been in use for that long a period of time, its side effects are very well documented. And that’s good news if you’re treating your dog’s arthritis with glucosamine and chondroitin, because the safety of these drugs is well documented.
The only side effects that have been reported are the occasional bout of vomiting or diarrhea. Actually, both of these side effects are common across a wide range of medications, and the incidents reported by owners of dogs being treated with glucosamine and chondroitin is very low. In most cases, the side effects are diminished, or stop altogether, when the dosage of glucosamine is reduced or stopped
Proven Effects of Glucosamine in Dogs
Glucosamine is already found in the cartilage and synovial fluid, already in your joints. It is a normal constituent of your dog’s glycosaminoglycans, which form part of the ground substance of connective tissue. Several recent studies have shown that swallowed Glucosamine is absorbed and distributed to joint tissues, and that it does have anti-inflammatory and joint regenerating properties. This can be beneficial in osteoarthritic type conditions, such as hip dysplasia or osteoarthritis in dogs.
What Glucosamine Product is Best to Use for My Dog?