# ~Supplements~



## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

I'd like to know if you give your dogs any supplements, which ones and why?


I give fish oil for supple skin, healthy coat, improved blood circulation, increased
immunity and overall health(the benefits of fish oil are truly endless), glucosamine 
& chondroitin for healthy joint cartilage, and small doses of milk thistle to promote 
a healthy liver. I take all of them myself also.


What do you take? What do you give to your dogs?


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## Missygal (May 19, 2011)

I'm probly going to start giving Emmie something for joints. She has a little LP in hind legs. My vet says its very minor and isnt too concerned at the moment. Any suggestions on hat to give her?


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

Glucosamine & chondroitin is the best thing for LP. It helps rebuild the tissues and joints. It was a miracle worker for Max's LP. And it was recommended for Lilly's spine issue (if only she wasn't allergic!). Almost anything dealing with bones and joints can be helped with G+C.

I give salmon oil and Nupro. I will also start G+C when he gets a bit older.


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

Ashley is correct regarding Gluco & Chondroitin Missy. Keeping Emmie slim and trim 
will also greatly benefit her, it'll help slow down the LP progression. Also exercise is very 
important to any dog but especially one with LP, the muscles she gains will help her knees, 
swimming exercises and massages help as well, but jumping is a big no no.


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## Missygal (May 19, 2011)

We walk every night and I'm trying to get her to quit jumping. I call her my kangaroo lol.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

I give all the dogs young and old human grade fish oil (capsules squirted on their food...) and Professional Strength Missing Link  I used to do a lot of joint supplements but haven't been lately. I feed Ziwipeak, some raw, some frozen pre-mades and some dogs get Fromm Gamebird (puts an amazing coat on the show dogs LOL). I wouldn't call it a supplement but everyone also gets their teeth brushed daily.


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

I do as many of you.

I feed Ziwipeak, give Nupro, Iceland Pure pharmaceutical grade Sardine and Anchovy oil, Prozyme (probiotics/enzymes) and Hope gets 2 Chinese herbs for immune system and stomach/digestive.


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

You girls are right to bring up food, it's the most important part, the supplements
are just extra. Properly balanced, a raw diet is nutritionally complete, so is ZiwiPeak. 
But having puppy mill rescued dogs with unknown histories I prefer to supplement 
with some basics(as a supplement and a preventative) which are proven to be
extremely beneficial not just for their bodies but their minds, I feel that when 
my dogs are doing excellent health wise their mental attitudes are better as
well, after all it is all related isn't it, body, mind and soul.


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## svdreamer (Feb 20, 2010)

I give glucosamine & chondroitin to my ones that have joint problems, which is a lot of them.


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

I feed a raw diet, but I still like supplements. 

Fish oil - either fish oil capsules for people, Grizzly brand, or mega red (krill oil). I like to alternate.

Emu oil - recently started giving this in my rotation as I've read great things about its health benefits.

Coconut oil - also in my rotation of oils. I do prefer animal based oils, but I have seen some good studies on the benefits of coconut oil so I do add it in.

For general vitamin/mineral supplements I like to rotate Nupro with Missing Link Professional Strength. (Both powders).

Glucosamine/chondroitin - Brody has 0/0 patellas but I want to keep them that way. He's so active and jumps all over so I hedge my bets and give a joint supplement. I have recently heard GREAT reviews on this product, so I'm going to use it next ....

Small Dog Joint Formula | Liquid Health


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## Missygal (May 19, 2011)

svdreamer said:


> I give glucosamine & chondroitin to my ones that have joint problems, which is a lot of them.


Just got back from Petsmart and bought some for Emmie! 
It says 1 per 20 pounds, Emmie is 7 pounds, wonder if I can give her half of one?


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

What kind did you buy? What brand? Capsule form? Liquid or powder?


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## Missygal (May 19, 2011)

21st Century Glucosamine & Chondroitin Small Breed Supplement - Level 2 - Health Care & Supplements - Dog - PetSmart

21st Century Glucosamine & Chondroitin Small Breed Supplement - Level 2 

If I gave her half, it would be for 10 pounds so not sure if that's ok.


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## BlueJax (Jun 25, 2012)

Right now the only supplement I give is fish oil.

For those giving glucosamine/chondroitin as a preventative how old was your dog when you started? Percy is just 11 weeks so I wasn't sure when or if to start giving it...


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## Audreybabypup (Sep 14, 2010)

I agree food is the #1 way to get proper nutritients. So my dogs are all on raw diet. But since both my chis are rescue and my sharpei is a sharpei, I do give supplements. My chis only get salmon oil at this time. I do not give a joint supplement, perhaps I should. My sharpei (being a breed that has a lot of health problems) gets salmon oil, MSM, glucosamine, and chondroitin. And for myself, I take a vegetarian multi vitamin daily that has iron added.


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## 20887 (Mar 16, 2011)

I feed mine NV or S&C frozen patties and ZiwiPeak. I tried Fromm but it just didn't work out. They each get 1 scoop of Nupro Silver (it has glucosamine) and 1 capsule of fish oil 3 times per week. I take Krill oil myself because my grandma makes me


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## svdreamer (Feb 20, 2010)

Missygal said:


> 21st Century Glucosamine & Chondroitin Small Breed Supplement - Level 2 - Health Care & Supplements - Dog - PetSmart
> 
> 21st Century Glucosamine & Chondroitin Small Breed Supplement - Level 2
> 
> If I gave her half, it would be for 10 pounds so not sure if that's ok.


When I had the chews, I broke them in half for Twiggy and Tiko because they are 2 pounds 14 oz and 4 pounds 13 oz. On the package, it says half a chew for under 10 pounds. Now I get the powder and I am able to measure better. So, yeah, I personally would cut them in half.


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## AussieLass (Mar 1, 2012)

Raw = B.A.R.F. made by Dr. Ian Billinghurst's manufacturing company

ZiwiPeak = Lamb

Bone in chicken wings

USA's NaturVet Digestive Enzymes & Pro/Pre-Biotics

Flaxseed Oil Capsules, 1 a week if I remember

Fish Oil Capsules, ditto above

Coconut Oil (in summer when it's not solidified)

Omega Oil 3,6 & 9 when I haven't given the other oils 

Kelp Liquid, a few drops when I remember.

Spirulina Powder, a light dusting

Vit/Min powder occasional light sprinkle

Garlic Powder, a light dusting just to add flavour if I make my own raw mix


And I'd give the dogs' left legs to have those 2 products you girls get, The Missing Link & Nupro, then I could probably do away with over half of what I give.


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## Missygal (May 19, 2011)

svdreamer said:


> When I had the chews, I broke them in half for Twiggy and Tiko because they are 2 pounds 14 oz and 4 pounds 13 oz. On the package, it says half a chew for under 10 pounds. Now I get the powder and I am able to measure better. So, yeah, I personally would cut them in half.


Ok thanks, I hoped that would be good!

I feed Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Sweet Potato and Venison. They love it! Makes there coats very shiny too!


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

Dee, when the coconut oil solidifies you can put a little in your palm and it will
melt, you can let each pup get a couple licks from you hand, that is how I give
it. Then what's left over on your hands you rub on your knees and elbows to
keep em young, smooth and sexy looking! 



I love coconut oil too, but do not give it daily, just once in a blue moon as a treat.


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Wholistic pet - run free or hip and joints (14 year old Sadie needs this)

Olive Leaf- Sadie for fatty cyst and Huly for Feline herpes

Cranberry- Sadie for Urinary Tract Infection Prevention

Wholistic Pet Acidopholis- Gibbs gets yeast infection occasionally hasn't had issues since upgrading his diet to Great Life

Mitake Mushrooms- Huly for his tumor (hasn't grown in a year  l

I have tried Salmon oil coconut chips and my Diva child, BG, hates them so still trying to find a good oil for the chis. Haven't started a regular vitamin regime with them yet so open to ideas.


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Oh and BG hates anything Fish! Despises it actually and Huly is allergic to all seafood.

Also I keep Apawthecary OL- Immune on hand for any infections


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Lulu and Gidget have been eating Acana Duck & Bartlett Pear, but I am ordering ZP tomorrow and going back to it--we will just have to step up our excercise--I can't take the shedding anymore. 
Both dogs get Nupro 1/4 tsp 2x day on food.
Lulu gets Cosequin for dogs that I get at vet--glucosamine/condroitin. It comes in a capsule that I open and pour 1/2 on her food one day, then the other 1/2 the next day. Her patellas are good, but the vet said it was good for her trachea which I forgot what he said, but it wasn't perfect.
Lulu also gets 1 drop every 2 or 3 days of Vit D3. It is liquid 400 IU per 4drops so I figured that would be 100 IU in that 1 drop which is OK for her weight.

I don't know if ya'll will agree, but this is the list of supplements that my vet gave me (I will only give amounts for chi size)
Vitamin D3 - 300 IU per 25lbs once daily
Vit C - 250mg per 25lbs once daily
B complex - 1/2 human dose if less than 50 lbs once daily
Omega three fatty acids (Krill oil preferred) 1/2 human dose if less than 50 lbs once daily
Kelp - 200mg tablet for low thyroid -- 1/4 tablet for less than 20 lbs once daily
Selenium - for low thyroid and cancer- 1-2mcg/lb or 50mcg for less than 50 lbs
Vit E - for cataracts, immune problems, and cancer - 100 IU for small dogs
Glucosamine/Condroitin - follow instructions on container

And I take Vit B12 and Vit D3


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## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

I feed raw as you all know- but we do supplement with an Omega-3 supplement made from green lipped mussel called Moxxor- it is marketed to humans and pets- my husband takes it too! Copley can't take fish oil, but he can handle mussel and krill.
Pets - MOXXOR - Celestial Pets Like everyone above me has said- omega 3's have a lot of great benefits and may be lacking in a lot of commercially raised meat. Copley is recovering from a tick borne disease and it really beat up on his joints. A double dose of omega 3's is really helping reduce inflammation and get him up and moving.

Copley also gets a joint supplement, and I gave Kerrigan a half dose while she was still growing- I currently use Nature's Farmacy - Store - Product Details
It is a powder I mix in his food. When we are traveling and feeding ziwipeak I keep on hand a chewable from Drs.Foster and Smith- cause it is just easier to dose him, the powder needs mixed with food or like coated onto meat. I am considering changing to a new one because my new holistic-centered vet gave me a convincing argument that Sodium Ascorbate is a better source of vitamin C than Ascorbic Acid if you are going to supplement it. I might just go for a glucosamine/condroitin/MSM supplement with nothing extra in it because there is already sodium ascorbate in their multivitamin. I overall am leaning more towards wanting to buy individual supplements where I can and not just buy these mixes for "joints" or "immune" or whatnot.

I also use a multivitamin for both dogs also from natures farmacy- DogzymesUltimate Nature's Farmacy - Store - Product Details I know a lot of raw feeders are not for supplements like this but I feel like unless I am going to find totally naturally reared prey animals I need to supplement what may be lacking in commercial cattle. 90% of what I feed is pastured and or grass fed- but they are still bred to be eaten and I don't really trust they have the same nutrition as wild game would.

Coconut oil- just a few drops a day for both dogs. It has a lot of benefits but mostly because if I smear it on an organ Kerrigan will eat it. Some things like spleen she won't touch otherwise.

Copley is also on a glandular support supplement called Immuplex. It is one of the things we are using to help his recovery from a TBD. It might be perception only- I am not sure- I bought it directly from my vet. It is made of powdered enzymes from beef spleen, pancreas and a few other things. His immune system took a big hit recently so we are doing all we can to help it out.

I think that's it? So in summary- Kerrigan [Omega-3, Multivitamin, coconut Oil] Copley [Omega 3, multi, coconut oil, joint support, immuplex]


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## AussieLass (Mar 1, 2012)

DogInTheDesert, I'm with you when it comes to commercially bred animals, being a farm girl myself. I absolutely cringe and know I'm wasting precious money every time I buy chicken, rabbit, pork, turkey, duck because those animals are fed absolutely nothing but glorified crap, regardless of country of origin - they're born and raised on the cheapest formulation of pellet food (read very little but waste wheat husks etc with chemicals thrown in) the companies can produce and the poor hard done by farmer's money can buy. This rubbish bulks them up & has them ready for slaughter in weeks instead of months - they don't even see a real blade of grass during their entire lifetime, and that's just so wrong. Venison falls in between the 2 categories in this country being as it is only farmed for human consumption over here.

In Australia, and presumably USA & UK, the ONLY animals I can feed that I know have been brought up on strictly pasture is cattle & sheep who're only ever hand-fed hay or pellets if there's a drought, flood, fire. Otherwise, if they want to eat dirt, lick rock, eat bark, grass and leaves, they do, hence they're a far better vitamin/mineral/omega and everything source than commercial carcasses. Kangaroos fall into that category, as would your game meats.

This is why we all have to feed our pets and ourselves extras these days.


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## Kurukulla (Sep 26, 2011)

Supplements are my favourite thing  Tracy and I belong to supplements annoymous

Our current list is:

The Missing Link
Restore
100% salmon oil
Kelp
Glucosamine, chrindroitin and MSM
Vitamin E
Vit C & B
Ran out of coconut oil
Want to try emu oil (Tracy there's an ostrich oil too!!!)
Cod liver oil
Plus I feed raw


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## missydawn (May 29, 2012)

~LS~ said:


> I'd like to know if you give your dogs any supplements, which ones and why?
> 
> 
> I give fish oil for supple skin, healthy coat, improved blood circulation, increased
> ...


Ls,Missy is the only one I give anything to like this because of the skin and coat problems.She takes salmon oil daily(has not helped)thought it did but shes still the same.Ive never thought to give it to the others cause they dont have skin and coat problems.We are planning on taking her to the dermatologist in a few months.I am SOOO ready.I will be walking in there with a suit case of things i've tried.


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## missydawn (May 29, 2012)

missy_r said:


> I feed mine NV or S&C frozen patties and ZiwiPeak. I tried Fromm but it just didn't work out. They each get 1 scoop of Nupro Silver (it has glucosamine) and 1 capsule of fish oil 3 times per week. I take Krill oil myself because my grandma makes me


I give Missy salmon oil daily,I hope thats not to often


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## Kalisee (Jun 1, 2012)

I am a terrible mama  I dont know what half this stuff is that you are all talking about.. I have never even seen it here. 

I dont give my girl any suppliments yet. Shes three months old now and the vet hasn't said anything...we have a last shot visit tomorrow, I am going to ask him what is available here to give her.


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## missydawn (May 29, 2012)

Kalisee said:


> I am a terrible mama  I dont know what half this stuff is that you are all talking about.. I have never even seen it here.
> 
> I dont give my girl any suppliments yet. Shes three months old now and the vet hasn't said anything...we have a last shot visit tomorrow, I am going to ask him what is available here to give her.


Anna,it's ok,I never knew about all this different stuff either until I joined this forum,which was only 2 months ago.


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## Kalisee (Jun 1, 2012)

missydawn said:


> Anna,it's ok,I never knew about all this different stuff either until I joined this forum,which was only 2 months ago.


Thanks Sheila..I cant say I havent learned a ton of new things. I have owned a dog before but never a chi and I am doing alot wrong...I am watching this thread so I can ask the vet tomorrow. Give your little one a big hug, I have been sending positive thoughts!


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## missydawn (May 29, 2012)

Kalisee said:


> Thanks Sheila..I cant say I havent learned a ton of new things. I have owned a dog before but never a chi and I am doing alot wrong...I am watching this thread so I can ask the vet tomorrow. Give your little one a big hug, I have been sending positive thoughts!


Thabk you,Molly goes back to get her blood levels checked again fridaycir Saturday.


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