[Dailydrool] Suggestion for arthritis

[Elizabeth Lindsey]

I've been giving our Elsinore and young Charlie a glucosamine/ 
chondrotin (spelling?) tablet with each meal. When I told the vet  
about it--and about buying these tablets from Wal-Mart, which has the  
best price--he reminded me that these supplements aren't FDA  
regulated. This means the amount of active ingredient can vary not  
only from one brand to another, but from one tablet to another in the  
same jar. He also said that everyone's body chemistry is different,  
so a brand that works well for one person or dog may not make any  
difference to another person or dog. He uses this supplement himself  
and said that the first brand he tried didn't do anything for him. As  
luck would have it, the most expensive brand he tried is the one that  
works and relieves his joint pain.

Our Elsinore and young Charlie don't seem to have any joint problems.  
I don't know whether it's because they're getting a brand that works  
for them or whether it's because they simply aren't having any  
problems yet. I've been giving them this supplement as a preventive  
measure to guard against back and feet issues from the very first day  
they've been with us, so I really haven't seen how they move without  
the benefit of the supplement. But sure as shooting, if I stop giving  
it to them, one of them will rupture a disk or Charlie's deformed  
front feet will completely collapse, and then I'll wonder if stopping  
the supplement caused the catastrophe. But I'm keeping an eye on  
them, and if one of them should begin to look uncomfortable, I'll try  
a different brand and see how that works.

Elizabeth