[Dailydrool] Supplements

[Tom Hickcox]

At 02:57 1/15/2011, Dawn Gardner wrote:

>My little beagle Annie had some liver issues.  I found that buying the Sam-E
>and Milk Thistle (the two ingredients in Denamarin - S-Adenosylmethionine is
>SAM-E and Silybin is from Milk Thistle) from the health food store was much
>cheaper than the Denamarin, which was over $100 for a week's worth where I
>got it.  Her level was actually 2300 at one point, and it took over a month
>to get it back to normal.  I also had her on Vitamin E and a few other
>things for a while.  Turmeric was also one of them, but I'm not sure what
>the function of it is (if you look it up, turmeric is a wonderful thing!) I
>wish I could remember everything.  I use a holistic vet who had her on some
>supplements, and she did well.  Of course, we had the trouble of not knowing
>WHY her levels were up, which I guess was the story of my life when it comes
>to my dogs.

OTOH, I find the vitamin E supplements at my vet are quite a bit 
higher than OTC at the grocery store.

I've been giving my hound ladies 400IU of VE for some time.  It's in 
a gelcap and they think it's a treat, albeit a small one.  I think it 
does wonders for their coats.  I can't take it anymore as it 
interacts with one of the meds I'm on.

I am wary of using supplements w/o running it by my vet who seems to 
have a special spot for my hound ladies.  He says they are his best 
patients, but I digress.  The effect of supplements on dogs may be 
different than on we humans.  Just look at foods we like that they 
have trouble with, chocolate, raisins, etc.  I saw something a long 
time ago that most animals don't need vitamin C supplements as they 
are capable of synthesizing it, something we can't do.  While it may 
be useful and certainly sincere, I get medical advice for myself and 
my hounds from professionals.

I imagine the people on this list are way above average in the care 
we give our hounds and other, lesser critters.  <bg>  We notice 
things that are out of the ordinary and respond, so they are much 
better cared for.  My wife was a visiting nurse and some of the 
things she saw, and that includes treatment of two legged critters, 
was appalling.  While she could report human abuse to social 
services, there wasn't much she could do, except arrange the 
occasional adoption, for the furballs.  She had a long talk with our 
vet about it, and there is practically nothing that can be done 
legally.  Our animal welfare people aren't staffed/financed well enough.

There I go, preaching again, probably to the choir!

Drool to the person who lost St. Nick.  He is in good company ATB.

Tommy in Baton Rouge