EPO or Fish Oil or Both with Glucosamine

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I was reading several discussions about both. Not sure which or both would be beneficial for Samantha's problem. Yes she has dry skin so both would be fine but what I am most interested in is which would be best for muscle/skeleton issues. She hurt her back several months ago (got T-boned by 1 of my other doodles in a game of chase) and with rest, prescription anti inflammatory and pain meds she is much better but not 100%. If you rub her back in a certain spot her leg does the bunny hop which if she had doen that that her entire life wouldn't be cause for concern but she never did it before she hurt her back. 

I do not want her on pain meds or strong does of anti inflammatory drugs since she is so much better so I was researching what natural supplements I can give her.

My plan is to start her on:

glucosamine  - any difference between brands? I am going to get human supplements. Is there something I am not taking into consideration that I should be?

EPO and/or fish oil.   Which would be better for Samantha to help her back? EPO or fish oil?  All 4 can benefit from either for their skin. Fish oil - is there any difference between the unscented? pills vs pump? GNC has different kinds - Omega 3, Triple Strength, Omega 3-6-9 - not sure which one, if any. 

EPO at GNC comes in 500 and 1300 mg capsules. My doodles range in weight from 50-75 lbs. How do I know which dosage?

It was suggested that Samantha be on Metcam but I am not sure about it. Metacam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory - with potential side effects. The most common side effects are vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. As with all NSAIDs, METACAM may cause side effects involving the kidney and liver organ systems.

As always I appreciate any input you can offer.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Omega 9 fatty acid supplements are really a waste of money, since Omega 9 is not an essential fatty acid; the body makes it, and you do not need to get it from food. Omega 6 supplements are also usually unnecessary, since there is too much Omega 6 in most dogs and humans diets already, and most Omega 6 fatty acids do not provide the benefits you are looking for. The reason evening primrose oil is beneficial is that it's gammalinoleic acid, (GLA), a form of Omega 6 fatty acid which has been shown have beneficial anti-inflammatory properties in some studies.

With Omega 3 supplements, the specific fatty acids you want are DHA and EPA, which are supplied mainly by fish. While things like flax seed may be beneficial forms of Omega 3 for humans, dogs can't utilize them very easily. So just "Omega 3" on the label is not enough; the Omega 3 supplements need to contain fish oil, not plant oils. 

It's pretty tough to get too much EPO; JD is allowed 1500 mg per day. The only side-effect I'm aware of in getting too much would be loose stools. Fish oil tends to cause loose stool more than EPO. I'd buy the 500 mg EPO caps because it's easier to adjust the amount each dog gets.

If you go with the fish oil supplements, I would definitely go with a human softgel capsule rather than pumps or sprays. I like Nature Made Minis: http://www.naturemade.com/products/supplements/ultra-omega-3-mini-f...

Easy to find and reasonably priced. 

I think that there is more evidence that fish oil is beneficial for musculoskeletal inflammation than EPO is, so if you go with one or the other, I'd choose the fish oil. However, you can also give both. 

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Karen - how do I know how much fish oil to give Samantha? She weighs app 80 lbs

You think the fish oil is better for the beginning of stiffness of age and lack of exercise this winter or glucosamine.

Someone recommended these - this is so confusing!!! too many products with very pretty websites but none talk about where ingredients come from!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It's pretty hard to give too much. I would go with the capsules I recommended above (they are human supplements, so human-grade ingredients and quality control) and start with one per day. 

The Omega 3 fatty acids help with inflammation. Totally different from glucosamine and chondroitin. I have no experience with those, but my understanding is that they work differently, although the jury is still out as to whether they work at all, at least in humans. But you can use both, as they serve two different purposes. 

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

Not an expert here but you might look into MSM supplement. My former dog suffered from arthritis. He seemed to get relief from MSM. Before I started taking it my hands would ache in the morning. Now they don' t. Just my experience.

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

Ditto above, our last dog lived to almost 15 had horrible arthritis (couldn't bend one of her back legs at all?).  Our vet recommended we buy the Glucosamine with MSM from Costco - one tablet a day (she was 77#) and we did see an improvement.  As she got older we added a prescription while continuing the above.  I also take it!  I also get the fish old from Costco if that helps?

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Thanks Karen!!!!  Is there a difference in brands or do they all have the same ingredient label?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

With EPO, if that's the only ingredient (and it should be), they're pretty much the same. Puritan's Pride usually has really good prices if you don't mind ordering on-line. The capsules should always be softgels. 

There are differences in fish oil supplements. If something is priced way lower than most other similar products, I would personally stay away from it. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I seriously doubt any of these things will be much help for Samantha's back but they won't hurt her either. If she needs them I would give her the NSAIDs. All drug have potential side effects. Usually they are not very serious for a given individual at the right dose but it is always a risk/benefit thing. I personally take NSAIDs and I prefer life with as little pain as possible.

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

OH MY my girls play rough and Sassparilla powerhouse T-bones/tackles Josie ALL THE TIME!  I guess I should be counting my blessings neither have gotten hurt yet!  Poor Josie, you can see the look of "oh s***" when she sees her coming!  There is a good 25-30 lbs between the two of them.

My last pup had severe arthritis (couldn't bend her back leg was straight all the time) and the vet suggested the costco brand of glucosamine with msm and it did make a difference, I'm using the left overs now and some of those achy joints don't ache like they used to! 

I would also like to suggest a chiropractor.  Seems like a lifetime ago, my cockapoo had back/hip issues (kicked across a room as a small puppy, that's how I got him - grab and run).  With monthly chiropractic treatment he was able to walk and run around.  Luckily my chiropractor at the time was a dear friend and she treated him for free.  I wouldn't have believed the difference had I not seen it.  I know my sister swears by annual chiropractic care for her horses! 

 

Best of luck I hope she feels better soon.