I have two healthy spayed 17 year old cats. One was overweight for years despite my best efforts until I started giving them canned and raw foods. She dropped her excess 7 lbs and gets around a lot easier, but still has arthritis. Here’s what I already do-they eat Wysong Uretic kibble at night because Tigger needs it to prevent UTIs. During the day they get Paw Naturaw organic grain-free raw food on demand, watered down with Gerber Pure nursery water (that’s all I give them to drink or use to cook their food) to increase fluids. They also get small amounts of cooked organic chicken, cooked grass fed organic beef, and wild caught fish, mostly salmon. They get a daily supplement cocktail consisting of wild salmon oil with Coq10, taurine, L-carnatine, Organic Pet Superfood Immunity mushroom blend, digestive enzymes, milk thistle, and B-complex. When I get my next paycheck I am adding RNA (they’ve taken it before) and grape-free resveratrol. I also just started giving them small amounts or organic apple cider vinegar. They sleep on high density thick orthopedic beds and Tigger has a heated blanket. She also has an ion bracelet that I attached to her collar. She is entirely indoor. The vet suggested Metcam, but I refuse to use anything with a mortality rate, never mind a 30% mortality rate. I don’t want to use glucosamine or chondroiten because they can contribute to diabetes. I’ve already tried turmeric, which did help a bit, but she had difficulty keeping it down and it was an ordeal to get it in her mouth in the first place. It isn’t terrible-she still jumps on the couch and runs up the stairs, but it just bothers me… probably mainly because I have a same age arthritis -free cat to compare her to, and Tabitha still runs and jumps all over the place-nobody believes she’s even half her age, and Tigger really doesn’t jump except to get up on the couch or when I make her run up and down the stairs, although she does walk around a fair bit and will run after the dog on occasion

I have a 10-year-old collie and she has developed arthritis in her back and legs, specifically the front, right leg. Someone told me to give glucosamine tablets, like from the grocery store to help her joints but I’m wondering if this is safe. I can’t afford any trips to the vet and her condition isn’t that serious but I can tell it’s really uncomfortable. I’m just wondering if there is something I can do for her. She’s definitely aging but otherwise she’s very energetic and seems to be happy.
um…about the salmon oil I’ve always been told salmon in poisonous to dogs, much like chocolate.

Background: My 4yr old 95lb GSD started waking up with stiffness on the side he slept on. Our vet gave us these horrible smelling Dasuquin tablets. Stiffness went away, but he started to get allergies and diarrhea, so I checked the bottle, and it has brewer’s yeast, gum, tea, a load of artificial flavorings, and several questionable substances. The fine print says that the amount of chondroitin is based on the aqueous solution so the amount may not be accurate. It’s 900mg glucosamine, 800mg msm, and "350"mg chondroitin. Our vet isn’t much help because he wants to keep him on the dasuquin brand, but even the dog will avoid the pill when I put it in his food (he’ll eat around the crushed pieces if he can, or will spit them out).

*My first question is can it be done? I know the GNC Glucosamine is safe, but the Chondoritin is a little more iffy (has soy and shrimp). Neither has yeast, or anything artificial.

*What dosages should I be using? The Glucosamine I can get in the same concentration, but I can only find a minimum of 400mg Chondroitin. Will that be okay (that’s if that’s safe to begin with)?

*Should I keep him on MSM? (Ingredients are safe)

*Should I add in Salmon Oil? I know some use it for dogs, my mom personally uses it and it works wonders for her. Would it help his joints stay in better condition? We walk pretty far and are hoping to start hiking in early November (yay Texas heat!)

I know it’s a ton of questions, but I’m hoping someone will be able to help. He’s happier without the stiffness, but the ingredients of the dasuquin worry me. The combo from GNC would be more natural and I think it’d be better for him not to itch and have loose stool.

I have been trying very hard to improve my diet, health and fitness. I would like educated opinions on the idea of me taking TOO MANY vitamins and supplements along with my regular diet. Currently this is basically what I eat

Breakfast:
Either a cup of oatmeal w/ a glass of milk OR a bowl of organic yogurt and organic granola
Scoop of Macro Greens Powder (greens superfood powder)
1 Salmon Oil (2 a day formula)
1 Alive! Whole food multivitamin (3 a day formula)
1 Glucosamine and MSM vitamin (2 a day formula but I only take 1 a day)
16 Ounces of water

Mid Morning snack:
apple or banana
protein shake (metrx protein plus, about 110 cal, 24 grams of protein)
Water

Lunch:
half the week its chicken breast (boneless skinless), brown rice, and a huge handful of spinach and red leaf romaine. the other half the week its a regular turkey sandwich from quiznos on 9 grain artisan wheat, no mayo, no cheese w/ mustard, a tiny bit of pesto, mushrooms, onions, olives, mixed greens and tomatoes.
water

Mid afternoon meal:
chicken breast/thigh (boneless skinless) OR salmon filet
brown rice
organic soup (tomatoe or butternut squash from trader joes)
1 Alive! whole food multivitamin
water

Pre workout:
organic oatmeal
small scoop of protein, 15-20 grams of the metrx protein plus
water

post workout
immediately as im leaving the gym i down about 30grams of 100% whey isolates, dymatize elite brand
water

dinner:
chicken breast/thigh (boneless skinless) or salmon filet, or turkey cutlets
green veggies – either brocolli, asparagus or a huge plate of raw spinach
on days that I work out i eat brown rice, non workout days i dont
1 Alive! whole food multivitamin
1 salmon oil
1 calcium chewable (2 a day but I only take one a day)
water

Before bed:
Metrx protein shake w/ milk on workout days and w/ water on non workout days

My workout program is an 8 day spread, 3 days of VERY heavy weight training, 2 days of cardio, and 3 days of rest in between those (2 days of rest after legs day, 1 day of rest somewhere else in between)

I drink a ton of water all day, not just when i wrote with meals

keep in mind, nearly ALL of my food is either "natural" or "organic." I am educated on what "natural" is for all you critical people.
ATTENTION: Thanks for the link Dr. but did you even read what I wrote here? Nearly all my vitamins are food based and all the food I eat are whole foods, and usually natural and organic. The protein I take is just straight up whey protein and a protein blend, nothing fancy and not at all like some of the heavily marketed body building supplements you see in magazines these day. My advice, please READ my diet and pay attention to the DETAILS. No comments please unless you read the whole thing!