Supplements for hip dysplasia

Hi,

My SIL's 1 and a half yr old GSD was recently diagnosed with mild HD. Her vet has told her it doesn't need operated on.

She was recommended to buy Hills perscription J/D reduced calorie diet. (The dog is of normal weight and size for it's age.) At €80 a bag I'm wondering what are the benefits of such food and if anyone on here with a HD dog has used it alone with much benefit?

I had suggested that if the main benefits of the food are Omega 3s as well as glucosamine and chondroitin she may want to continue feeding her usual food and add these supplements to the diet.

What are peoples' experiances of using these supplements for HD?

Also has anyone experiance of using Green lipped mussel for HD?

Thoughts and advice on supplements and diet much appreciated. (She's unfortunately not interested in trying raw.)

I have not had a personal experience with Hip Dysplasia, I do have a large breed pup, and am aware of the potentials.

The supplements mentioned in the previous posts are all recommended supplements, and i do not know how effective they are, but surely can't hurt.

One thing I have heard of that does seem to have an effect (not sure how or why) is Ester C in large doses. Google it and do some research. Some dogs at least have shown a beneficial reaction

Good luck.

Ester-c
It has had some very good reports. I feed to Benson at a rate of 2000 mg a day...4 tablets, this is just a maintanance dose as a prevention rather than cure.It is quite cheap at Zip-vit.
As for the food.........If not interested in raw, the next best thing imo is Applawse, its 75% meat, 25% veg, £39.99 for 12.5 kilo sack.
Good luck

Teagan was diagnosed aged 1 with severe HD (Bullmastiff).
For the past 3 years she has been fed Arden Grange Large Breed - as it contains the supplements she needs.
Only recently have I started to add another supplement (Vetzyme flexible joint tablets), as she's 6 now and needed a bit of extra help

I have a 6.5 year old lab who was diagnosed with HD about 18 months ago. The initial diagnosis was made by a fantastic locum vet who took a lot of time & trouble to explain things to me for both short term & long term health care. So I can do no better that to pass on the advice I was given.

Firstly the extent of the dysplasia is not necessarily indicative of the pain that a dog may feel. Even "mild" dysplasia can cause a lot of pain as it can depend on debris caught between the joint, or something pressing on a nerve. Sometimes dogs with severe dysplasia where the x-rays suggest the hip shouldn't even be able to stay in the socket, show no signs of pain for years & continue to lead active lives. The pain is eventually caused by arthritis. So you need to know your dog very well & be able to judge when & whether it is in pain.

Secondly, my vet recommended that any dog should be on the lean side of it's ideal weight, as any extra weight will only cause more pressure on the joint. But I would suggest that any weight loss/dieting is done gradually as it has to be for the rest of the dog's life so it should really be done as more of a lifestyle change, than a quick & drastic diet.

Thirdly, hydrotherapy can be invaluable in keeping the muscles that support the joint in good shape so keeping the joint more stable. It also helps maintain a range of movement in the joint by keeping tendons & ligaments in good working order, plus any debris in the joint can be flushed out as the joint is pulled downwards by gravity when swimming. Swimming can also be a great cardio-vascular work out which again helps weight loss & general fitmess whilst not putting any pressure on the joint. I would recommend seeing a qualified canine hydrotherapist as they are in the water with the dog, they monitor the range of extension, ensure that both legs are working evenly & that the dog is moving correctly.

My vet also described the way that some dogs with HD become "front wheel drive" dogs rather than "4 wheel drive dogs". This does them no good at all in the long run as it only puts extra pressure of the shoulders & front legs. The aim of exercise & hydrotherapy is to try to keep them as "4 wheel drive" dogs as long as possible.

I was told that there is no need to make any great changes to a dog's exercise regime unless the dog is showing signs of pain & my two dogs still have great rough & tumble games. But I was told that in the longer term my dog would probably prefer several shorter walks a day rather than one or two long walks.

As far as joint supplements go, I was recommended Cosequin for dogs. It's much cheaper online than through a vet. The important parts when choosing joint supplements are that a higher does is given for the first 4 to 6 weeks to build up the joint repair, then a maintenance dose afterwards, & also that it is the active ingredients & what they are combined with that make the supplements useful & accessible to the dog's body. It's no good buying high dose human grade glucosamine unless it is combined with certain other ingredients that render it able to be used by the dog's body & that these ingredients are "active".

I can't comment on other supplements like green lipped mussel, salmon oil, Ester-c etc but I don't think they'd do any harm. I am currently trying salmon oil & am considering the Ester-c as there seems to be anecdotal evidence that it is very effective.

I also can't comment on the use of prescription diets as I feed a BARF diet to my dogs & my vet said he agreed with this diet & didn't see any reason to change it.

I do wish your SIL & her dog all the best in managing the HD. I was quite upset when Barney was first diagnosed but, to be honest, I've now come to terms with it & he's still leading a normal & very active life .

Thank you all so much for your reply to my questions. I will send the link to my SIL so that she can read over them for herself and help her decide the best way forward for her GSD.

Much appreciate all your help!