Virtually all veterinarians recommend supplements for personal protection dogs that contain glucosamine. This is particularly true if your dog is beginning to get a bit achy or stiff with arthritis.
The majority of animal doctors have products they want customers to purchase, such as Dasuquin or Cosequin supplements. If your pet is beginning to lose mobility and is showing signs of pain, your veterinarian may have even suggested an injectable form of glucosamine, such as Adequan. However, there are better ways to help increase your protection dog’s glucosamine levels.
Understanding Glucosamine
You may be looking for personal protection dogs for sale because your dog is getting older. However, whether you bring a new dog into your life or not, you probably have some questions about what glucosamine is and how it affects your pet’s system. Glucosamine is a substance comprised of two ingredients, which are an amino acid called glutamine, and glucose, which is the natural sugar your protection dog’s body produces.
Glucosamine is produced naturally by your dog’s own body as well, and it helps create the molecules that form the cartilage in his joints.
However, when your dog gets older, the cartilage wears out and joints stiffen up because your dog’s body is producing less glucosamine. This is why some people choose to give their personal protection dogs supplements containing this amino acid.
Below are the three common types of glucosamine supplements available on today’s market:
Glucosamine Sulfate
Glucosamine sulfate is the most common supplemental form of glucosamine. In addition, it is the one that has been researched the most thoroughly. Glucosamine sulfate is extracted from shellfish and synthetically produced in a laboratory. In addition to its primary ingredient, glucosamine sulfate also contains sulfur, which goes a long way toward helping repair and support cartilage.
Glucosamine Hydrochloride
Glucosamine Hydrochloride–also referred to as Glucosamine HCL–is extracted from the shells of certain fish as well; however, it does not contain sulfate. Although it has a higher concentration than the aforementioned glucosamine sulfate, studies have shown its effect on your protection dog’s joints is not as beneficial as glucosamine sulfate.
N-Acetyl-Glucosamine
N-Acetyl-Glucosamine–NAG–is a specific type of glucosamine derived from natural glucose found in the body. This kind of glucose is a precursor to an important component of the body’s synovial fluid called hyaluronic acid. Synovial fluid lubricates the joints and makes movement free and easy. NAG is used for both gastrointestinal issues and joint support.
What Glucosamine Does
Glucosamine contains anti-inflammatory properties and therefore is a highly popular joint supplement for both pets and humans. It has been shown to alleviate stiffness and joint pain and improve mobility when consumed on a regular basis.
Glucosamine and Synovial Fluid
When glucosamine is produced naturally in the joints, it is combined with collagen for the purpose of repairing cartilage. In healthy adults and pets, fully functioning cartilage is naturally spongy and flexible and therefore is easily able to absorb shock. Synovial fluid is a natural lubricant for the joints, and glucosamine plays a vital role in helping it to maintain its appropriate consistency. As dogs age, their bodies do not produce as much glucosamine as when they were younger, which eventually leads to cartilage deterioration, and ultimately less cushioning in the joints.
Additional Benefits of Glucosamine
Although glucosamine has a great reputation with regard to helping joints, what is often overlooked is that this substance is good for gut health as well. The kind of glucosamine that works best for digestion tract issues is NAG. This is because NAG specifically helps build connective tissue, and supports and repairs gastrointestinal mucous membrane.
Obviously, it is a wise course of action to increase your dog’s level of glucosamine as he ages. However, you may be wondering if it is necessary to purchase expensive brands from your veterinarian.
Synthetic Versus Natural Glucosamine
If you are searching for personal protection dogs for sale, you may also want to learn about natural versus synthetic glucosamine. Veterinary glucosamine supplements are typically quite costly, and most are not made from natural sources, but rather are synthetically produced. One negative issue associated with synthetic supplements is that your protection dog’s body may not recognize and absorb the supplements at the cellular level the same way it would if the glucosamine were coming from a natural source.
For example, if your dog is lacking glucosamine, his cellular receptor sites may initially respond well to supplements containing this amino acid. However, in the future, cell receptors will likely become clogged and then begin to function poorly. This means that your dog may feel terrific after starting a new synthetic supplement, but eventually, he will experience a return of the original symptoms.
Glucosamine In Dog Food
Certain commercial dog food brands claim to enhance joint support because they add glucosamine to their pet food formulas. However, you should beware of these claims, as the amount added to many of these brands is far less than the amount necessary to help your dog’s joints:
Approximately 1000 milligrams of glucosamine is the required amount for a dog that weighs about 50 pounds. Therefore, if you purchased Kibbles dog food with glucosamine, your 50-pound dog would have to eat approximately 20 cups of food per day to get the required amount of this substance, which is obviously not an option.
Ultimately, feeding your dog whole foods that are rich in glucosamine is the best way to ensure that he absorbs adequate amounts of the substance.
Foods With Glucosamine
Foods that naturally contain glucosamine make the latter more “bioavailable” than the glucosamine added to commercial dog foods or found in supplements.
If you choose to use supplements, give your protection dog approximately 500 mg of the substance per day for every 25 pounds of body weight. If you are feeding your dog glucosamine-rich foods, simply feed him the foods on a regular basis without overfeeding, and the appropriate amount should be absorbed. For maximum nutritional benefits, always give your dog raw food and never feed him cooked bones of any kind.
The best natural sources of glucosamine for your personal protection dogs include the following:
• Trachea
• Chicken Feet
• Oxtails Or Pig Tails
• Beef Knuckle Bones
• Shellfish Shells
• Green-Lipped Mussels
• Bone Broth
Ginger, turmeric, and blueberries are also good sources of glucosamine. With ginger and turmeric, choose a supplement made specifically for dogs. If you choose to feed your dog blueberries, just a handful is plenty for him to absorb an adequate amount of the nutrient. Natural sources of glucosamine are better for your dog and ultimately offer the highest number of benefits.
