Quote:
Originally Posted by gracielove  The use of supplements and what they accomplish is often misunderstood. They are not pain relievers. They are "supplements" that help keep tissues strong. Inflammation often destroys the tissues of the body. Supplements can help slow down the degeneration process. It is not something you can feel or see. Supplements help support the health of particular parts of the body.
Animals that are born with deformity of the joints need those connective tissues to stay healthy because when they start to wear with age the deformed joint is not going to have that connective tissue that it has depended on to support it. As the tissue wears away the animal has more difficulty walking and the rubbing of bone on bone becomes more painful.
I had a dog with severe hip dysplasia. We didn't discover it until he was 7 years old. We got him on better food and supplements and he improved quite a bit but it took time. He did very well until he was quite aged. The longer you can fend off that degeneration process the better. |
I know exactly what supplements do. I also know the effect is not immediate...I took them for almost two years and they did nothing to slow the progression of my knee issues. So, I stand by what I have said...not for me or my pups. I based that decision on my own experience and the opinion of a board certified vet surgeon.
My pup with severe hip dysplasia had surgery...I did not choose to make her wait to see if a supplement would fix it. At the point that a pup has severe hip dysplasia there is nothing to fend off. She was in pain or I would not have known that she even had it...so she had surgery immediately. She still has it in the other hip but nothing is going to fix it .. it is not causing issues now but if it does, surgery it will be.
We each must do what we feel is best for our pups. Not saying it is wrong to use these supplements...just saying that I have made a decision based on the knowledge that I have not to use them.