The Truth About Glucosamine in Kibble

[DeeDee]

From Dog's Naturally Magazine:


http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/glucosamine-does-your-joint-support-kibble-stand-up/?inf_contact_key=0dd0974a3f1728d05afc08d4189b82fc9dda15de25fccbac62c56381d0cb54e8

They took trips around to different stores and here are some of their findings:

We decided to head to the most popular spot first, the big box store/supermarket.

So if our average 50 pound dog needs 1000mg of glucosamine per day, we would have to feed that dog over 29 cups of big box store pet food each and every day to meet his needs!

Here’s what we found: the wholesale club Healthy Joints Aid food that we bought claimed, “Natural sources of glucosamine to help support healthy joints, cartilage and mobility in Large Breed Adult dogs.” The guaranteed analysis read: Glucosamine, minimum 375 mg/kg. This means our same 50 pound dog would have to eat over 23 cups per day!

The high-end kibble we bought at the pet shop claimed: “Contains guaranteed levels of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.” The guaranteed analysis read: glucosamine, minimum 500 mg/kg. Again, we would need almost 18 cups in order to reach 1000mg. And this was in an $80 bag of kibble!

Last but not least, we figured our local veterinarian brand would save us. To put this last hope to the test, we purchased a $120 bag of kibble. This had to work, right? The bag claimed that it will “help alleviate pain and improve joint support”. The guaranteed analysis read: glucosamine hydrochloride minimum 950mg/kg.

This was by far the highest level in all of the bags we’d tested, but was it enough?

Alas, 950mg per 8.8 cups would mean our 50 pound dog would need over nine cups a day to receive the 1000mg of glucosamine needed. According to this product’s manufacturer, we should only feed 3 ½ cups a day, meaning our pooch would only receive 377mg of glucosamine a day. This is a far reach from our desired amount of 1,000mg.

Yeah. Just another rip-off from food companies.

[The Kittens]

Actually, its not the petty foodie companies, they put the information, per say, on the bag.....its the uneducated and actually, stupid, consumer, who blindly buys any product, based solely on the commercials or pretty pictures on the product.....the big P comes to mind first.

The average consumer, has not a clue, how much glucosamine or chondroitin, their dog needs, or doesn't need, or what it actually is, and even worse, what it is supposed to do, or even if their dog needs it.

The bag clearly states how much per kg, how many petty parents actually took the time to figure it out. Its the same with any supplement. One has to know, what they are treating for.

How many of us, used to feed the "stuff" in the grocery store, before we starting doing the research, into what those ingredients actually were, most of us did out of necessity.  The key to that, was education, we educated each other about the evils of grain and by products in pet foods, and we helped other pet parents, who had issues, due to what they were feeding.

We are a strong force, and the pet food companies fear us, yes....they do. The evidence is clear. In the last few years, how many of those companies, came out with grain free foods.  Because of the Menu Foods  saga of 2007, and the force of pet parents, now we see recalls, when there is a issue.  There is a certain pet food company that stays in line, because....they know, what I will do, what I can do, and what I have done and I got way....too many powerful people behind me.  They don't want to be the next Menu Foods saga.

Its not the pet food companies, its the pet parents, that need to continue, to read the ingredients, do the research, know and understand, what they need to feed, and/or supplement, and EXACTLY WHY, and to continue to help and educate other pet parents.

You don't see this crapola happening in the horse world. Why? Because there are way way too many very expensive show horses out there, worth hundreds of thousands of dollors. There are way way too many very knowledgeable and very powerful trainers out there. Horse show owners, taking on the "big boys" is takin your life in your hands.

Some sick pet dogs and kitties, not much happens, come up with one sick very expensive show horse, just one, those "big boys" will own that company....tomorrow.

Horse show people keep those horse feed companies in line, us pet parents are starting too, we have put a dent in it, we need to continue to.

   
     

[DeeDee]

The key to that, was education, we educated each other about the evils of grain and by products in pet foods, and we helped other pet parents, who had issues, due to what they were feeding.

My main issue is with all the vets that continue to spew the garbage about the wonders of that trash. Nothing gets my dander up faster than a vet that makes me want to bang my head against a hard surface. Especially the ones that refuse to look at foods as the problem when health issues crop up in pets.

Sick pet? Let's just change formulas that still have the same poisons in it. Who cares? It's more money for us.

[CarnivorousCritter]

^ BLATANT malpractice & fraud, anyone?   


(Oh no, that would be vet "bashing"). 

[The Kittens]

The difference is, horse vets don't sell horse feed.

Small animal vets, like cat and dog vets, sell cat and dog food.
 
THATS, the problem!

I know, for a fact, what they pay for the foodies, and I know, for a fact, what they charge, the markup is like 300%, ballpark. So its in their interest, to push the foods, the big H. They are making money on it. Yes, in some cases, the prescription foodies, do help, but in most cases, they just contribute, to the problem, which......back to the vetty, and more money spent.

No, not every dog and cat vet, but a good majority of them. My own vet does, and when I had issues, she told me, she is supposed to push the prescription foods, but, Bump's cardiologist, said....GRAIN FREE FOODIES. So, she asked her other clients......on the sly.

It goes back to education.

Petty parents gotta do the research, and most importantly, they gotta start reading what the ingredients on the bag.

Dog and cat vets, get NO nutrition education in vet school.  Horse vets get NO nutrition education.

The difference is, show horse people, the owners, the trainers, KNOW E-ZACK-LEE, what their horses need.

Think any of these horses, from the AQHA (Quarter Horse) World Show, first one is the Top Mare, get fed, junky, garbage food, from the grocery store, or horse feed, that has meat in it???

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=Ajm3R6MksZaGyBu6rVJhKw6bvZx4?fr=yfp-t-306-s&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&p=aqha%20world%20show

These horses are worth, hundreds of thousands of dollors, and these owners, are in the Jerry Jones catagory, aka, "the big boys", horse feed companies, cater.....to them.  If they can't produce a quality grain, then they will go somewhere else, and the other owners and trainers, will all know about the poor quality feed, today. Your talking a very very lot of money, these people spend on horse grain and horse supplements, the pet food companies, wouldn't even, consider, taking them on.  So it is in the horse feeds companies, best interest, to produce the best horse grain they can.

If only pet parents, acted the same way, we can, we have a foothold, now, its education.

       

[DeeDee]

No, not every dog and cat vet, but a good majority of them. My own vet does, and when I had issues, she told me, she is supposed to push the prescription foods, but, Bump's cardiologist, said....GRAIN FREE FOODIES. So, she asked her other clients......on the sly.

There's one in the boys' office that pushes that garbage. Tried to tell me that I had no idea what I was doing feeding them raw anything.

Also tried to tell me that I knew nothing about animal hormones. Pffffffft. Tried to tell me she'd never heard of neutering contributing to cancer & etc, that I was listing. Offered to send her my research. Of course she didn't want it.

They're going to have to be REALLY sick, and have no on else in the office, before we see her again.

[CarnivorousCritter]

Malpractice & fraud, anyone?