# Glucosamine for dogs **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 4, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168 "2010-08-04T17:08:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/1 "2010-08-04T17:08:13Z")
We have started our Yellow Lab on glucosamine. We bought the first batch from the vet who informed us that most dogs ate that brand like treats. My dog hates them. They are made from green-lipped mussels and smell like seafood. As the pills are moderately expensive I was wondering if anyone knows that name of a brand of Glucosamine that dogs actually like. If you recommend something and my dog does not like them I will not blame you. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/2 "2010-08-04T17:42:56Z")
No alternate suggestions, sorry. But, how are you giving the pill to your dog? Are you familiar with giving a pill to a dog by sorta popping it into the back of the mouth and then stroking the throat to force the dog to swallow? With this method, the dog won’t even taste the pill (useful for things that aren’t meant to be chewed). Another option is to put the pill into a tasty wrapper. You can buy treats that are designed to hold pills, or you can push the pill into a piece of bread or cheese or even meat. Most dogs happily snarf down a perceived treat, pill or no. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/3 "2010-08-04T17:52:10Z")
We have not tried the method that you suggested. For something that we need to give her every day we would prefer to find something that we can just throw in the food bowl. We have embedded them in her favorite food, roasted chicken. She takes the chunk of chicken, and instead of snarfing it down she daintily chews on it and spits out the pill. Same with donuts, bread, and peanut butter. She does not like cheese. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/4 "2010-08-04T18:03:26Z")
I just was told this morning to get glucosamine for my dog (the vet didn’t recommend a brand). I checked [1800petmeds.com](http://1800petmeds.com) and [these chews](http://www.1800petmeds.com/Super+Joint+Enhancer+Soft+Chews-prod278144.html) look mighty tasty. For the record…my dog normally can eat her heartworm pills with no issue (they’re flavored) but lately she’s been turning her nose up at them. I think she just is holding out for something yummier. Usually I give her non-chewable pills wrapped in peanut butter (Trader Joe’s natural peanut butter if you can manage it - no weird ingredients). Now with her chewable pill, I just put a smidge of PB on it and gave it to her, and she ate the whole thing without simply licking the PB off and spitting out the pill. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/5 "2010-08-04T18:27:33Z")
The secret to pilling a dog is not the food treat you disguise the pill inside – we use peanut butter, which ours are nuts for – but the ADDITIONAL treat that follows hard on the heels of the first one with the pill. Make sure the dog knows you have both treats (or in our case, a wad of peanut butter on two fingers). Let him or her get excited. Give the dog the first treat with the pill inside – then IMMEDIATELY present the _second_ treat with excitement. Typically, the dog with wolf down item #1 to make room for item #2 without carefully rolling it around in the mouth and finding the pill. Done right, the dog won’t even know a nasty medicine was involved, and will instead assume this Good Thing happens every day at about the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/6 "2010-08-04T18:31:53Z")
I have a cat, but I buy the Cosequin powder, and sprinkle it on the wet food, or a mushy treat like the (human) baby food made of meat. Probably the best place I’ve found as far as price, selection and service to buy is Smartpak ([smartpakcanine.com](http://smartpakcanine.com)). I used them all the time for my horse supplies, when I had them, and they were great. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/7 "2010-08-04T19:09:57Z")
My wife and Lab both took Solgar brand Glucosamine and Condroitin pills. The wife took them plain and the Lab got his in some cream cheese. Neither one complained at all. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/8 "2010-08-04T19:35:00Z")
We have two little (~10lb) dogs that get glucosamine, which we buy capsule form. They also get coprophagia (i.e., no, no, bad dog, don’t eat your poop) tablets. We mix the powder with a small jar of baby food, then give them each 1/2 tsp. with their meal. One batch usually lasts about 2 weeks. PITA to crush up the tablets, but the dogs love it and it’s worth the small amount of effort. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/9 "2010-08-04T20:41:06Z")
This works great for all our dogs, past and present: [http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11232670&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|48025&N=4013937&Mo=64&No=2&Nr=P\_CatalogName:BC&cat=48086&Ns=P\_Price|1||P\_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav=](http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11232670&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC%7C48025&N=4013937&Mo=64&No=2&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=48086&Ns=P_Price%7C1%7C%7CP_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav=) It’s liver flavored and we just drop it in the bowl. I’ve never had one pass it up. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/10 "2010-08-04T20:45:58Z")
Our old dog had no problem eating Glucosamine, but near the end of his life he had to take some pills he didn’t like nearly that much. We attached it inside a piece of meat with some peanut butter, and then held his mouth shut and massaged his throat until he swallowed it. He was half border collie, so trying to trick him about anything was futile. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/11 "2010-08-04T20:55:16Z")
My dog gets monthly injections of [Adequan](http://www.adequancanine.us/). ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/12 "2010-08-04T21:05:50Z")
I give Cosequin to my dog and she eats the pills like treats. She’s excited to take them. But I’m thinking of switching to a generic brand (21st Century) because it’s nearly half the price for the same amount of pills. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/13 "2010-08-04T21:43:01Z")
We gave our shepherd/lab mix [Syn-Flex](http://www.synflexamerica.com/pet/index.php) liquid glucosamine for about 4 years. We got a little bowl and every morning we’d mix the Syn-Flex in a little bit of milk and she’d lap it all right up. It even comes in meat flavor. They say to put it on the dog’s food, but we used the milk because Scout had a light appetite and didn’t always eat all of her food. $30 for a 3-month supply (for a 60-pound dog). Usual disclaimers apply. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/14 "2010-08-04T22:02:05Z")
[http://www.rascalspetsuppliescalgary.com/products.php?categoryid=19](http://www.rascalspetsuppliescalgary.com/products.php?categoryid=19) Nupro powder in the silver container. This is what the local police dogs get, so we started using it for our dogs and it made a huge difference in the older dogs joints. It is expensive initially but lasts a long time. Sprinkle it over hot-water soaked kibble and it makes a delicious gravy that the dogs love. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/15 "2010-08-04T22:59:59Z")
I’m not sure the supplement works but if you want a dog to take a pill of any size, try salmon flavored cream cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glucosamine-for-dogs/549168/16 "2010-08-04T23:42:23Z")
I just give my dog the liquid glucosamine that I take myself from Costco. She usually whines about wanting to lick our plates when we are done eating, which I let her do provided I spill some glucosamine on it first. Knowing there is ‘people food’ crumbs on the plate, however few, is enough to get her to lap up everything, though I admit it comes at the cost of having a dog that is a beggar now.