# Is there any chance Dr. Franks Joint Relief will help my dog?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 1, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541 "2009-07-01T01:56:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/1 "2009-07-01T01:56:04Z")
My poor 17-year-old Beagle has terrible stiffness/pain in one of his shoulders. My vet tried two different prescriptions, but neither helped. I saw an ad for [Dr. Frank’s Joint Pain Relief](https://www.mypetspainrelief.net/?utm_source=mpprdirect&utm_medium=tv&utm_campaign=mppr_split&source=mpprdirect), and wonder if might help him. Normally, I would scoff at stuff like this, but I really hurt for my buddy, and am willing to try just about anything.
What say you?
MODS: feel free to move this to whatever forum is most appropriate.
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### Author:  [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/2 "2009-07-01T02:06:20Z")
No. There is no chance. It is homepathic which means that there is a fair chance that most doses do not contain _even one molecule_ of active ingredient.
There are non prescription, proven effective treatments for joint pain (such as Glucosamine) that you might want to look into and discuss with your vet. You can also ask him about MSM or Yucca (to my knowledge the literature on effectiveness is considerably less for these). Most muscle and joint issues can be improved with cold packs as well, if he’ll let you.
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### Author:  [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/3 "2009-07-01T02:49:53Z")
My vet recommended glucosamine for my poor (young) dog with two bad shoulders. It did not cure him, of course, but it did make an obvious difference in his pain levels.
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### Author:  [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/4 "2009-07-01T06:07:19Z")
So tell me about glucosamine. Is it solid or liquid? Something I would have to force down his throat, or would he eat it voluntarily? Is it available packed inside a tasty treat? Boomer loves his treats …
I have been asked if I have tried baby aspirin with him. I don’t know how the hell I would get it down him without adversely affecting our relationship to a very large extent.
(FTR, my current vets are a husband and wife team, plus an unrelated second woman. The most recent to have seen him are the two women.
An unrelated semi-humorous story: when one of them sees him for the first time in a while, they spend a \*\*lot \*\*of time listening to his heart. They mention that he has a heart murmur, so I remind them that he is 17, and they say “Oh well, never mind”.)
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### Author:  [@valleyofthedolls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/valleyofthedolls)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/5 "2009-07-01T06:44:46Z")
Purely anecdotal but one of my dogs had fairly bad arthritis in her later years. I started giving her an EFA supplement for general health reasons and noticed a definite improvement in her walking/running abilities after giving her the supplement for about a month.
It wasn’t a miracle cure by any means but it was very helpful especially since Glucosamine didn’t work for her.
Also, have you thought about Rimadyl? I know it’s tough on a dog’s liver but a lot of dogs have a real improvement in their quality of life while on it.
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### Author:  [@TastesLikeBurning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TastesLikeBurning)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/6 "2009-07-01T06:51:52Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#):
>
> So tell me about glucosamine. Is it solid or liquid? Something I would have to force down his throat, or would he eat it voluntarily? Is it available packed inside a tasty treat? Boomer loves his treats …
>
> I have been asked if I have tried baby aspirin with him. I don’t know how the hell I would get it down him without adversely affecting our relationship to a very large extent.
> (FTR, my current vets are a husband and wife team, plus an unrelated second woman. The most recent to have seen him are the two women.
>
> An unrelated semi-humorous story: when one of them sees him for the first time in a while, they spend a \*\*lot \*\*of time listening to his heart. They mention that he has a heart murmur, so I remind them that he is 17, and they say “Oh well, never mind”.)
While I can’t comment on its effectiveness because we started giving it to our dogs before they developed problems, we give them fish oil capsules and [Joint Guard](http://www.jointguard.com.au/)every day. Both of our dogs are very active (ages 7 and 11) and seem to suffer no ill effects from taking it, so it may be worth trying on Boomer.
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### Author:  [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/7 "2009-07-01T13:46:35Z")
I was perusing the supplement section today and found [I flex](http://www.amazon.com/i-Flex-Litozin-iFlex-Danish-Capsules/dp/B001OHSSFM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1246455882&sr=1-2), for joints.
Thought I would mention it.
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### Author:  [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/8 "2009-07-01T14:35:05Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#):
>
> I have been asked if I have tried baby aspirin with him. I don’t know how the hell I would get it down him without adversely affecting our relationship to a very large extent.
Some manufacturers make chewable baby aspirin in fruit flavors. Plus they’re tiny, so you could try packing one of the flavored kind in a treat and see if he’ll eat it. Also, there are treats specifically designed to be “pill pouches” that may be useful for this.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/9 "2009-07-01T15:26:53Z")
Vets have [Cosequin](http://www.nutramaxlabs.com/products/animal/cosequin/cosequin_dog_FAQ.asp) and [Dasuquin](http://www.nutramaxlabs.com/products/animal/dasuquin/dasuquin_FAQ.asp) for dogs. It’s a formulation of glucosamine that seems to come in a chewable tablet (meat flavored, I assume). Your vet can prescribe it. If those aren’t what your vet prescribed, they’re worth trying out. It did wonders for our cat almost immediately.
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### Author:  [@StinkyBurrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StinkyBurrito)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/10 "2009-07-01T15:36:13Z")
Try [Acti-Flex](http://www.coxvetlab.com/products/acti-flex4000.htm). It is made for horses, but I have seen it used with great success on dogs.
A friend of mine was considering putting her dog down until she found Acti-Flex. We both saw a dramatic improvment in the dog’s mobility.
She just mixed the liquid with Fruit Loops and fed it to the dog who gobbled it up.
It’s expensive, though, and she has to drive out to farm country to get it, but I think it is worth a try. Maybe it can be mail ordered.
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### Author:  [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/11 "2009-07-01T16:43:14Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#):
>
> No. There is no chance. It is homepathic which means that there is a fair chance that most doses do not contain _even one molecule_ of active ingredient.
>
> There are non prescription, proven effective treatments for joint pain (such as Glucosamine) that you might want to look into and discuss with your vet. You can also ask him about MSM or Yucca (to my knowledge the literature on effectiveness is considerably less for these). Most muscle and joint issues can be improved with cold packs as well, if he’ll let you.
Glucosamine hasn’t been proven more effective than a placebo, there are conflicting studies. There’s also plenty of anecdotal evidence that homeopathic treatment is effective.
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### Author:  [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/12 "2009-07-01T17:38:37Z")
We used [Synflex](http://www.synflexamerica.com/) for our arthritic shepherd/lab mix Scout for 3½ years. She was on Rimadyl, an anti-inflammatory, as well, but the combo seemed to help her a lot. Sometimes it seemed like she forgot she was an old lady and would just about pull my arm out of the socket on walks.
It’s a liquid and comes in beef flavor for dogs. We used to mix it in a little milk every day, and she lapped it right up. They say you can also pour it over their food. We didn’t because she was an irregular and light eater, but the milk always went down for sure.
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### Author:  [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/13 "2009-07-01T19:02:34Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#):
>
> Glucosamine hasn’t been proven more effective than a placebo, there are conflicting studies. There’s also plenty of anecdotal evidence that homeopathic treatment is effective.
There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that doing a rain dance makes it rain. So?
Hint: the placebo effect doesn’t work well on dogs.
Glucosamine can be purchased as a pill, as a powder, and sometimes as a liquid. I don’t believe it has a strong taste (the powder is easily mixed into wet food.) The Cosequin product made for horses and the product made for dogs is identical, except that the product made for horses is cheaper by volume. You can buy cosequin powder at:
> **[SmartEquine Horse Supplements, Health & Wellness Solutions](https://www.smartpakequine.com/)**
>
> SmartEquine is the premier online provider of horse supplies and equine supplements.
They also have a canine line, in case you’re like to compare other brands or try the flavored dog chews.
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### Author:  [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/14 "2009-07-01T19:26:04Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#):
>
> Hint: the placebo effect doesn’t work well on dogs.
I don’t disagree with your other points, but note that placebo effect is known to work well on dog _owners_, who are the ones reporting effects.
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### Author:  [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/15 "2009-07-01T19:29:03Z")
> [@emmaliminal](#):
>
> I don’t disagree with your other points, but note that placebo effect is known to work well on dog _owners_, who are the ones reporting effects.
True. I wasn’t thinking about that, but you’re right.
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### Author:  [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2009, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/16 "2009-07-02T00:55:47Z")
If the pain is such that a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement isn’t enough - such as the joint has really worn all the way to the bone - ask your vets about Adequan injections.
It’s way better than Rimadyl, there’s a ramp-up period where they’re given more often to begin with, but for long-term the injections are only needed once every 3 weeks or so. I work more with cats, so maybe it’s different for dogs, but it’s something worth looking into. Vast, vast, improvements!
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### Author:  [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/17 "2009-07-02T01:32:41Z")
Way back when, my German Shephard, Ogie, was having joint issues. He was doing that bouncy springy step thing, followed by a whimper, whenever he walked.
The vet told us before we medicated him, to try making him some food for a few weeks. Vet did it for his own larger dogs who had similar issues and they got much better without medicine. Let me tell ya, within a week, the dog was fine. I’m not pretending this will work in every case and maybe he was a furry anomoly, but hey, what not try?
I’m sure somebody here could find some ways to improve the recipe, so totally suggest away!
Anyway, cook up a bunch of brown rice, ground beef (you can get the cheap stuff- the vet told us back then that the fat was good for the dog in moderation), carrots (good for coats and eyes), and- most important- broccoli. The vet said the broccoli was the ingredient that really helped the joints, the other stuff just had other good effects.
We would keep this doggie stew in a big pot in the 'fridge all week and just mix a scoop or two in with the kibble we fed him every day. If we had extra veggies around that were ok for doggie, we’d toss those in, too. Same thing with left over meat.
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### Author:  [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/18 "2009-07-02T03:48:25Z")
You know, I did a fair amount of research when my puppy was diagnosed with elbow dysplasia, and it’s coming back to me now.
Unfortunately, they don’t quite have elbow of shoulder replacements available yet (and you probably wouldn’t give one to a 17 year old anyway), but pet physical therapy is pretty widely available these days. The place a few towns over from me offers massage, water therapy, and acupuncture. I’d guess that these sorts of treatments might not be cheap, but it may be worth looking into, just in case. YouTube also has instructional videos for both the massage and acupuncture, but I’m not sure how comfortable I’d be doing the latter myself.
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### Author:  [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/19 "2009-07-02T03:59:52Z")
[Here’s](http://landofpuregold.com/challenge-physical.htm) one listing, but you might want to google for your local area as well.
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### Author:  [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2009, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-dr-franks-joint-relief-will-help-my-dog/501541/20 "2009-07-02T04:15:33Z")
> [@valleyofthedolls](#):
>
> Purely anecdotal but one of my dogs had fairly bad arthritis in her later years. I started giving her an EFA supplement for general health reasons and noticed a definite improvement in her walking/running abilities after giving her the supplement for about a month.
>
> It wasn’t a miracle cure by any means but it was very helpful especially since Glucosamine didn’t work for her.
>
> Also, have you thought about Rimadyl? I know it’s tough on a dog’s liver but a lot of dogs have a real improvement in their quality of life while on it.
EFA?
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