Yumove, Glycoflex or Glucosamine/Chondroitin?

[moosemama]

Lurcherboy has been getting quite stiff after walks, mainly if he's been really active, doing lots of toy chasing and free running.

Yesterday he actually yelped mid-flight to catch his ball and kind of crumpled to the ground, then crawled over to me whimpering and lay there shaking for a couple of minutes. I checked him over and couldn't find any sore spots or tension anywhere, although when he got up he seemed slightly lame on his nearside hind. After a couple of minutes he seemed to loosen up again and charged off as if nothing had happened. He was then stiff again after he'd rested at home for a while and seemed very stiff last night.

We've had him checked over by the vet and she couldn't find anything wrong, so I'm thinking he might just need some joint/mobility support now he's getting a bit older (he'll be 8 later this year).

I was initially just going to go to Dorwest Herbs and buy some Glucosamine/Chondroitin, but keep seeing stuff online about how good the other two products are, but have managed to confuse myself reading all the reviews for both products.

I've also noticed there are three grades of Glycoflex. Having looked, I think he'd probably be a candidate for Glycoflex II?

Does anyone have any experience of using any of the above?

Any advice would be gratefully received.

[mistlethrush]

I've had 3 dogs on various different types of glucosamine/chondroitin and it helped them all with similar stiffening up - it particularly affected the dogs that had wanted to chase balls/frisbeeds compared to the one that just ran through hedges and ditches after things - I think it was the sudden bursts and changes in direction that were particularly damaging? Or perhaps it was that those two dogs were slightly larger than the 3rd so more affected? Anyway, thoroughly recommend it - and it can take up to about 6 wks before any result is really seen.

I would also consider stopping lots of really hard running after balls etc - just do a bit rather than trying to tire him out with that?

[moosemama]

Thanks mistlethrush.

We had leaned right off the ball chasing since I mentioned on the pointy thread that he'd seized up a couple of weeks back. He didn't do nearly as much as he used to yesterday, but then we got the yelp and the stiffening.

Just got back from an hour in the park with him and dd. This time we did 10 minutes of gently throwing the ball for him to retrieve, rather than using the flingnfetch, then dd had 15 minutes in the play area, while he had a lie down, then another 10 minutes ball chasing, followed by an off lead walk round the park with no charging about and the walk home. No yelping or limping today, so we'll see if he's less stiff as well.

There's definitely less twisting and pouncing and launching himself into mid-air if I just throw it for him, so I think you're onto something there.

It seems a shame, because he absolutely loves chasing his ball with the flingnfetch and we only bought it when we lost oldgirl, because he has no-one to play with on walks anymore. It does seem like he's going to have to do without it until the supplements have kicked in though. Hopefully he'll be feeling better by our summer holidays and then he can charge about on the beach to his heart's content.

Where do you buy your G/Ch from, if you don't mind me asking?

[1MitchellMum]

Yumove for us (including the human version for me!) Have you tried 'hidey ball' game which is less stressful on the joints?

[mistlethrush]

We got 'flexi paws' by post for our last dog - the previous ones were on the same as my parents for a while as it was very early on in them being considered suitable for animals and they were £££££££££ at the vets and you couldn't get a cheaper version. The vet said that hers would be better than the flexi paws - but as the flexi paws helped we didn't worry too much about going up a notch - we were getting close to that when she got bone cancer.

The first dog that we had on it went from being unable to reliably go on a walk without having to be carried home (collie cross - about 20kg so no mean feat) to being able to enjoy her walks again for a further 6 years - she thought that frisbees were wonderful when she saw my younger dog chasing them, so we let her do a very short run to another whilst we sent the younger dog on a long chase... sometimes its not the length of run, its just the fact that they're doing it it that's the important thing.

[moosemama]

Thanks MitchellMum, do you mean getting him to search for his ball? If so, yes, but being a lurcher, he wasn't very good at it! To be honest, he often loses the ball if he just drops it for a second and wanders off to sniff something. He's really a dog of very little brain - but lovely!

We do lots of clicker training in short bursts on our walks as well to keep him thinking, but if he sees a ball he can't think about anything else - not even liver cake will distract him. I've just bought some gluten free hotdogs, as he's never had them before and I'm hoping the novelty may renew his interest.

Maybe I should try the G/Ch first and see how that goes, then if there's little or no improvement try Yumove or Glycoflex?

[Scuttlebutter]

We've used Synoquin with good effect and both the boys are currently on it. One has arthritis and the other has an intermittent stiffness - certainly helps as a part of the overall package.

[EasyToEatTiger]

I know it's not a supplement, but our oldies have really benefited from Cartrophen injections. Our eldest improved masses and became much happier. I think she must have been in a lot of pain. I don't know much about the supplements although I have been told that different things work well for different dogs and that it's a matter of trying things out.

[moosemama]

Thanks for all the responses.

Synoquin seems to be the most expensive, then Glycoflex, then Yumove, then basic Glucosamine/Chondroitin, so I think I'll give the G/Ch a try in the first instance and see how it goes. If there's no improvement after 6 weeks, I'll try Yumove, as it's the next cheapest option and so on.

[tabulahrasa]

I do a delayed chase with mine... I make him wait, throw the ball then send him after it when it's landed. It stops that sudden jolting to try and catch it mid-air or the slamming to a stop when it lands.

[1MitchellMum]

Yes, either hiding ball, or as tabulahrasa says, make him wait, then send him (even if you have to hold his collar!)

Mine was on Synoquin to start with, then Noel Fitzpatrick approved Yumove instead. Join the Yumega club and you get a discount! They're very helpful if you want to call for info. Cartrophen is like a slow release glucosomine shot as far as I understand. Good luck!

[EasyToEatTiger]

Here is a link for Cartrophen cartrophen.com/index.html . I think we pay about £8/shot. I have heard other people pay much more so perhaps it's just our vet! I'm sure you'll find something that works for your boy!

[moosemama]

He's pretty good with the wait cue tabulahrasa, so that's a good idea. Thank you.

Thanks again all. I got information overload from Googling, so it's really helpful to hear what other people are doing.

[mistlethrush]

mistledog used to remind us to give her her pill in the evening as she had it wrapped in a curl of butter....

[moosemama]

[Madondogs]

What age would you start supplements ?
I have a 7 yr old goldie, not showing any signs of stiffness yet, but this is something I have been thinking about .

[moosemama]

Lurcherboy is 7 1/2 and has only just started showing signs of stiffness in the past month or so.

I wish I'd pre-empted it and started him on supplements sooner.

[mistlethrush]

I would say 7 / 8 would be sensible...

[EasyToEatTiger]

Oops We started our eldest, now 14, about 18 months ago. The next oldie, 13, is due for his 2nd lot of injections. The baby is now 3 and not lame.... We tried supplements with the oldies for about 6 months, but to date the injections have been most effective for both of them.

[mistlethrush]

Easy - I think it depends on when you started, how much your dog is affected etc etc... The injections are definitely good - a friend of mine had her lab done every month he was so stiff... however, I've found with 3 dogs that, for the degree of stiffness they had when we started them, the pills did a really good job (and were undoubtedly significantly less expensive than injections).