Glucosamine is a naturally occuring supplement used by both humans and pets to help aged or damaged joints in the body. As your pets age, they begin to run less and move slower. Arthritis, stiff joints, dysplasia, or osteoarthritis are some of the causes of this decline in activity. You may notice your dog runs slower than normal (or does not run at all), won’t or has trouble climbing stairs, or just becomes less mobile. All of this is because your pet is in pain; Glucosamine helps to ease the pain of your suffering pet.
Your pets’ joints are similar to your joints. Both have cartilage protecting the places where two bones meet–such as knees, elbows, and shoulders. The cartilage cushions the blows your joints take like shocks absorb the potholes and bumps your car takes. One element of cartilage is glycosaminoglycans, which help build the cartilage structure. Glucosamine helps your pet’s body produce glycosaminoglycans, which improves your pet’s cartilage. Though your dogs cannot return to the healthy body they once had as puppies, Glucosamine can help ease the pain of sore or arthritic joints, and also supplement the body to help rebuild some of the torn cartilage.
Some glucosamine contains Chondroitin Sulfate, which is produced by the body. Chondroitin Sulfate attracts water to the cartilage. The water then adds nutrition and elasticity to the joints. Chondroitin Sulfate slows down the destruction of cartilage and reduces swelling. Glucosamine can also contain MSM, which stands for methylsulfonylmethane. MSM is an anti-inflammatory and works better than aspirin. Glucosamine with Chondroitin Sulfate and MSM will help reduce the pain and inflammation in your pet’s joints.
Glucosamine is great for arthritic joints. Arthritis is painful both during movement and when being still. Joints are surrounded by synovial fluid, which is one element that helps rebuild cartilage. Glucosamine, along with the synovial fluid and other elements, rebuilds and maintains the cartilage. If your body is not producing enough Glucosamine, taking Glucosmine can even out the inequality.
In some cases, specifically Rheumatoid Arthritis, excessive amounts of synovial fluid can make the disease worse. With Rheumatoid Arthritis, the body produces more synovial fluid than needed, which can lead to extreme joint swelling. In this instance, the immune system itself is causing the problem, not poor joint alignment or stress. Glucosamine with Chondroitin and MSM can help to remedy the situation by providing the other elements needed to repair the joint.
Glucosamine cannot reverse the aging process, but it can help your pet’s body to rebuild injured cartilage and relieve pain. Accompanied with diet and exercise, glucosamine can improve your pet’s pain and joints. According to Dr. Melissa Tschegg, D.V.M. “You will begin noticing improvement in your dog’s mobility from the use of the glucosamine within approximately 4 weeks of consistent use.”
