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Do any of you suggest adding joint suppliments to their puppy/dog's diet? It was recommended to me at PetSmart today but thought I'd ask before investing...

Thanks !

I discussed this with my breeder who recommends the glucosamine supplents (Synovi G3 or similar) in older dogs. The amount of glucosamine/chondroitin contained in quality dry food is plenty for dogs not suffering from joint discomfort.

She does however recommend that puppies and adults be given 1 Ester C tablet per day and 1 fish oil capsule per day. Further and very importantly she recommends Osteoform be started when the pup reaches 4 months (which is approximately the age that they start teething) as the teething process will pull the calcium out of their system which they need for bone develpment during this vital growth stage. She recommends continuing this regimen until 10 months of age. Then the Osteoform is discontinued at 10 months but the Ester C and fish oil are lifelong supplements and we get ours at Costco.

We fed Kahless on the Inova Large Breed Puppy until about 9 months and then switched over to the Inova LB adult. His kibble is always supplemented with one of the following freshly cooked chicken, eggs and/or veggies. Or sometimes a combination just to keep things interesting.

He turned out very well on this program. I hope this helps.

I would check with your vet before giving calcium supplements to a giant breed puppy. From what I understand, too much calcium may be a cause of some bone/growth disorders.

"...calcium excess is a major causative or contributing factor in the pathogenesis of skeletal disease in the growing giant-breed dog." from: https://www.msu.edu/~silvar/hips.htm

I asked my vet about this the other day and he said that I shouldn't add a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement for a puppy. He said this is because it won't change the chemical makeup and predispositions of the pup. If Brooklyn is going to have hip/joint issues early on, there is nothing but a decent food that I can do to help him. I agree to put older mastiffs on supplements, though. I used Cosequin DS for my 4-6 year old mastiff.

Good luck.