Are Tumeric and MSM safe to give a dog with arthritis?
My sister would like to know if it is safe to give these natural remedies to her aging dog. He does not cry out in pain but has trouble getting up at times. She is already giving him glucosamine and chondroitin. He has had surgery before and due to tht he cannot take certain medicines that would affect his liver and kidneys. The vet recommended these but she would like to know if anyone has used these and how well they work.
2012-05-25T18:44:29Z
@ Some should stick to pet rocks..Guess you don't comprehend what you read....I said it was her vet that recommended these remedies. She just wants to know if anyone has used them and if they work. The vet did not have any references of people that have used them. My sister wants to be sure before she tries them.
2012-05-25T18:45:44Z
@ Sisyphus...so you have used them and found they do not work?
2012-05-27T05:32:45Z
@ Goodmom...He has already been on the glucosamin and Chondroitin for a couple of years. She is just looking for something else that would help.
NewfieMom2012-05-25T19:35:01Z
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I actually give my dogs both of these supplements & have given them for years. Turmeric for it's anti-cancer & anti-inflammatory properties. I also give MSM as an anti-inflammatory, along with gluc/chond for joint support. I take glucosamine/chondroitin supplements along with turmeric.
Having said that, my dogs get human meds as they are all around 150 pounds (human size, lol).
Here's the opinion of another Vet as well: http://healthypets.mercola.com/groups/healthypets/forum/t/103655.aspx
Add-from a Dr. friend of mine : http://www.jfponline.com/Pages.asp?AID=9403 Colorado State University: http://csuvets.colostate.edu/pain/Articlespdf/TheBuzzAboutTurmeric.pdf
You should avoid BenGay at all costs, it is not an option as it will cause more harm than good. You and your dog would be better served checking with your vet. There are all kinds arthritis medications for dogs now and I don't think they're that expensive. There are many ways to ease his pain. Do a search on the Internet and it will give you many more options that are all better than BenGay.
sisyphus always has something negative to say, I got hit with it, too. I have found that when one lacks intelligence, they replace it with hostility.
I have my dog on a glucosamine / chondroitin mix. I found a blurb online they take a while to build up and be effective, and by adding a fish oil capsule to the diet they work it little faster and better. I tried it, I mean what could be healthier than fish oil? and it has helped immensely. I no longer hear my Gracies hips "pop". Good luck to you!!
I think her best bet would be to ask her vet about this. I would never trust strangers on line about meds and dosages. I know turmeric is good for humans but am not sure if a dog can safely ingest it. A quick call to the vet and she will get a safe answer.
Sorry, I thought you meant the vet recommended the glucosamine and chondroitin. My mistake.
Neither substance is likely to cause any health problems at low doses, but turmeric can have blood thinning effects at high doses. However, there is no solid evidence that they actually work. There have been no controlled studies on dogs for MSM and only one highly inconclusive trial on humans (using prohibitively expensive 6,000 mg doses). From Arthritis Today:
"Studies: A 2006 pilot study of 50 men and women with knee osteoarthritis showed that 6,000 mg of MSM improved symptoms of pain and physical function without major side effects. No large, well-controlled human studies have been performed."
For turmeric, a 2006 study suggested some benefit in humans but was also inconclusive. The main finding of the study was the need for further research. No studies have been done for dogs: