A major problem with dogs, particularly larger breeds, is a predisposition to having bad hips, or hip dysplasia. This is a quite common problem with many animals, and unfortunately often goes undiagnosed. Recently our female GSD has been whimpering a lot when she would get out of her crate in the morning. Fearing what might be causing this pain we brought her to the vet.

Hoping it was nothing serious, I was a little upset when I found out that our 1 and a half year old female was showing early signs of hip dysplasia. Unfortunately this problem can occur at nearly any age, and often as young as 5 months or a pet could even live with it for years without showing signs.

The biggest problem with this malady, is that there really is not much of a cure, shy of hip replacement surgeries, which could be quite expensive. The general recommendation most vets will provide at this point is a combination of pain medications if needed, and some form of joint supplement regime for introducing glucosamine and chondroitin into your pets diet.

Being that I do not like to see my pets suffer in pain, I rushed out to my local pet store to see what was available for supplements in this category.

What we bought: Cosequin DS Chewable 120 Tablets

The Basics:

Cosequin DS Chewable Tablets for Dogs . Chewable beef and cheddar flavored tablets provide the raw materials (nutrients) the body uses to replenish the major components of articular cartilage matrix. Natural and safe, Cosequin DS was developed for long-term use.

Ingredients in Cosequin DS Chewable: glucosamine hcl, sodium chondroitin sulfate, microcrystalline cellulose, dextrose, xanthan gum, vegetable oil, artificial roast beef flavor, manganese ascorbate, salt, natural and artificial cheese flavor, mixed glycosaminoglycans, dried brewers yeast and natural garlic flavor.

Quanities Available of Cosequin DS Chewable : 120 Tablets

Our Results:

Following the dosage guide that is listed right on the bottle, our German shepherd of nearly 100 pounds was supposed to get 2 tablets in the morning and one in the evening for a few weeks or so. These tablets are quite savory to the dog, and feeding them to her was no problem whatsoever. In fact, they seem more like a tiny treat, as she was willing to sit, stay or just about anything to get them. (side note, why dog food can't taste this good, I will never know)

After a few days the whimpering lessened. In fact, it almost went unnoticed completely, as she was only whimpering early in the morning after being in bed all night and her playfulness had never truly been affected yet. However 120 tablets later, she has not showed any other signs of discomfort with her condition. Most noticeably is that she will now do the "long-dog" stretch out of both legs where she would not before.

Overall, I have seen what I believe to be an improvement. Even as the vet will specify, this issue can come and go, just like any arthritic problem. However, me personally, I saw how quickly she changed from whimpering, favoring one side and morning stiffness to no whining and better stretching and movement, I would tend to think that she is feeling much better. I will continue to use their suggested dosage recommendations (they have a maintenance dosage of about 1-2 tables every other day), and see how things continue. Look for future updates.