# Single most important ....



## bully4life (Aug 9, 2010)

What do you feel is the single most important supplement you give your dog. Fish oil, vitamins, joint support ...etc etc


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

A well rounded raw diet shouldn't need any kind of supplements at all, particularly for a healthy animal. Especially if you're feeding adequate variety and/or a reasonable chunk of the diet is pasture raised/ wild. Those food sources are going to provide everything a carnivore needs. 
For a raw feeder feeding exclusively factory farmed meat, and not able to provide a lot of fish, I think fish oil is a good idea, though. I'm certainly not against supplementing, but the absorption rate of synthetic vitamins is so low they're a waste of money in most cases.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I do joint support for my old gal Emmy who has horrid hips. 

Salmon oil because...well my dogs like it, even though we feed enough healthy fats :thumb:


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## FBarnes (Feb 17, 2013)

I don't feed supplements either. I have tried some here and there, like coconut oil, but I can't tell any difference. I try to feed raw anchovies and sardines to make up for the fact that I don't feed 100% pasture raised animals, but I believe an animal is 100% complete for a dog.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I'd have to second what Linsey and Natalie said. Right now I do some supplementation for my Cayenne but those won't be permanent


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

We do oils on all the dogs. The only one getting a real supplement is my ten year old (green lipped mussel)as she is starting to ache if she plays too hard. I do not supplement just to supplement.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

that's a hard one to answer. i feed what i consider to be an appropriate diet.
i have an old lady who gets joint support in the form of connectin.

i have a pug who gets probiotics at the moment, as he is suffering from beta hemolytic strep, a.pyogenes and yeast. unfortunately he is on antibiotics.

all three get salmon oil, along with fish and they eat fish. and all three get green lipped mussel for overall joint health....even the wee one.

so, about the only one i don't do would be vitamins.....so i didn't vote....

we also don't supplement just to supplement. it wholly depends on the dog's needs.


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

Just oil, we do about 90% of our dog and weasels diet wild venison, so it's as natural as can be, but for the the times we are low on fatty cuts we do fish oil.


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## Gally (Jan 28, 2012)

We don't supplement anything right now. When Gally is older (he's just shy of 2 years now) I would considering joint supplements but would try to find diet additions rather than pill supplements. If I didn't have access to lots of oily fish I would do fish oil too but as it stands I don't think it's necessary with his current diet.


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## Losech (Jul 10, 2012)

Fish oils for omega 3's. I would have voted for joint stuff as second, but that only pertains to Conker, not the Girls. He's got bad knees. Vitamins... No, they get plenty of those from the food.


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## shellbell (Sep 24, 2011)

I think it depends on the dog and if there are any specific issues needing supplementation, as to what the most important would be. I give Tux Antronex by Standard Process for his allergies, I get it from our holistic vet. So that is pretty important for him. I also give everyone garlic daily to keep fleas and especially ticks today. Having a dog who has tested positive for a tick disease, I feel the garlic is SUPER important for everyone. 

I also agree with the others on the importance of fish oil if mainly grocery store meat is being fed.


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## bett (Mar 15, 2012)

where do you get the green lipped mussel and which one?


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

bett said:


> where do you get the green lipped mussel and which one?


You can get it from Hare Today, but us here got it from our raw feeding co-op. It is stinky stuff


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

I get it from our co-op. It is New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel, human grade.


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## Fundog (Oct 25, 2012)

"Other." I am giving Annie yucca root capsules for her chronic arthritis pain relief. I also combine a couple other herbs (burdock root and feverfew) to improve the effectiveness of the yucca root. It helps. She's not as "gimpy." She gets these every day.

So herbal supplements are important to my dog's diet.


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## monster'sdad (Jul 29, 2012)

Liz said:


> I get it from our co-op. It is New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel, human grade.


Don't get caught up in someone's claim that one GLM is human grade and one is not. GLM in particular is highly regulated and produced by only a handful of companies in NZ under license from the government. It is likely that most of the "brands" you see on the internet all come from one producer. That is typically how supplements work, most companies buy bulk products and just bottle them.

It is most effective when paired with a fiber.

Of all the joint products, Perna or GLM has been proven to work and work well, from people to dogs to guinea pigs.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Fundog said:


> "Other." I am giving Annie yucca root capsules for her chronic arthritis pain relief. I also combine a couple other herbs (burdock root and feverfew) to improve the effectiveness of the yucca root. It helps. She's not as "gimpy." She gets these every day.
> 
> So herbal supplements are important to my dog's diet.


you find the three ingredients combined help? 

currently, my old girl is on connectin by in clover and green lipped mussel from new zealand.....

as she gets older, i think i might need something more than what i'm giving her.....may i ask how you came by this combo? just asking. not critiquing.


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## kathylcsw (Jul 31, 2011)

I don't use any supplements. I feed primarily deer or local beef and pork that is, at least, partially grass fed. I also feed fish a few times per month. They are too young to have joint problems so need for any of that.


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

I also do it based on the individual dog's needs. 

They all get fish oil because we don't have access to fish whenever we need it and I don't have enough room to store enough fish to get me from one co-op order to the next.

Dude will be ten this November and ate Pedigree for the first 7.5 years of his life. He didn't have the healthiest start and I don't know if his joints would be any better had he not eaten crap and spent the majority of his time on concrete but his hips and especially elbows or "wrists" tend to bother him a bit after a long day or rough play with the whippersnappers. It provides him with obvious relief and allows him to keep up with and, often, outdo them.

Buck gets coconut oil during the warmer months because he spends so much time in the salt water and it can dry out his coat and skin a bit.

Iorveth just gets the fish oil.


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## Fundog (Oct 25, 2012)

magicre said:


> you find the three ingredients combined help?
> 
> currently, my old girl is on connectin by in clover and green lipped mussel from new zealand.....
> 
> as she gets older, i think i might need something more than what i'm giving her.....may i ask how you came by this combo? just asking. not critiquing.



Yep, it sure seems to be helping. : ) I ordered these herbs online from an herbal store (Puritan's Pride), but you really can get them almost anywhere. I actually ordered each herb separately, in capsules, so I have more control of the dosage and balance. I got them in capsule form, and to feed them, I just roll them up in a bite of liver. Or sticking on a spoonful of peanut butter works well too. Another really awesome herb that is great for pain relief, muscle spasms, overall tension, and even nervousness-- in both humans and pets-- is skullcap. I got one pound of skullcap roots from Amazon. I boil the roots into a very strong infusion, but it is very bitter. I just sop up one tablespoon with a crust of bread, and my dogs will eat it. My other dog tends to be very nervous, so she gets some too. 

I like it for myself after a hard day at work, and when I have trouble sleeping. You can dilute a tablespoon into a cup of hot water-- for a cup of tea-- and a bit of honey, and it is nice that way.


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## tuckersmom20 (Dec 12, 2010)

I give fish oils as all my boys will not eat fish. They flat out refuse.

Also, I do joint support because duke has mild to moderate hi dysplasia, and Sam has had one knee surgery and needs help keeping it healthy, plus his other knee isn't in good shape.. So he needs help with that. 

Tucker gets a lineup... Gets a supplement to help his anxiety, one for his liver.. Fish oil... Gets agility pro from omega alpha too. Every supplement but the fish oil is from omega alpha which is all herbal based. 

I have seen remarkable differences in all my boys when giving these products. 
I do have a mixed bag of dog with issues, so I supplement to help them out.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Fundog said:


> Yep, it sure seems to be helping. : ) I ordered these herbs online from an herbal store (Puritan's Pride), but you really can get them almost anywhere. I actually ordered each herb separately, in capsules, so I have more control of the dosage and balance. I got them in capsule form, and to feed them, I just roll them up in a bite of liver. Or sticking on a spoonful of peanut butter works well too. Another really awesome herb that is great for pain relief, muscle spasms, overall tension, and even nervousness-- in both humans and pets-- is skullcap. I got one pound of skullcap roots from Amazon. I boil the roots into a very strong infusion, but it is very bitter. I just sop up one tablespoon with a crust of bread, and my dogs will eat it. My other dog tends to be very nervous, so she gets some too.
> 
> I like it for myself after a hard day at work, and when I have trouble sleeping. You can dilute a tablespoon into a cup of hot water-- for a cup of tea-- and a bit of honey, and it is nice that way.


thanks. i'll look into these. that's what i like about natural treatments -- more than one road to take.


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

I give my miniature poodle, Potsie, Cosequin DS plus MSM (glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM supplement) b/c he has grade 4 luxating patellas. This supplement has made a big difference in his quality of life. I also give him a fish oil capsule daily.


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