# AAFCO removing glucosamine?



## rannmiller

Hey has anyone heard any rumors that AAFCO is going to require that dog food companies stop adding glucosamine to their dog food?


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## RawFedDogs

I haven't heard it and I doubt that it's true. I don't think the AAFCO has the power to require anything.


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## ChattyCathy

Haven't heard that and would wonder why?!?


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## Doc

Most products don't include enough to make a difference anyway. Maybe they just want a better labeling of it?


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## wags

I took my lab to the vet this past month and he told me to put my own glucosimine ~msm in the food I give. He said that the amounts in the dog food are not enough to actually make any difference. I have not read this from the AAFCO but I know in 2005 it was discussed also. Oh he aslo said not to really worry about the amount of chondrotine just the amount of glucosime.


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## rannmiller

Really? I've always heard the two act together to be more effective. I know the MSM is good, at least for me it is. I started taking a supplement that has all 3 in it and I can actually tell the difference whereas with just gluc and chond I couldn't really tell at all. But yeah, I know that too much of it over too long can be more detrimental than beneficial at times, but so do a million other dog food ingredients so why they'd just go after that one I'm not sure.


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## Cajun

Doubtful, AAFCO hasn't changed their standards since the 70's, why start now


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## PeanutsMommy

eh, just give the dogs chicken feet 

the amounts of vitamins and such is minimal in dog foods and not exact a veterinarian once told me and thats why i do give Peanut a multi vitamin, nuvet plus.


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## lifewrthlivings

*Well*

By the time they are done taking all this out of the dog food there will be nothing left. Time to head back to good old natural foods... huh?

Warren D


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## malluver1005

I really hope they don't remove Glucosamine. Actually, what they should do is increase the levels because it's not enough. I feed my dog Acana Wild Prairie and it has 1000 mg/cup Glucosamine and 800 mg/cup Chondroitin. This is one of the main reasons I chose this food, apart from the great ingredients. I don't know of a food that has such high levels. Anyone know of any other great foods with high levels of Glucosamine and Chondrotin?


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## RawFedDogs

Chicken feet. Any bone joint with connective tissue still attached.


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## malluver1005

Sorry, I meant dry food.


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## RawFedDogs

malluver1005 said:


> Sorry, I meant dry food.


There is no dry food that has enough to make any difference. They put just a little for a marketing gimick.


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## rannmiller

Orijen has about 1200 mg/cup of glucosamine and 900 mg/cup of chondroitin, so it's a little higher. You have to keep in mind that it's been cooked though (like with all other dog foods), so it could have lost up to 75% of its potency. You're best off just giving a gluc, chond, and MSM pill/supplement IMO


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## malluver1005

Has anyone heard of Hills Science Diet JD Prescription. I know it's poor quality food (not to offend anyone here, just my opinion), but my dogs vet wanted me to switch. He said it has highest level of Glucosamine and Chondroitin (after it's been cooked). True? Probably another gimmick huh. I never tried the food, and never will!! I have also switched my dogs vet that actually cares about my dog, and not just about the money!!!


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## _SunnyPaw_

rannmiller said:


> Hey has anyone heard any rumors that AAFCO is going to require that dog food companies stop adding glucosamine to their dog food?


I received the Small Entities Compliance Guide from my representative with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. How I interpret this information is that glucosamine has been recently included in a list identified by the AAFCO as *products that cannot be fed to ruminants*, thus it does not pertain to dog food.


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## CorgiPaws

I haven't heard anything about this, but personally I wouldn't give it much thought, the AAFCO doesn't hold much power to demand anything.


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## cryingdady

nice sharing!


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## gorillaman

Yes Petcurean Pet Nutrition has it on their main page. As does ACANA and Merrick.


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## Peanut

*Additional ingredients for joint repair*

AAFCO will not be recommending removal any time soon. I just took an animal nutrition course where I learned that there are other ingredients that act as naturally occuring joint therapy. Read your bag's ingredients

Green Lipped Mussels - are anti-inflammatory and protect the stomach lining while relieving pain from worn or damaged joints.

Yucca Shidigera - considered an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory to help comfort stressed joints....(plus it reduces ammonia production in urine and feces thereby reducing odors!)

The food I am feeding my dogs is called Lotus Pet Food. It has all of the above in addition to the Glucosamine and Chondroitin. My pup winces less when getting up and down and his coat is soooooo shiny :smile:


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## RawFedDogs

Peanut said:


> AAFCO will not be recommending removal any time soon.


AAFCO says that glucosimine is not an essential nutrient. I don't think they recommend it anywhere.



> I just took an animal nutrition course where I learned that there are other ingredients that act as naturally occuring joint therapy.


Cool. What course and where did you take it? A college course? Who taught it and who sponsored it?


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## pbenson

*AAFCO has not approved glucosamine*

AAFCO is a non-profit organization of Feed Control Officials and agents from the Depts of Agriculture from the 50 states.

The following statement summarizes its' process of approving of ingredients used in pet foods.

...AAFCO is a voluntary organization comprised largely of regulatory officials who have responsibility for enforcing their state's laws and regulations concerning the safety of animal feeds. Its membership is comprised of representatives from each state in the United States, as well as representatives from Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Canada, the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"FDA and AAFCO have had a long and successful working relationship," said Dr. Sharon Benz, Director of CVM's Division of Animal Feeds. "This agreement allows AAFCO and FDA to leverage that relationship in a way that will improve feed safety."

A basic goal of AAFCO is to provide the means for ensuring the development and implementation of equitable laws, regulations, standards, definitions, and enforcement policies for regulating animal feed. AAFCO has no enforcement authority.

AAFCO publishes an annual Official Publication (OP) that includes a list of all ingredients AAFCO has reviewed and found suitable for use in animal feeds. The OP also provides a list of ingredient definitions and common or usual ingredient names. FDA has informally cited the OP's ingredient list and has acted as AAFCO's scientific advisor in reviewing petitions for the addition of ingredients to the list or for changes in the ingredient definitions. However, the OP list does not have the force of law.

FDA's formal recognition of the AAFCO list is one of the specific recommendations made in a "Framework Document" drafted by FDA's Animal Feed Safety System (AFSS) Team. FDA created the ad hoc AFSS Team four years ago to develop ways to modernize the feed safety system in the United States. The Team has identified "gaps" in the current animal feed regulatory structure (including the fact that FDA has no formal list of suitable ingredients) and offers recommendations for closing the gaps.

AAFCO uses a "New and Modified Feed Ingredient Definitions Process" to determine the suitability of feed ingredients and to establish standard ingredient names, which FDA considers the common or usual name, used on feed labels as required by state and federal law. This memorandum allows FDA to recognize formally the AAFCO process and to have a clearly defined role in reviewing ingredients for the list.

Under the memorandum, CVM assigns scientists to work with AAFCO in reviewing petitions for new feed ingredients or for modifications to existing ingredient definitions. In addition, before it adopts a new feed ingredient definition or amends an existing one, AAFCO will ask CVM for advice and a letter of concurrence. The memorandum also requires AAFCO to remove a definition from its OP if FDA provides convincing scientific evidence that the ingredient is no longer suitable for its intended purpose.[/U][/I]
...

While it may not have the power of law by itself,(...enforcement policies for regulating animal feed. AAFCO has no enforcement authority...) it does in effect have the full power of the law because the various states whose officials are its members, have officially adopted its recommendations and approved ingredients lists as "the LAW in their state" through their legislature's formal process.

Thus as is stated in their annual Official Publication, ONLY ingredients on their list of approved ingredients can be used in the manufacture of pet foods. And they may only be used as specified in the list. As an example, astaxanthin, a carotenoid which gives the flesh of Salmon it's characteristic pink color, can only be used in the foods of Salmonoids. Even though this can be used to color shrimp & flamingos, it is not approved for this and technically used in their foods. 

What has happened is that many states have chosen not to enforce the ommision regarding glucosamine or chrondroitin. But they could choose to enforce it whenever they want. 

ANYTHING not on their "approved" list is automatically banned from inclusion in any animal food, be it food chain animal, companion pet or specialty pet. Even ingredients which are Generally Recognized AS Safe (GRAS) by the FDA may not be used if not listed. 

This is the confusion about AAFCO. It is a non governmental organization, whose members are not elected and whose "professional recommendations" are not directly legislated but who through the "passing of the buck" by the various state agencies and state legislatures have the effect of law.

Despite what the consumer may think it is very difficult to get an ingredient added to the approved ingredient list. Almost ALL of the new research on nutrition in human foods has produced FEW in any approved new ingredients. Antioxidants, "super foods" "brain foods" "phytonutrients", Prebiotics, lutein for your eyes, etc are fine for you or me but not for our pets. 

What some manufactures do is to include the animal or plant source of the ingredient. Thus chicken cartilage is substituted for glucosamine, because chicken by products are an approved ingredient. Tomato puree instead of lycopene. This is like using the bark of a Willow tree instead of aspirin! 

This is why you see some ingredients in your pet's food that you don't quite understand. It is the only way manufactures may include a specific functioning ingredient and not be subject to violation of a states laws and the banning of their product within that state.


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## VitaHound

*VitaHound AAFCO*

Our staff monitors every document released by the AAFCO. We have learned to understand their Temperament. Their representatives always resist supplements such as glucosamine that are gaining tremendous popularity as a remedy for human health issues. Their misplaced concerns are that commercial dog food manufactures will attempt to market dog food based on a supplement's human use popularity with no regard to its appropriateness to animals. Our in house research shows a strong benefit of glucosamine to a dogs joints, plus the published research is also highly supportive. We believe what ever negative attitude the AAFCO is supporting on glucosamine added to dog food will be overwhelmed by positive feedback from the usage of the supplement for a dogs joint health.


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## RawFedDogs

I had 2 Goldens with bad hips. Gave them both glucosamine for a couple of years and could never tell the difference. I couldn't tell it did any good at all. I also had an arthritic hip. I took glucosamine for a while and could tell no difference when I took it and when I didn't. I have a Great Dane now with a bad hip. I give her glucosamine and she still limps pretty noticably. I can't tell the glucosamine is doing her any good but I continue to give it to her and have for the past year or so. I'm not really sold on the stuff being anything other than a snake oil like so many of the so called remedies.


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## Unosmom

I highly reccomend hyaluronic acid in addition to glucosamine/chondroitin, it helps to lubricate the joints, but I take it myself because my skin gets very dry in the winter and I havent had any issues since I started taking it. My dad takes it for joint paina and it works really well. g


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## wags

I have heard of hyaluronic acid. There can be side affects with this also. as mild as skin rashes to as severe as cancer but~gee that I would imagine is with alot of drugs though! But when you take them on your own, I would ask the vet or my DR. before taking this, just to make sure it doesn't interact with anything else your taking or your dog is and that its the right thing for you or the pup to actually take!


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## harrkim120

For about a year now I've given Brady a hip and joint tablet with multiple supplements in it for his luxating patella, and I've noticed a huge difference.

It contains:
glucosamine HCL 99%
MSM
chondroitin sulfate
green lipped mussel
boswellia serrata
yucca schidigera
Ester-C
zinc
hyaluronic acid
d-Alpha tocopheryl

and some other inactive ingredient goodness :biggrin:

I've tried other tablets with similar ingredients, and they've worked just as well, but any time I take him off of it for a prolonged period of time the limp comes back. :frown:


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## rjordan392

I take a supplement called "Move Free" for joint discomfort and if I stop using it the discomfort starts to come back.
I believe these supplements are beneficial for some and should be taken when discomfort begins and not wait for it to be bothersome. If you wait too long, the results may not be satisfactory.
However for dogs, it just needs more research.


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5

rannmiller said:


> Hey has anyone heard any rumors that AAFCO is going to require that dog food companies stop adding glucosamine to their dog food?


are yo usure your post is grammatically correct?

requiring foods to stop adding

and not requiring them to add something

are two different things. i hope the latter is cirrect(idd prefer neither but too my knowledge ithink the latter has always been true and you might just be unaware of ths.


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## rjordan392

RCRIPLEFRESH5,
Do you jest?
I had no problem understanding Rannmiller's post. Better take another look at your own grammer and spelling. There are trolls on the net who have nothing better to do, then to pick out other peoples mistakes in grammer or is it grammar? I know I make mistakes in grammar and puncuation, but that comes with age.


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## malluver1005

Rannmiller's post is completely correct. :smile:


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## wags

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> are yo usure your post is grammatically correct?
> 
> requiring foods to stop adding
> 
> and not requiring them to add something
> 
> are two different things. i hope the latter is cirrect(idd prefer neither but too my knowledge ithink the latter has always been true and you might just be unaware of ths.


Are you saying you know the rules of grammar and if you see an incorrect or what you think is an incorrect sentence you can fix it? you know the technical terminology of why this is incorrect ? You don't think from what you have written, you are detracting from your credibility with your own grammatical errors?
Criticizing others for grammar or spelling is not a nice thing to do! And I just don't see any mistakes with her question!
I don't think anyone needs to make comments such as this here!


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## harrkim120

I don't think he means grammatically correct, I think he meant to ask if she worded herself wrong...asking if she meant that they were requiring dog food companies to add it instead of requiring them to remove it. 

Either way, she did word it correctly, and I'm pretty sure she's grammatically correct as well. :biggrin:


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## SaltyDog

Who cares if they remove glucosamine.....you'd have to feed your dog half the bag of food to gain any benefits from it.

If you want to give your dog glucosamine, do it in a supplement.


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