The following supplements may be started immediately and given every day:

Vitamin C Very good for the dog regardless of what is wrong, and sometimes very useful for joint pains; a natural anti-inflammatory. Start slowly with 500 mg/day and add another 250 mg every three days until you are giving 3000 mg/day. If at any time you notice diarrhea or loose stools, back the dosage down, wait several days, and then try to increase it again.

Vitamin E A natural anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory, used successfully in large doses to treat German Shepherd Dogs with a neurological condition called Degenerative Myelopathy. Give 400 IU/day.  To read more about Degenerative Myelopathy click here.

Alfalfa An herb that contains many minerals, aids digestion, and is a natural anti-inflammatory. Looks like green powder. Use half the human dose, and open up the capsule to sprinkle over food. Alternatively, you can purchase it in bulk in one pound lots. Use about a teaspoon a day.

Fish oil Not the same thing as cod liver oil, this is fish body oil, and contains essential fatty acids that benefit dogs (and people!) enormously. You can buy this in capsule form. You need to poke a hole in the capsule and squeeze it out. You can also buy it in liquid form and pour about a teaspoon over the food. Gradually increase to a tablespoon, over a period of several days.

After you are doing the above, start one of the supplements below in addition. Try one thing at a time and give several weeks before deciding if it works. If you do not see any improvement, then you can try something else on the list. If you do them all at once, it costs more money and you will never know which one of these things is the one that is helpful for your particular dog.  Choose from the following list:

Glucosamine/Chondroitin very successful in treating arthritic pains in humans and dogs. Widely available. Look for a brand that contains magnesium and vitamins C & D, which enhance the body’s ability to absorb and utilize the beneficial glucosamine. Some brands also contain herbal factors that further increase the product’s efficacy. You may see results in a week or two, or it could take longer.

Dose: 3 pills (500 mg each) per day—2 in the morning and one at night

Glycoflex You can get this from a vet, or mail order it from pet catalogs. It is made out of something called green lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus) and smells very fishy, but dogs love the taste. Follow instructions on the label. Many people have success with this for dogs with hip dysplasia.

Yucca An herb that contains natural steroids to reduce pain and inflammation in joints. You can buy it as a powder or in drops, called a tincture, from a health food store. If you buy capsules (powder), open them up and sprinkle on the food. Follow the label and use half the dose for humans. Do not use for more than two weeks at a time, then stop for a week, then start up again.

MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) Another anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory used for joint pains. Is is also good for the skin and hair. Comes in capsules, it is a powder. Open the capsule and sprinkle over food. Use one capsule per day.

Devil’s Claw An herb often combined with Yucca. Anti-inflammatory, for joint pains. Powder or liquid, use half the human dose and open up the capsules.

Nettle another herb for arthritis