First of all I want to thank you for “The Dog Bible” which I enjoy reading, especially because it turns me on to topics that I would not have thought to consider.

One topic I was pleased to learn about was the issue of joint problems in bigger dogs (my Lab Hooter is 90 lbs.) and how to prevent and improve them with the use of a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement. I took your advice and have had Hooter on Platinum Performance Plus for nearly a year and he’s moving more freely and his coat seems to more healthy and shiny, too.

But I am confused because I came upon the section in the book under “Alphabetical Food Ingredients” and for “glucosamine” and you say that “most dog food companies stopped using them when several states banned them as not approved ingredients for dogs.” Does that mean glucosamine is bad for dogs – and doesn’t that contradict the benefit of Platinum Performance?

FROM: Sam in St. Louis, Missouri

Wow, good catch Sam and I apologize for the apparent contradiction. Clearly I need to explain this better. First of all, don’t worry about the good benefits of glucosamine – and I’m thrilled to hear that Platinum has worked well for you (for fun, I’ve made it my little personal mission to find anyone whose dog does NOT seem to respond positively to it!) Keep on with it, and I’ll explain.

The issue about having it in the dog food was about claims that were being made on the packaging about the benefits of glucosamine. Like all supplements, (pretty much anything from a “health food store”) a company is not allowed to make any claims or promises, so the same would hold true for glucosamine, whether for people or dogs. I did not make a clear statement in that chart and need to fix it: the issue of whether glucosamine is approved for dogs is not the point. In fact, I have had several people tell me that they crush up glucosamine tablets for their dogs and put it in the food. This is a big waste of money because it’s a costly supplement and the question is whether the dog’s system can assimilate it in that formulation. I certainly know from personal experience and anecdotes I have been told, that even Cosequin DS for dogs – a costly capsule – did not make a perceptible improvement in their dogs, where Platinum Performance did. If it works for you and it does for me, great – for anyone else, if in two weeks you see no difference, try a different quality product made for dogs and see whether that gives relief.

Secondly, the amount of glucosamine that was being put in dry dog food was so small as to be meaningless – and in addition, the quality of that supplement varies enormously (which is why it makes such a difference which brand you choose for yourself or your pet). So with the dry food, people thought they were “giving” their dogs glucosamine, unaware that their dogs were not getting a therapeutic dose from the small quantity in the dog food, in any case. Hope this clears up the apparent contradiction and I apologize for that confusion!

Tracie Hotchner