Catherine -thank you so much for this thread! It is very important. I help out on a dogs' forum and quite often there are questions about using human medication for dogs. It completely slipped my mind to post a thread about it here.
However, when it comes to Glucosamine (good for joint health) it is exactly the same stuff used for dogs and cats as it is for humans. And it is very much cheaper to buy the human variety, than to buy dog treats containing Glucosamine, or to get it from the vet!
But as usual, it is important to get the dosage right, according to the weight of the animal, so a little research is needed, but that can save an awful lot of money.
The Glucosamine dosage for dogs is by the way:
15-16mg per pound of the dog's weight.
Misty weighed 30lbs and I gave her a 500mg capsule every day since her broken leg. She took that for years. In her case the vet recommended it in case arthritis set into the broken leg. Around 2006 I started to notice she favoured that leg in damp weather. It took about one week for the Glucosamine to work, and then she had no more trouble ever after.
But with animals we have to be very very careful. What is often ok for humans can kill a dog or cat. And with some medicines, they are okay for dogs but fatally toxic for cats. And horses are in their own 'sensitivity' category too, so it's always wise to ask the vet first before using anything, or do some research.
However, when it comes to Glucosamine (good for joint health) it is exactly the same stuff used for dogs and cats as it is for humans. And it is very much cheaper to buy the human variety, than to buy dog treats containing Glucosamine, or to get it from the vet!
But as usual, it is important to get the dosage right, according to the weight of the animal, so a little research is needed, but that can save an awful lot of money.
The Glucosamine dosage for dogs is by the way:
15-16mg per pound of the dog's weight.
Misty weighed 30lbs and I gave her a 500mg capsule every day since her broken leg. She took that for years. In her case the vet recommended it in case arthritis set into the broken leg. Around 2006 I started to notice she favoured that leg in damp weather. It took about one week for the Glucosamine to work, and then she had no more trouble ever after.
But with animals we have to be very very careful. What is often ok for humans can kill a dog or cat. And with some medicines, they are okay for dogs but fatally toxic for cats. And horses are in their own 'sensitivity' category too, so it's always wise to ask the vet first before using anything, or do some research.
