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Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Treat Tuesday: Zuke's Hip Action

Zuke's Hip Action treats are actually a daily hip and joint supplement with glucosamine and chondroitin. I just feed them as regular treat though, because the evidence for those substances having any effect at all is weak. Zuke's recommends I feed my under-45-pound dogs no more than one Hip Action treat per day, but they could easily eat an entire bag with no ill effects according to this vet. The Pet Poison Helpline says that liver failure is a rare occurrence, and most pets only have gastrointestinal symptoms if they have any issue at all. I have yet to find a reliable report of a serious case of joint supplement overdose.
Dog treats with unproven ineffective ingredients supposedly to help joints.

Good For: A tasty snack. Hiding in a puzzle toy. Balancing on a dog's nose or paws.

Not Good For: Actually helping with arthritis pain.

How Much We Like Them: Not enough to go the unproven nutraceutical route if my dog is experiencing joint pain. It's been studied quite a lot, and the evidence just isn't there. If my dog is in pain, I will get them some damned pain medication. They deserve to be comfortable.

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