The Truth about Pet Pharmaceuticals

[GoLeft TV]

From Ring of Fire:

Americans spend about around $60 billion on their pets annually. We love our pets and consider them to be members of the family and, naturally, we want to help them when they’re sick or aging. In many cases we administer whatever pharmaceuticals and food supplements that our vets recommend. But what if the drugs don’t work?

Journalist and Biology PhD Peter Aldhous conducted his own investigation into this subject after reading a study on feline osteoarthritis and two food supplements – glucosamine and chondroitin – ingredients used to manage feline osteoarthritis. Aldhous’s interest was sparked when he recognized that the same supplements examined in the study were also part of his dog’s osteoarthritis regimen.

You can read the full article here at Ring of Fire.

[LiberalEsto]

1. Glucosamine chondritin helps my dog

It makes a visible difference when she's getting it. She was born with what are called luxating patellas -parts of the knee area on the hind legs - that slip in and out of place. It's a fairly common genetic defect in certain dog breeds, including cavalier spaniels. She's half cavalier spaniel.
I was told surgery for this would cost a minimum of $1000 per leg, money which we do not have. So the vet, a personal friend, advised me to give Penny glucosamine tablets, which I buy at Trader Joe's at a very reasonable price. They make a big difference in her ability to jump up on a bed or chair.

[femmocrat]

2. We buy ours from PetMeds and can see the difference.

We have two elderly corgis who were having joint stiffness. Since taking the meds, they get around like puppies! It had to be the medicine that made the difference.

I also had a Golden with back leg problems. The medicine helped him for quite a while before the ailment was no longer treatable.

[HuckleB]

3. So much worthless crap sold to a gullible public. -- The Top Ten Pet Supplements: Do They Work?

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/the-top-ten-pet-supplements-do-they-work/

"So should veterinarians and pet owners use these products? The decision whether or not to employ a particular medical intervention is always a matter of balancing the urgency of acting with the risks and benefits of the therapy, and always in the context of the limitations on the available information. In cases where the therapy is very unlikely to provide a benefit, such as glucosamine, there is really no rational argument for its use even if it is harmless, and the resources wasted on such treatments could better be spent on more plausible therapies or research to find better treatments."

[HuckleB]

4. For those convinced that these things do much: Is There a Placebo Effect for Animals?

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/is-there-a-placebo-effect-for-animals/

[hollysmom]

5. don't they use that same medication on people?

And,..... most medication comes from either China or Vietnam - animal and human.