Cosaquin?

zonagirlie

Our vet recommended we stop using a storebought Glucosamine and Chondroitin and get Cosaquin. Do you guys recommend it? Anyone used it? She said we can get it through 1800PetMeds fairly cheaply, but I'd like to know what other senior doggy moms think. TIA.

KatiesCats

Cosequin's a lot more expensive.  Did the vet say why?  I've always used people glucosamine from Costco.

zonagirlie

She said that independent researchers have been going to the store's testing the store brand versions that they sell at Costco and Trader Joe's and the like and finding that they are not actually G&C. That there is no regulations on the "nutri-ceuticals" and that they don't have anyone checking to make sure they are what they say they are, but that 1800PetMeds guarantees their meds and nutrition so we will be sure that's what she's getting rather than something else. She really freaked us out.

MMRoberts11

zonagirlie:

She said that independent researchers have been going to the store's testing the store brand versions that they sell at Costco and Trader Joe's and the like and finding that they are not actually G&C. That there is no regulations on the "nutri-ceuticals" and that they don't have anyone checking to make sure they are what they say they are, but that 1800PetMeds guarantees their meds and nutrition so we will be sure that's what she's getting rather than something else. She really freaked us out.

 Interesting... no, I've always just got them at stores like CVS or Costco and they work just as well.  I wonder where your vet heard that from?  Maybe it's going off of the whole med scare but that doesn't effect drugs from those types of stores.  Just read the labels to be sure and you'll be fine. 

zonagirlie

She is a recent graduate and said that in her classes the professors and doctors all cautioned against store bought brands and cited several studies in a lot of medical jouranls, human and veterinary. She scared me enough and our regular vet agreed, so we'll go with the 1800 meds rather than store bought from now on. Just can't trust stuff that's not regulated sadly.

nital

I've read similar articles.  Cosequin is $$$ because the manufacturer does test it.  

From a personal anecdote though... C was limping and was given glucosamine from the vet.  We gave it for a few weeks.  We stopped.  A week later she started limping again.  We started the glucosamine again.  We stopped after a few weeks.  A week later, she started limping.  Started glucosamine again, for a few months.  Stopped.  Week later..limping.  Started again.  Switched to Walgreen brand.  Kept her on it for years.  No limping.  I was comfortable that the Walgreens brand was sufficient for her.  Your results may vary.