Glucosamine for Bernese Mountain Dog with a risk of osteoarthritis?

Question:
My Bernese Mountain dog is 5 years old. In her first year she started limping when I took her for a walk. By means of keyhole surgery they’ve removed the cartilage in the (knee) joint of her left front leg. Now she begins to limp again. My vet recommends not to re-operate because she could get arthritis within a year otherwise.

I want to know if your glucosamine medication may be a solution for her. She is not in pain because that’s already been determined by the vet. On walks she limps on some days, but then after awhile she walks normal again. I would like to know your thoughts on this.

Answer:
Many larger pedigree dogs suffer from dysplasia of the joints. Over time, usually arthritis will occur from it. Our experience (from customer feedback) is that dogs with dysplasia and/or arthritis often benefit greatly from glucosamine. I estimate that 90% of dogs will feel noticeably better. They walk easier, get up faster and the total time they are actively increases.

A big dog from about 35 kilograms may use two capsules of glucosamine per day.

Some dog owners give the dog supplemental chondroitin. This can slow down the progression of osteoarthritis and improve the load capacity.