Thank you connie!

If thats so then i would rather go for cosequin instead then!
Its half the price too!

 Quote: Brianah Maloney

Thank you connie!

If thats so then i would rather go for cosequin instead then!
Its half the price too!

I give the best food and supplements I possibly can, but for me, the addition of ASU doesn't (yet) rate a doubled price, at least based on the research I've seen so far.

But I'll see if there's a recap of the research. I haven't read up on ASU for quite a while. I don't want to steer you wrong based on old info.

2003:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14576991
.... Avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (ASU) have shown some promise for OA. .... Six databases were searched for randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials of ASU. Four studies could be included. .... Three of the four trials suggested efficacy of ASU for improving the symptoms of OA. ... The data ... suggest that ASU is effective for the symptomatic treatment of OA and more research seems warranted. However, the only real long-term trial yielded a largely negative result.

BUT SEE 2009 (six years more recent):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19291317
This study demonstrates that treatment with avocado/soybean unsaponifiables can reduce the development of early osteoarthritic cartilage and subchondral bone lesions in the anterior cruciate ligament dog model of osteoarthritis.

AND:
http://summaries.cochrane.org/CD002947/avocado-soybean-unsaponifiables-show-beneficial-effects-in-people-with-osteoarthritis
... Avocado soybean unsaponifiables (ASU) were shown to have promising results in two studies and further studies would be desirable to verify efficacy. Single studies of other interventions, a willow bark preparation (Reumalex), topical capsaicin and tipi tea, were inconclusive.


AND (2013):
http://osteoarthritis.about.com/od/alternativetreatments/a/avocado_soybean.htm

So I'm somewhat rethinking what I said earlier. Maybe I can find less expensive sources. I'll look a little later after I get some work done.

Well, a brief search indicates that it's probably worth looking around and doing price comparisons. (Don't forget that it comes in other than large-dog sizes .... for a few minutes I was comparing prices without making sure they were all large-dog size .... ... ) and that many have free shipping (but not all do!).

http://www.idealpetx.com/Dasuquin-Chew-Large-Dogs-150ct_p_71.html

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000MCVGD6/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

http://www.1800petmeds.com/Dasuquin-prod10913.html?AFFID=GG&ID=159609424&gclid=CKWmiMHGzLwCFQVafgodKz0Asw


I'm sure there are many more. These were the first few I found. (I don't know the reputation of the first link there, so you might want to Google their reviews. Amazon, I generally feel very confident about. JMO!)

:O I come home from the store to read all the epic posts you left me!

I grabbed cosequin DS plus MSM right now.
It was really all i could afford after buying Sojos complete, turkey.

My dog should be eating about 2 cups sojo alone.
I plan on adding various cooked meets.
How would i go at that? Half the dehydrated food, half meats? Or maybe a cup and a half of sojos, half a cup added meats?


Could i feed kibble in the morning, and this mixture of meat and sojos at night? Will that be okay?

My old old girl says thanks!!!

As noted earlier, the Complete doesn't have meat in first place, so I'd add meat too. But cooked boneless meat isn't balanced, as you know, because it has no bones (you don't feed cooked bones), so I'd probably limit it to about a half cup of meat to every cup of Sojo's dry. (That cup of dry, of course, is then rehydrated.)

This is the same limit to unbalanced add-ins that I personally would apply to the THK complete foods, too. I either use balanced add-ins (like RMBs) or limit unbalanced ones (like cooked boneless meat) to that half cup add-in to one cup of Sojo's dry "complete."



Yes, you could use kibble for one of the meals if you're using cooked (not raw) meat in the Sojo's meal. (I don't mix raw and kibble.) Is that kibble meal because of lower cost for the kibble?


Here's the Sojo info: https://www.sojos.com/learn/our-products/feeding-instructions

There are some hints below the charts, including a longer rehydrating time. If it's like THK, I agree wholeheartedly. I always rehydrate longer than 15 minutes.

QUOTE:
FOR BEST RESULTS
• The longer you soak Sojos, the more digestible it becomes. 15 minutes is the minimum, but for best results, soak overnight.
• You can mix up to a 4-day batch of Sojos. Refrigerate in a sealed container, or keep multiple batches in the freezer.
• Shake bag to keep ingredients evenly mixed.
from https://www.sojos.com/learn/our-products/feeding-instructions

"I grabbed cosequin ... "



A good product, IMO.

Also, a reminder that I'd start with a little Sojo's "gravy" on whatever food she now eats and likes so the new food isn't an off-putting shock to her, just like with THK:

http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=32170&page=1#359663

Connie. Bless you for helping me and my old girl. <3

I agree about mixing the RMB meals and kibble.
This is the reason why im not feeding RMBs for now, and instead i am cooking my meats.
Well, along with other factors... lifestyle, guests, ECT.

The reason why im interested in feeding kibble in morning, and sojos at night is because i have over half a bag of acana grasslands to use up!

Connie thanks for helping us!
Seeing as im feeding kibble and sojos and meat. From what you have taught me, ill make her 1 1/2 cups kibble in morning, 1 cup sojos, half a cup meats at night and adjust from there!
Rather underfeed for now than overfeed.

Also, we switch foods cold turkey. Past 8 years she has done well with it.

Oh, I see! Yes, I would use up the kibble that way, too .... while it's fresh.

I think that your plan sounds fine.




PS
Make sure the kibble smells good (no rancid odor) as you use it up, since you'll be using it rather slowly. If you ever smell an "off" odor, dispose of it, because it would most likely be rancid fat.