I have a 5 month old GSD & I need to know how many milligrams of MSM,glucosomine,or chondroitin to feed him daily.He also gets 3 tablespoons of chopped oranges,brocolli,or whatever other vegis I had for dinner in the last week,as well as 100% calcium every day. With his 3 cups of nutri nugget lamb & rice 2x a day which has eliminated his itching.Garlic & an egg once a week.Can anyone tell me if I can improve on his diet for any reason? And what is everyones idea for the perfect all in one vitamin?

500 mg gluccosamine tablets recommended dosage is
one tablet for up to 25#
two tablets 25 to 50#
three tablets 50 to 75#
four tablets 75 to 100#
5 tablets over 100#

my source is from Dr. Foster and Smith catalouge

My 80lb. Lab gets 1000mg Glucosamine, 800mg Chondroitin, and 250mg MSM daily.

Switch to a completly raw diet, that will improve his diet, and itching.

Raw Diet=Super Healthy Dog

75% Meat/Bone
25% Veggies
Organ meat/eggs once a week.

Rotate Kelp Powder and Fatty Acids every day. You should not need to add anything else, the pup will get all he needs from the bone. I think a 5 month old pup should not need MSM and all that on a raw diet.

Think like a wild animal..would you be eating MSM pills?

My dog had been on a raw diet for several months when he tore his ACL. I do not want to take that chance again, hence the MSM. Of course, he is three years old, not 5 months.

I should have posted a bit clearer on my last post <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> MSM and glucosomine, and chondroitin are valuable additions to a dogs diet, If they have an existing condition that requires such treatment. A normal healthy dog eating a raw diet with bones should not need the extra additions. Especially a Puppy, these could actually hinder the normal growing process. Keeping the bone and cartilage soft with these additives during developmental bone growth can lead to more problems then do good. (JMHO)

There is a lot of data out there on additives and it is confusing! Here is a good rule to follow. Keep It Simple Unless your dog has a specific need for these types of additives, don't use them, the money is better spent on a proactive, preventive all natural diet.

J provides us with a perfect example, his poor dog tore his ACL, in which case MSM provides extra help for the tendons that are weakend from an injury. Hence the need.

It is doughtful that the diet switch is phycially responsible for the injury, rather the incresed enegery level's the dog experienced made his head run faster then his legs would go.

Bottom line Kimberly, you are going to hear a lot of things from a lot of people, it is up to you to do the best within your reach, and makes sense to you. Talk to a lot of people, doing diffrent things and make your informed decision.

I agree with you there. I was just pointing out that even on a raw diet, there can be health problems. While a good diet is essential to good health, it's not the magic bullet.