Whats the best joint supplement to use?

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Rouletterose

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as above my horse has started clicking in the back end hocks/stifles no lameness, vet says I can give a joint supplement if I like and to take my pick!!! needless to say I haven't used this vet before, he's a locum. So any recommendations please will be gratefully received
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What he says is right..take your pick
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What works for one will not work for another!!Personally i would start cheaper,i have my lad on equiflex,however naf do one etc etc..cortaflex also very good but expensive,bluechip dynamic also very very good but very expensive
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trial and error with them all am afraid!start with one give it 6 wks if no difference at all try another,i say 6 wks as you can pretty much see a difference after this length of time!My friend put her old ex racer on cortaflex and the difference in 2wks was amazing,however it dosnt work that well for them all!I say start cheaper as depends on how far you want to stretch your wallet,something alot cheaper than C/F and B/chip etc can work a treat!
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its a minefield am afraid!
 
I personally like the codlivine supple joint supplement, its what an experienced vet reccomended to me. Also glucosamine. Both are expensive though, im sure cod liver oil does the same job as the first but i like the codlivine stuff
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Cosequin is the gold standard but as others have said a lot of it is trial and error. Sunny is on Cosequin because I attended a talk on verteran horse care that my vets put on and there was a lady from Cosequin giving a presentation. Cosequin is the only supplement that I know of that has had scientifically proven results on the existing arthritic changnes that affect most older horses. I always thought that once the cartilage in a joint had worn away, no supplement on earth can put it back. But Cosequin have had good results in a majority of veteran horses.

One thing I would say, as Hadfos says, if you try one brand then you have to give it a decent amount of time to see if it will work. Don't chop and change too fast or if you DO see an improvement, you won't know which product did it! Good luck!
 
I've just started Ralph on Extraflex HA, my friend recommended it to me, she feeds it to her 20yr mare and has had good results.
 
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Cosequin is the gold standard but as others have said a lot of it is trial and error.

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Actually, most vets recommend Synequin - Cosequin is just as expensive but has very much lower Chondroitin levels. Whether or not a supplement works does NOT depend on the brand name - it depends on the specification.

All available research suggests that for BEST results, the daily dose should provide 10g of Glucosamine, 4g Chondroitin, and 10g MSM (if included.) Synequin is SLIGHTLY under those levels.

My vet now recommends Riaflex Complete which DOES give those levels (and is a third of the price of Synequin and Cosequin.) I use it and have had excellent results in elderly horses with advanced arthritic conditions including high articular ringbone and coffin joint arthritis. Takes about 5 weeks to show full benefits.
 
I am not a professional. I am a college student in the US with a passion for horses and research. (geek, I know) This is what I have dug up over the past 3 months in short. (I have an "over the hill gelding" so this is a really fun topic for me!)

Stick with me here, I promise I have a point!

Glucosamine "101"-> (C6H13NO5) one of the most abundant monosaccharides, when used "for joints" it is usually taken from crustaceans...... sorry, ok, to the point. Commonly sold forms are glucosamine sulphate (yes, with a "ph"), glucosamine hydrochloride (HCI), and is also often paired with chondroitin or methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). There were multiple clinical studies done in the 80's and 90's by Rottapharm but the studies were a failure, poor set up. Then they actually did a great study, these were in humans though, we'll get to what has...ahhhh.. I mean, hasn't happened for horses. Placebo-controlled study, 200 people, 3 years and results showed improvement in symptoms, and narrowing of joint spaces on radiographs. Unfortunatly as of 2003, more studies have said "nay" as opposed to "yay" so the actual take is still up in the air. This undecisiveness then led to "GAIT" (Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial) there was a little "thing" because they didn't use Glucosamine Sulphate that the absorption wasn't all that great. If you want more research, let me know and I can provide it!

MY TAKE: after talking (yes, I call the writers of articles) to 7 vets, the general conclussion has been. Does it help? It appears to, so a "guarded" yes. It is NOT a pain killer. Is there actually any recommended dose? not really, some told me you couldn't MAKE a horse eat enough to die. Is that true? I don't know. But for human's, on the toxicology scale (0-100) its a 5, so pretty harmless. Go ahead and give it a try. Go for the Glucosamine Sulphate or Sulfate though for absorption reasons and molecular size. would I feed it? yes.


Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) Basics-> Research is well documented on MSM, and easy to find via internet, veterinarians, and published documents, so I will not go into that, here are the basics you need to know about MSM.
o It is a pain reliever.
o It should NOT be used as a long term and/or as permanent treatment option.
o It can and will, with long term use, cause gastrointestinal (stomach) ulcers. Which increase colic risks.
o It does NOT 'fix' the problem, but MASKS the problem for temporary relief.
o It is counterproductive to joint health. (because it masks the pain, it also inhibits the body's natural immune response which in turn, slows the growth and/or repair of joint tissues.

MY TAKE-> If your horse is on 3 legs, do not hesitate to use it for pain, that said, it will also slow the track to "4 legged health". Use it for painful flare ups, or when first starting a joint supplement plan, until pain is under control. Many experts recommend no more than 2 weeks, but your vet will probably tell you different depending on your horse's situation. Would I use it? yes, but rarely. ie. I buy the small jar.

I have typed and typed, and I have so much more to share IF you actually read it all!!! You can email me and I will be happy to share more info, I'd just hate to go on and on, if nobody actually reads it. On a side note, my next big research binge idea is dental, and then laminitis and navicular.

kuje0801@stcloudstate.edu (no spam please!)

- Research NERD, *I hope you find what you are looking for*

***Remember in the USA, if the FDA did not approve it, such as glucosamine products, the lableing on these products may not be accurate. for example: 1 study examined 13 of these products and found 5 to be inaccurate. So don't expect miracle's!

TO ALL WHO READ THIS, REMEMBER, I TALK THE LINGO, BUT I HAVE NOT WALKED THE WALK. I AM NOT A VETERINARIAN, NOT AN EXPERT, NOT A PROFESSIONAL.
 
I use Equiflex (you can order it online from Guernsey) and its a lot cheaper than other joint supplements. Works fine for my 18yo and better on the bank balance.
 
I use cosequin, however if my horse was just clicking occasionally then I wouldn't use it. I'm sure that's not the correct answer though!
 
Thanks to everyone who responded, OMG what a minefield
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am going to start with the cheapest and work up from there depending on what works for mine as you all say not all of them work for all horses so |I will make sure I give a good period of time....say.....8-10 weeks or so.

Researchfortruth thank you for all the info on MSM very interesting....didn't know half of this.

Thanks everyone
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my vet, who is the head surgeon at Cambridge University Vet school and specialises in lameness recommened me to use Cosequin. I have found it cheapest at vet uk ltd
 
we used to use cortaflex but the vet suggested newmarket joint supplement after bronson was diagnosed with bone spavin. He is 20 this year and has been on this since last march, he seems less stiff and creaky this winter
 
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