As many of my readers and clients know, I’m a passionate supporter of holistic health. This means that I support traditional veterinary care for your dog (it’s essential) but I have found that to be truly healthy, your dog can benefit from other types of care.
I’m pleased to present this recommendation for Mussel Dog®, a supplement containing New Zealand green lipped mussel, active ingredient perna canaliculus.
My Daisy is a senior dog (coming up on age 13), with arthritis in the lower spine and hips. I give her regular massage and laser therapy treatments and she also receives acupuncture and hydrotherapy. For the last couple of years, I have included fish oils in her diet because of the anti-inflammatory nature of Omega-3 fatty acids. However, the recommended dosage of traditional fish oils is quite high for a dog of Daisy’s size and she would not always tolerate the dosage.
At times, she would leave her fish oil capsules in the bowl. Sometimes I got the impression that she was experiencing reflux from the fish oil (which also happens to humans). I know that some of my other massage clients were also experiencing trouble keeping up the recommended dose of fish oil; reflux was a common problem.
So I tried the Mussel Dog® (also referred to as Antinol® or PCSO-524®), initially at the rate of one capsule containing 50 mg of the active ingredient before increasing the dosage to two capsules.
Daisy is moving more freely (I notice in particular that she is walking faster with less scuffing of her hind feet). It has also been easier to hide the capsules with her food because of their size. And the dosage of 100 mg is much less than traditional fish oils, when she needed 5,000 mg per day!
A comparison on size is in order:
A 1000 mg capsule of fish oil is at the top, compared to the size of the 50 mg Mussel Dog® capsule at the bottom
Reflux has not been an issue (although the capsules have a strong fishy smell – be prepared for that).
The product, once opened, is best stored in the refrigerator and out of direct sunlight which I believe is another testament to its freshness and potency.
The active ingredient of PCSO-524® is being studied actively by researchers and that’s another positive as far as I’m concerned.
For example, one paper on the use of the ingredient in post-operative dogs that had stifle surgery (either patellar surgery or cruciate ligament) showed that the dogs treated post-surgically with PCSO-524® as opposed to a combination of glucosamine and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) had better outcomes. The supplement provided sufficient pain relief and worked to reduce inflammation. This study, by a team at the Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, has recently been presented at the World Small Animal Veterinary Congress in Auckland.
As most of us know, dogs must be monitored closely when given non-steroidal anti-flammatory drugs because of the range of side effects such as liver damage. This is one reason why dog owners look for more natural alternatives with less side effects. Supplements are worth trying because, even if your dog still requires an NSAID, you may be able to lower the effective dose without compromising your dog’s quality of life. (Please make your vet aware at your dog’s next examination that you are administering Mussel Dog® or any other supplement).
For my customers, I’m happy to answer questions about Mussel Dog® and its suitability for your dog. Check out my Facebook page for a customer-only offer.
Note: For my North American readers, this product is branded as Omega Dog.
