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Dasuquin causing allergies.

Species: Dog
Breed: Labrador
Age: 8-11 years
About 5 months ago, my dog injured his leg during a walk. I took him to the vet & the ligament in his knee was likely injured (not bad enough for surgery). He was put on meds for pain/inflammation for a little while. After not getting much better, I put him on Dasuquin - which worked very well. He got so much better, he looked almost normal again. BUT, he also started itching and getting sores. Long story short, when I withdrew the supplement, his sores and itching went away. I waited awhile, started Dasuquin again, & the itching came back.

I researched a little & came across GlycanAid, which isn't from a fish source (I was thinking maybe he was allergic to that). I started him on that, and after a week or so, the itching/sores came back.

My problem is that the joint supplements help him so much, but I can't figure out what ingredient he is allergic to. And now his leg is getting worse without being on anything.

Do you have any ideas what ingredient may be causing the itching?? Or do you have any suggestions on joint supplements I can try??

Thank you....


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for your question.

It definitely is possible for a dog to be allergic to joint supplements. While Dasuquin is a very good product I do believe that it is flavored with beef. It may be possible that Scooter has a beef allergy that is aggravated by this treat. Fish

The GlycanAid is flavored with natural pork and chicken and either of those could potentially be allergens as well.

If you are able to find a good quality supplement that is not naturally flavored you may have better luck. But I'm not sure if there is one that doesn't have natural flavoring. Cosequin is another good alternative but it does contain beef, fish and chicken.

Something that would probably work well would be to ask your vet about getting injections of Adequan or Cartrophen. These are often given once a week for 4 weeks and then just once a month. They work in a very similar way to Dasuquin but would not be as likely to cause allergies.

There are other options for medications as well such as a nonsteroidal medication like Metacam, Rimadyl, Previcox, etc. which you could talk to your vet about.

Hope things look up soon!

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

Thank you...
I was just thinking, is human joint supplements ok for dogs? I was able to find vegetarian types of joint supplements. I know I would have to adjust the dose.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

The problem with giving human supplements to dogs is that no one really knows the dosage or the safety.

It's hard to say whether these supplements could work well or not. But, it may be worthwhile to talk to your vet about them and see if they can recommend a dose to try. It seems that Scooter has a noticeable difference when on a good medication so you hopefully would be able to see if it is working.



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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.