Is Diatomaceous Earth Better Than Glucosamine for Your Dog’s Joints?
Many pet owners rush out to get their dogs glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate when the dog starts showing signs of joint stress. For example, maybe the dog is not moving as fast as normal, is favoring a leg, or is having trouble getting into the car or getting up from the lying down position.
It’s great that they are doing something for their pet and that they are using nutrition to solve the problem. All joint problems are a deficiency of nutrients. And glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are helpful because they add some extra nutrition to the joints and cartilage.
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However, what I’ve seen in both humans and pets is that the results from glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are minimal compared to the type of results you get when you put in the body’s connective tissue strengthener called silica. The results are seen within days, not the weeks it takes for glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate to work. Plus silica costs pennies, whereas you will pay an arm and a leg for glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.
You need something that is considered a food supplement, that is easy to dispense, that the animals will eat readily, and has no harm associated with it. (Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate also have no harm.) Something that will do a lot of good in the body. The nutrient that fits all categories is silica, which is found in Diatomaceous Earth.
What is Silica and Diatomaceous Earth?
Silica is a substance that is easily found in a feed store or online. You just have to make sure you get the right type. Getting the wrong type could mean the difference between life and death. The right kind of silica is USDA Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth/Amorphous Silica – with no additives. The Food Grade on the label tells you it is edible. The no additives part tells you there are no insecticides in it; it’s not the garden pest version that is used to kill bugs.
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And of course, it’s not the same diatomaceous earth that is used by pool owners to clean their pool. These other forms of silica have a higher crystalline content; and the big crystals can get stuck in the kidneys, causing kidney failure.
The big question is how much to use. Here’s a handy chart:
Dosage Daily Dog/Cat
¼ teaspoon Small cats or toy dogs
½ teaspoon Average sized to large cats; small dog breeds
½ to 1 teaspoon Medium-sized breeds dogs
1 teaspoon to 1 Tbl Large sized dogs
Sprinkle it on their food and use it as a food supplement. You can also mix diatomaceous earth with water and add that to food. For the farm animals, leave a separate feeding trough with it for the animals and they will help themselves. One camel milk farmer I know goes through a 50-lb bag of diatomaceous earth every week for his 19 camels.
What will happen is your pet will notice a big difference within a few days and start begging you for it. This is because every connective tissue in the body – muscles, joints, tendons, cartilage, ligaments, skin, and all organs need silica for strength and resilience. When they get it, aches and pains flee. Silica is essential for the joints in the body. Many people who have old injuries that won’t heal will heal with Diatomaceous Earth. And it doesn’t take weeks; it’s days.
Is Diatomaceous Earth harmful in any way? No! Diatomaceous Earth even helps eliminate bacteria, fungi, and viruses by its sponge-like molecular structure and it decreases parasites. What animal wouldn’t do better when they have a stronger immune system and fewer parasites?
There are so many uses for Diatomaceous Earth in your animal and all translate to better health for the pet.
More by Donna Schwontkowski