Myristol Joint Health Supplement for Dogs Product Review

A couple of weeks ago, Maestro's vet from the Canine Aquafitness and Veterinary Rehab Centre recommended that he try Myristol. It's a joint care supplement for dogs. We picked up the "small" tub for $78 CAD. Thankfully, it contains 240 soy-based gluten free, chewable tablets, so it will last Maestro over half a year.

About Myristol Joint Health Supplement for Dogs

Myristol contains the following ingredients: Cetyl Myristoleate Fatty Acid Complex, Glucosamine HCl, MethylSulfonylMethane (MSM), Hydrolyzed Collagen, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn) and Copper (Cu).

The tablets are approximately .75 inches in diameter.  Not too stinky.

Dr. Catherine recommended that Maestro start with 1/2 tablet a day on an empty stomach. Let me tell you, she meant it. Feeding Maestro 1 tablet with supper meant that  he lost his supper and I had to feed him again. #lessonlearned

The History of Myristol Products for Dogs, Cats, Horses and Humans

Myristol was developed by Dr. Trotter who graduated from the University of Saskatchewan. In addition to Myristol for canines, Dr. Trotter has developed similar products for cats, horses and humans.

Myristol is available through your local veterinarian. Online, you may purchase it through Myristol's store .

Other joint supplements worth checking out include: Nutri-Pet Research Nupro Joint Supplement for Dogs, Joint MAX TRIPLE Strength SOFT CHEWS and Cosequin Maximum Strength Hip & Joint Supplements. Please note that these are a bit more potent than the $8.99 versions you see at your local pet store.

Myristol: Final Verdict

Maestro has only been on Myristol for a few weeks now. I have noticed some improvement in his mobility. Normally, I would noticed increased stiffness 10 days after a laser therapy session. With Myristol, he's a bit more agile beyond that point.

We'll give an update after he has been on Myristol joint supplement for a longer period of time. For now, our experience has been fairly positive.

Adventures in Canine Laser Therapy

Laser therapy pen.jpg

Last week, prior to getting his chiropractic adjustment done, the vet added laser therapy to Maestro's list.

It is a non-invasive treatment for his arthritis and Inter-vertebral Disc Disease (IVDD). In a nutshell, laser therapy stimulates sick cells to heal, to regenerate. The vet told us about a dog that was paralyzed. After laser therapy treatments, the dog was able to walk again, although it failed conventional nerve tests. That's because the damaged nerves were too far gone, so the laser therapy jump-started the cells to create a new bridge of neurons.

Maestro had cold laser therapy. At first, the vet used a wand that emitted light.

Cold Laser Therapy for Canine Arthritis.jpg

DSC_0101.jpg

Maestro visibly relaxed on the table throughout the treatment. Then, the vet used a pen that delivered a laser/Acupressure combo treatment. He didn't like that part so much, but it did make a huge difference afterwards.

Today, Dr. Catherine said that Maestro didn't need a chiropractic adjustment. Just the laser therapy and infrared treatment.

Here are a couple of articles that describe laser therapy for cats, dogs and humans in more detail:

AKC's Laser Therapy for Dogs Article

History of Laser Therapy

Laser Therapy for Dogs

Pet Arthtritis: Laser Therapy

In case you're wondering, yes, laser therapy is available for humans too.

The Light Relief machine I've been using on Maestro is a type of laser therapy. However, it's just at a much lower level..

Check out this newscast on pet arthritis and laser therapy:

US News

|

Weird News

|

More ABC News Videos

Mille grazie to Dr. Catherine at Canine Aquafitness for allowing me to take photos today.

Diggin' the Light Therapy

A while back, I snagged my father's Light Relief infrared therapy machine to ease my achy muscles and joints. However, it would appear that someone else in the house is enjoying the benefits of light therapy:

You can read more about the benefits of light therapy for people and dogs with arthritis here. The Coles Notes version is that the lights penetrate deep inside to reduce pain and inflammation. It also helps stimulate the cells to heal,

Cooking for A Dog with Arthritis

Lately, I've been exploring what changes to make to his home-prepared diet. From my preliminary searches, I have found that cayenne pepper, red peppers, turmeric and cumin contain either anti-inflammatory properties or have cleansing properties.

It also appears that grains needs to be completely cut out. Omega-3 oils and Glucosamine are a must.

Lean meats are a must too. Oh, Maestro will be happy to hear that he can still eat cartilage.

The following are a few articles that I have found regarding the types of foods and herbs to feed an arthritic dog. I'll post more as I come across them:

Arthrtis in DogsDiet Guidelines for Dogs with ArthritisTreating Canine Arthritis Naturally

A quick update on Maestro's treatments: Maestro seems to be responding well to his medication since being diagnosed with IVDD and osteoarthritis. Administering his medication is a snap with Pill Pockets.

He was pretty good at the Canine Aquafitness Centre too, where they did some heat therapy and chriopractic adjustments. However, for one moment, he was reluctant to have the vet complete the adjustment to his neck area. He turned around to face her and his expression clearly said, "You can adore me, but do not touch my neck." He was all perky afterwards.

The vet recommends that he try laser therapy. It's gentler on his joints.