Equine America Glucosamine Plus

There is no evidence to suggest that joint supplements in general are not suitable for laminitics. This particular supplement does contain a dextrose (sugar) base for palatability which of course should be avoided in large quantities for laminitics. However the recommended daily amount is such a small percentage of daily food intake that (given at the correct dose) it would be very unlikely to cause a problem.

Yes the glucosamine 12,000 does still contain turmeric. Below is a list of ingredients:

Glucosamine Hydrochloride 2 KCl 404,500mg/kg, Maltodextrin, MSM, Turmeric, Sodium Hyaluronate (HA) 300mg/kg

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is found naturally in the synovial fluid of the joints. It helps to lubricate the joints and so is added to many joint supplements in the hope that it will soothe stiffness and increase mobility. I am not sure how much of it actually gets into the joints when given orally but many people do report good results with supplements of this type.

The measure enclosed in this supplement is a 15g measure. A standard 500 kg horse requires 30g (2 scoops) for the first 30 days then a maintenance dose of 15g (1 scoop) thereafter.

Locking stifles are not uncommon in young horses. Most often it is due to weak quadriceps muscles. Some horses will grow out of it as they get older and stronger. Others require strengthening of the muscles around the stifle by walking up hills and over poles etc. Occasionally surgery is required. You should control any pain or associated swelling with non-steroidals (metacam would be best in a foal). The stifle joint is not likely to suffer too much damage but feeding a joint supplement such as Equine America won't do any harm and could help maintain a healthy joint surface. However it will not do anything to cure or prevent the locking stifle.

Yes this can be done. Normally the amount of extra benefit you might get does not warrant the extra cost, so the reduced dose is done more for financial reasons. It is safe to continue with the loading dose life-long if it is helping.

The company does not state where the glucosamine comes from, but it is very unlikely to be vegetarian. That would make it more difficult to extract and make into the finished product and they would almost certainly state it was vegetarian as a sales promotion if indeed that were the case. Usually it comes from shellfish and the like.

Glucosamine sulphate is used in this product. The purity value is not stated. Given that this is such a well known brand I would expect the purity to be high, though it might well vary slightly from batch to batch.

There is no reason to stop using this product during late pregnancy or while lactating after foaling. You can continue to give it.

The manufacturers have advised that those previously using the Glucosamine 10,000 product for joint health maintenance in leisure horses should be able to switch to Glucosamine 5,000 at the recommended dose and see no decline in performance.