MSM for Dogs

MSM for dogs can help your dog's body better use the nutrients in his food. It can help maintain joint health and promote healing of the skin, bones, muscles and connective tissue. It has scar reducing properties, and can help reduce pain and inflammation.

What MSM Is

MSM, or methylsulfonylmethane, is a dietary sulfur that enters the body along with amino acids. MSM helps keep the body's cells detoxified and increases blood circulation. It helps to reduce scar tissue and inflammation, and may be an effective pain reliever. It may even decrease allergy symptoms.

MSM helps keep cell membranes permeable, which allows nutrients to pass freely into the cell while toxins pass freely out of the cell. In this way, MSM supports healthy cell function and helps rejuvenate cells. It's also an important part of the hormone insulin, which regulates the body's use of glucose for energy. It keeps skin, hair, teeth and nails healthy, and is an antioxidant that helps clean the blood, keeping the body free of free radicals.

How MSM Can Benefit Your Dog

MSM is an essential nutrient that can help with a range of disorders. Dogs with arthritis, hip dysplasia, digestive problems, allergies, skin problems and eye problems can benefit from MSM supplements. Even dogs with parasites, like roundworms and tape worms, can benefit from MSM supplements.

MSM supplements, like glucosamine and many other supplements marketed for humans, are safe for dogs. Like aspirin, MSM reduces inflammation is sore joints and muscles, but, unlike aspirin, MSM also promotes healing in those tissues. You should give your dog about 50mg of MSM per ten pounds of body weight each day.

Does Your Dog Need MSM?

MSM occurs naturally in foods like milk, meat, eggs and cheese, fruits, nuts and vegetables. Healthy dogs don't need MSM supplements, though any dogs with joint issues, muscle pain, skin or eye problems, allergies, hip dysplasia or intestinal parasites can benefit from MSM supplements.

Complementary Supplements

Some vets believe that MSM is more effective if given along with vitamin C, B vitamins and electrolytes. Your dog's body needs plenty of water to help remove toxins from the cells.

Another supplement that has some anti-inflammatory properties and can help dogs with arthritis is vitamin E, another powerful antioxidant. A standard dose is about 50IU per ten pounds of body weight, daily. It may take two weeks to a month before your dog feels significant therapeutic benefits to vitamin E supplementation.

Omega-3 fatty acids also have anti-inflammatory benefits, though the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids aren't as dramatic as those of MSM. However, omega-3 fatty acids do support healthy muscles, organs and connective tissues; they also promote the health of the eyes, hair and skin, and they support brain function. They may be of most benefit in dogs who suffer itchy skin rashes due to allergies, and there's no chance of poisoning your dog if you give too much. Mix two or three teaspoons of cod liver or fish oil into your dog's food each day.

 

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