Glucosamine for Parrots

[Cage Cleaner]

Anyone know about this?

[Naurthon]

I don't know anything about it...so of course I'm offering my opinion anyway.

When my vet prescribed an antibiotic for one of my boys, he told me that the medication hasn't actually been tested on parrots, and especially not specific species of psittacines. He said it had been approved for use for other avians (I'm guessing domestic poultry, but we didn't discuss it) and that it is INFERRED to also be beneficial for parrots.

I can't imagine that anyone has actually conducted appropriate tests of this substance on parrots. In fact, I found one site (http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=0+1303+1472&aid=1423) describing glucosamine as a "nutraceutical" and saying it does not carry FDA approval in general, so I'd be very surprised if anyone would bother with the expense of safety and efficacy testing because they aren't legally required to. They can just put a label on a jar of pills saying "Glucosamine for Parrots" and make all the money they want.

In general, IMHO, most "nutritional supplements" have insufficient scientific evidence to support their IMPLIED benefits (directly stated claims require FDA approval), and that's with humans. I doubt there is any science supporting the safety and efficacy of glucosamine for parrots.

[HungryBird]

I'm also interested in hearing whether anyone gives their bird glucosamine. I never thought about it because glucosamine is usually found in meat sources and parrots don't usually eat meat. I know some people do give their birds chicken and things like that.

My mother has a German Shepherd who has some hip/spine mobility issues. When she gives him a liquid glucosamine/chondroitin supplement he is very mobile and has no trouble getting around.

I imagine if it was good for parrots it would be best to give it in liquid form. Or possibly a tiny glucosamine pellet but then you run the risk of having certain birds refuse to eat it as some birds don't eat pellets.

[Cage Cleaner]

I started giving my cat glucosamine/antioxidants. I take the same supplement, in human form. So, I was just wondering about it for birds. I'm all for the antioxidants. I just wasn't sure about the glucosamine. It's also beef flavor. But they seem to be liking it fine. Hah.

[Shelby]

...glucosamine...does not carry FDA approval in general, so I'd be very surprised if anyone would bother with the expense of safety and efficacy testing because they aren't legally required to.

In general, IMHO, most "nutritional supplements" have insufficient scientific evidence to support their IMPLIED benefits (directly stated claims require FDA approval), and that's with humans.

The FDA approves foods and medicines because they are dangerous. (i.e., aspirin, tylenol, etc.) If a substance isn't dangerous, the FDA doesn't need to approve it, and then there's no FDA validation of the company's claims.

There have been lots of studies on many nutritional products, but you don't hear about them because most of them are published in scientific journals which are mostly read by doctors and not the general public. These studies are usually available for the public to read, but you have to look them up and most people would rather be watching football instead. I won't go into the animosity between pharmaceutical companies and nutritional supplement manufacturers here - that's a whole other can of worms that might get me in hot water.

There have been numerous studies on glucosamine as a natural medicine and its benefits for people and animals, but I don't know if it could be given to birds because
1) there probably hasn't been any studies showing if it does anything for birds
and 2) lots of things that humans and animals can eat just fine are toxic to birds. (However, since glucosamine is occurs naturally in tiny amounts in some foods, this might be a different case.)

In my personal experience, we had a dog with hip displasia, and she would be stiff and lame if we forgot to give her a dose of glucosamine supplement the day before. I take glucosamine myself, especially after exercising or doing lots of hiking because when I don't take it, my knees give me trouble (and I'm only 18!) So I swear by the stuff!

[Source: my dad's a doctor and he lectures me on health stuff all the time. hahaha]

[Cage Cleaner]

I take it myself, too. It helps a lot, especially since I have knee injuries from jogging too much in undergrad.

But I am tentative about giving it to birds as they do have sensitive livers. I will have to ask my vet. The supplement I give them right now is made for dogs/cats. It's mainly an antioxidant supplement with some glucosamine added, for beneficial effect in those animals.