My 60 pound 6-year old Australian shepherd mix has trouble with his toe nails -they split and crack so badly that it involves a trip to the vet. My vet suggested gelatin and I’ve been making doggie jello shots with clear gelatin and beef broth with helps but also gives him the runs. Today the vet also suggested looking into the horse hoof supplements. I called my sister, a horse trainer, who suggested your web site and a brand of hoof supplement called Farriers Friend. Would this be safe for dogs and what dose should I use? The vet said about one tenth of a horse dose. I would appreciate any help or suggestions you might have. MS, New York
Dear MS,
Hardly ever will you see me recommend a horse product for a dog or the other way around. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, dosing can be extremely difficult. Not only can it be hard to figure out how much of a product for a 1000lb horse to give to a 60lb dog, sometimes the formulation for one species isn’t so easy to get another species to eat. Second, it’s hard for me personally to keep track of the ingredients it’s safe for one species to have but dangerous for another species to have so I avoid the risk by sticking to species-specific products.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, let me make some recommendations that should be safe for your dog and easy for you. You’re on the right track with gelatin, or, hydrolyzed (boiled) collagen. Collagen is simply a term for a certain group of proteins in the body. This group of proteins is the most abundant group in the body, and the most abundant group in connective tissue (such as toenails). It makes sense to supply the building blocks of toenails if you want them to grow healthier.
The next ingredient I would make sure to have on board is biotin. In the B-vitamin family, it’s a co-enzyme in hundreds of metabolic reactions, one of which is protein building. Horse owners have long recognized its value in growing strong, resilient hooves and there’s evidence to support its use in promoting healthy skin and coat in dogs as well.
Finally, make sure your dog is getting plenty of the anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids. Sometimes commercial diets are loaded towards the pro-inflammatory omega 6 fatty acid side and problems can develop on the inside as well as the outside.
Provide your dog will all three of these key ingredients—gelatin, biotin and omega 3 fatty acids—with our new SmartCanine Skin & Coat. Then just make sure your feeding a high-quality dog food and supplementing with fresh fruits, vegetables and other healthy snacks, and your dog should be in great shape in no time!