VetriScience Healthy Hip & Joint Chews, GlycoFlex Glucosamine and Green-Lipped Mussel Joint Support Supplement for Cats, Promote Mobility and Protect Joints, Chicken, 60 Count

Bought these for my 15-yr-old arthritic cat, Lucky at the advice of my feline-only vet. Prior to starting these, Lucky had been on Cosequin for Cats for several months with no success. He had rear-leg weakness, difficulty standing from a laying position, and was reluctant to be groomed. Other possibilities for these symptoms had been ruled out via blood tests and physical exam. I had my doubts about this product, not only from an effectiveness standpoint but taste, as well. I've never been able to get Lucky to eat a medicine-type treat or vitamin. But my vet said I must try these because she had seen many cats go wild over them. She was right! Not only does Lucky love them, but I have to work to keep my other cats from stealing his treat! It took about 6 wks to see improvement, which is consistent with the package info. He is a tall, large-framed cat at 15#, so he gets 2 treats per day--1 in the morning, 1 in the evening--and ALWAYS BEFORE A MEAL so that the medicine in the treat does not upset his stomach. (This is very important.) He now is much more active, runs up the stairs, is climbing onto furniture again, and once again enjoys being brushed. The change has been pretty amazing. If your cat is suffering from arthritis, PLEASE try these treats. They are worth every penny. But be sure to give them at least 2 months of daily treatment before deciding whether or not they are helping your kitty. UPDATE 6/22/12: I regret to report that some weeks ago, Lucky began to show less excitement over these treats and gradually quit eating them at all. I was so upset over this because they seemed to be helping him so much. Medical tests showed no decline in his health, so I decided he was simply tired of them after having eaten 2 treats a day for so long. I reluctantly switched back to Nutramax's Cosequin-based product called Dasuquin (also bought on Amazon). The only difference in the two is that Dasuquin has the added ingredient of "Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables." The reviews on Amazon were very positive. He's doing pretty well on the Dasuquin supplement, although to get him to eat it, I have to mix it with about a half a spoonful of Gerber's baby food meat (no onion or garlic) and syringe feed it to him a tiny squeeze at a time. He will not touch his canned food with the Dasuquin mixed in. With other senior cats to care for, as well, I long for the Glyco-Flex II chew days where he would eat his arthritis medicine with no coaxing or extra labor on my part! I STILL highly recommend Glyco-Flex II Soft Chews for arthritic cats, and that is why I am not modifying my 5-star rating. It can make a world of difference in their happiness, comfort and overall quality of life. It is an important tool in a senior cat owner's "arsenal" given that there are few safe options for pain control in arthritic cats.

Glycoflex--has made my cats (that’s two elder cats now) golden years a lot less painful. Update 4.1.20 Still using Glycoflex for an older cat, but a new older cat with even more stiffness and probably pain without the supplement. We lost Maia in 2018 but adopted a new older stray, Bast who was a lot more decrepit when he came to us. He has either some bad arthritis or an old injury, or both, which makes him very stiff. He could not jump or move very quickly when we got him and looked extremely uncomfortable when moving from being in a stationary position for a while. After using the Glycoflex in his food for only a short time, he moved a lot better and does not seem as stiff. He can jump on things and even trot about a bit when he wants, but he has to have the Glycoflex consistently. He does not love it, so I leave it out of the first bit of wet food he gets for the day—that makes him happy, as he gets some good tasting food, then I cut it up and put in the remaining food for the day and he eats it. Yeah, I know, poor cat he has to eat food with a bad taste, but he will be practically crippled without it. *************************************************************** I had begun to notice that my cat Maia was very stiff every time she got up, and that she was losing her footing around the house as she walked on the counters and tables--I was afraid she was going to fall and break her hip or leg or something. Since I take Glucosamine, I thought I'd try to find her some. This is going to be hit and miss for pet owners--because animals are people and they can be picky---but I really like this product. I tried a few--they all tend to taste bad, and my cat didn't want them, or I had to open capsules and sneak them in her food---- but my cat has continued to eat this one. The treats are chewy and not as easy for a cat to eat--so what I do is get a small knife and chop them up into tiny bits--then my cat has no problem. I also had to use mind control. ( no lie) she loved them at first, but was starting to turn away from them--then I discovered that if I get the treat ready and have it nearby --and I catch her right when she wakes up--right then and I use the code word --I first said to her “It's good for your BONES and joints;” She eats the treat! I have to say Bones with a certain intonation. I realize that sounds a little goofy--but I think I have successfully conditioned my cat to eat the treats at the magic word. You might not have to employ mind control, maybe your cat will just like these, but if she or he is put off by the chewy texture--chop them up, and if for some reason your cat doesn't like the taste--try hiding it in food, before the conditioning experiment ( : The other thing I appreciate about this brand is the strength of the ingredients, I did some comparisons and it's got more active ingredients than the other two I was able to get Maia to ingest. I actually noticed a decline in her mobility when I went back to the capsules--when she stopped eating these for a while. So I recommend the Glyco-Flex. It's not the cheapest supplement (it's cheaper than the human one I used to use to give her with a dropper against her will, but from my perspective, it's worth a try. My cat is very much improved. If this doesn't work for you--try something else--the supplement really make a difference in a cat or dog's life. Hope that mind control tip didn't totally undermine my Amazon cred--but it's so amazing--I had to share. It works!

About a year ago, my beloved cat of 8 years old ( now ) collapsed on his hind legs; I was in such a panic thinking he'd suffered a stroke; rushed him to my nearest vet where the doctor did various x rays. It turned out that he had an array of problems: ( 1 ) he's torn a ligament in his hind leg, ( 2 ) had/has substantial arthritis in both hind feet, ( 3 ) someone at one point and time had shot him with a BB pellet gun ( he was a rescued cat from outdoors ) which was embedded in his hip ( the latter, the BB pellet the doctor said was common, and not to worry about ). I was looking to have surgery on him for the torn ligament,which was gonna cost a whopping 5 thousand dollars... however, thanks to a few months of Glyco Flex, he got much better. I'd give this product 5 stars, however, when I ordered 5 pouches, I discovered that one pouch was / had a small tear-cut in it....likely due to un packaging the supplements in bulk before they arrived to myself...overall I do indeed think these have helped my cats arthritis a lot.

I cannot say enough good about these cat chews! My 4 year old, (indoor only) cat suddenly developed severe pain in one of her back legs. She could barely walk and had to stop every minute or so to rest. Her pain was enough to make her cry out. I was beside her when this happened and know that she did not fall or hit anything. The vet was not certain of the problem but he gave her an anti-inflammatory injection, one short-term and another long-term about 1 week later. This worked for about 3 weeks and the problem returned. I bought the Glyco-Flex II chews from my vet and they slowly started to work. I started her on 2 daily for two weeks then reduced it to one daily. She has been on them for 6 months and is doing great. She has had no problems. I plan to keep her on them permanently. Fortunately, she loves the taste and thinks she is getting a treat. It has been over a year since I first wrote a review for Glyco Flex and I must say I am still thrilled with the results. I stopped giving them to my cat every day during the summer as she was doing so well. I gave them to her occasionally. About 2 weeks ago she acted as if she did not feel well then I noticed she was having a hard time jumping and she would walk a few feet then lie down. She did none of the things she normally does nor was she interested in anything going on. My first instiinct was to take her to the vet. However, I decided not to panic and try these treats first. I gave her 2 treats each day (one in the morning and one at night). Within 3 days she was back to her usual self. For those who may not have noticed, this company makes treats at 3 levels of management. This is level 2. If this does not work, you might consider trying the level 3. I am changing my rating from 4 starts to 5. Amazon's price is great! I paid $28 at the vets for the same size. Just a note: I have been told that this often works for arthritis in cats too.

My vet recommended this product at my cat's 10-year-old health check-up. He was overweight, a bit lazy, and he always hid under my bed to sleep. Another sign was a slight "mmph" of a meow when he would get down from my bed. Also, I saw he had a difficult time getting up the stairs. Cats are the best at hiding their pain. Most of us don't know something is wrong until it's too late. She sent me home with a sample of 4 chews. In less than a day, my cat, Jack, was rolling on the floor, playing with our other family cat, who is a very young adult. Amazing! The veterinarian charged me $20.00 for the exact same product you see here. Thank goodness I searched on Amazon! The price can't be beat! If you're worried your cat may not like the chews, it may help to say Jack is extremely finicky. He loves his "treats" and looks forward to them every day by waiting next to the cabinet like clockwork. Over time, my cat's health has improved, and in my opinion, years have been added to his life. Since he's better able to get around, he's lost weight. He loves to play again! He didn't care much for laser pointers and feathers for a while and I'm delighted to say his spark is back. In addition, his fur feels softer and shinier, and his eyes are bright and lively. He's become very social with the family again and so content. For a while, I would have to go find him... usually sleeping somewhere quiet. I can't say enough about this product and I highly recommend it for older cats. After all, pets, just like us, get the aches and pains of growing older.

cat wouldn't eat it

My cat would not eat it so I mixed it in with his other wet food and he promptly threw it all up. I really wanted this product to work as he is old and needs joint support. Too bad for us and I hope it works for others.

These have really helped my cranky cat with his arthritis! The smell is a bit strong which is wonderful for peaking the cat's interest. I've been ordering these for almost two years now and only once did I have an issue with packaging (came in a bubble mailer which allowed for the treats to be smashed / crumbled). All other times they arrived in a box which was nicely sealed and kept the treats protected. My cranky old guy has now come to love the sound of the pouch opening and he comes "running" to grab his nightly "treats." While it was once too painful for him to walk he is now able to move around more freely. He still uses the stepping stools we've placed around the house at the base of chairs, beds, and sofas but every now and again I'll catch him playing as though he were a kitten again (chasing a cat toy around the living area). I'm glad our vet recommended the Glyco Flex 2 joint support supplements!