Monday, April 25, 2016

Chewy.com review: Nutramax Cosequin mini chews


Our second review this month is for Nutramax Cosequin mini chews for small dogs.


We were initially excited about these joint supplement chews.  I started Benny on Cosequin for cats in early December. He is 15 1/2 and, like many older kitties, can't jump as well as he used to. The Cosequin is a decent product, but it comes in a capsule. Some cats will eat it mixed with food, but Benny won't eat food that is "tainted" with medicine. (Thankfully he is fine with pilling, so that's what we do.)

Enter these chews. Since they are chews for small dogs, they seemed perfect for cats too.

To compare ingredients:
Nutramax chews (for dogs up to 25 pounds): FCHG49 Glucosamine Hydrochloride (trademarked ingredient) 260mg TRH122 Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate (trademarked ingredient) 130mg Methylsulfonlymethane (MSM)

Cosequin: 125 milligrams FCHG49 glucosamine and 100 milligrams TRH122 chondroitin sulfate per capsule

Chew on the left; Cosequin capsule on the right.
Price comparison:
Nutramax: $12.99 for 45
Cosequin: $16.60 for 80

To be fair and have similar amounts of supplements, it seems you could give half a Nutramax chew, which makes them more economical than the Cosequin. Their 100 count package is an even better value.

The biggest hangup with these treats is getting the cat to eat them! They are liver flavored and semi-soft, which I thought would appeal to Benny. However, I tried multiple times to give him one, and he would not touch it, even when crumbled into smaller pieces. He's an older cat and pretty set in his ways, and tends to like crunchy treats. Cats are individuals, and some may love these, and others may not. 

Sadie did eat one, so some cats do like the taste. I think these would be useful for cats who don't like pills, or who are on other medications and this would appear to be a "treat" to them.

Benny has been on the Cosequin for about four months. There has been a slight improvement, but it's (obviously) not a wonder drug. He has a step stool near where he eats. He sometimes tries to jump on the couch and fails. Other days, he is so spry that I do a double-take.

I feel a supplement like this is, overall, beneficial. If your cat is aging, it can't hurt to try it. (Note: if your cat is taking any medications, please check with your vet first to make sure there aren't any possible interactions.) 

Disclaimer: We were sent one bag of Nutramax chews in exchange for an honest review. We purchased the Cosequin on our own. All opinions are our own.

5 comments:

Summer at sparklecat.com said...

My human gives Boodie some Glucosamine and Chondroitin supplements sometimes... but she uses a cat gel.

A Tonl said...

the cosequin did wonders for our elderly Caleb (he lived to be almost 20).
But you're right - it's so hit and miss with cats and their tastes!

The Island Cats said...

Wally gets Cosequin in his food. These treats could be a good way to get him to take the Cosequin, but unfortunately, he's a treat snob and I bet he wouldn't touch these. *sigh*. ~Island Cat Mom

Connie - Tails from the Foster Kittens said...

It is a case of you don't know until you try and every cat is different. it is sad they don't market them to cat owners as well.

pilch92 said...

That is too bad he didn't want to eat them, it seemed like a great idea.

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