This review takes an in-depth look at a product called GlycoFlex Everyday from a company called VetriScience. With an impressive website and informative blog, we were excited to delve deeper into the formula of these dog joint chews. This manufacturer states that GlycoFlex Everyday provides joint supporting nutrients in a delicious chicken liver flavored chew for dogs of all ages and size.
The first thing we noticed was that their formula contained only 3 active ingredients, and while this may not be a problem in and of itself, we did wonder which 3 it had chosen to include. Turns out they include Perna canaliculus (Green Lipped Mussels), Glucosamine and DMG (N,N-Dimethylglycine HCl). We were thrilled to see that even though they don’t have many ingredients, they included a significantly high dosage of Glucosamine – on par with our top choice. By including 500 mg of Glucosamine, we were able to see immediately that these guys know what they are doing in formulating a quality joint supplement for dogs. That said, we were left wondering why only 3 ingredients? We delved deeper to discover more and maybe find an answer to our question.
The next thing we noted was the large amount of inactive ingredients (as in #2 choice). These include the same list of usual suspects – arabic gum, brewers yeast, calcium sulfate, canola oil, hydrolyzed chicken liver flavor, citric acid, citrus pectin, glycerin, maltodextrin, mixed tocopherols, oat flour, propionic acid, rosemary extract, rye flour, silicon dioxide, sodium alginate, sorbic acid, soy lecithin, vegetable oil, water. Maybe it is the same company in disguise?!
This product is on the higher end in terms of price of those that we reviewed, but we know that isn’t always a bad thing. After all, you really do get what you pay for. Oftentimes, larger, more established companies usually will offer bulk discounts to try and garner loyalty in their client base but unfortunately we couldn’t find any with these guys which is always a shame because this can often provide consumers with a significant saving.
Where this product fails to impress us is their money back guarantee if you are not happy with the result. In short, we couldn’t find one. This is upsetting because most dog supplements offer some kind of guarantee. We read some of their reviews and there were many that said their dog just didn’t like them. If you have no money back guarantee you can be stuck with a product that you will simply have to throw away which would be a total waste of money. Chicken liver flavor may sound appealing for your furry friends but maybe one or the other would go down better. We are left feeling slightly disappointed in this product, to say the least.
The reviews that we found suggested mixed results. On their website, they suggest 86% of respondents would recommend this product to a friend which on the surface seems like a great thing. But how can we verify this and what does it even really mean?
The positive reviews we found mainly on their site which is to be expected. From the positive reviews we found that many people were generally quite happy with these chews for their dogs and that they felt they helped their dog’s joint health and prevented issues in later life for them.
Of the negative reviews, most felt that the product lacked key ingredients and for the price, was missing something that could easily be found in other similar products. Many were happy to take these for free but not willing to pay for them. This spoke volumes to us.
In terms of safety, there didn’t appear to be anything untoward that we noted in this formula. However, as with any new supplement or diet introduced into your dogs’ life, we always advise talking to your veterinarian about possible contraindications of any pre-existing medical conditions or medications that your dog is taking. Supplements work differently on different breeds, weights and types so it is always a good idea to run any health changes with a professional.
At first, VetriScience GlycoFlex Everyday appeared to have most of the qualities we look for in a dog joint supplement because it included a hefty daily serving of Glucosamine which is exactly what to look out for in a top quality joint support product. However, upon closer inspection, we found many concerning items that make us hesitant to fully recommend this product.
We are uneasy with the limited amount of active ingredients and the large amount of inactive ingredients. After all, the former is the reason you buy the product and the fact it only had 3 was disappointing. That said, they included their own unique trademarked blend of Perna canaliculus (GlycOmega™ brand Green-Lipped Mussel) plus a patented blend of DMG N, N Dimethylglycine HCl. Sounds impressive and probably is, however, we would love to have seen some clinical data to support the benefits of these compounds to ascertain if they really work or not.
The amount of chews in a pack is 60 but this manufacturer suggests for larger dogs to take between 4 to 5 chews per day. In this case, this product would last around 2 weeks which makes this a super expensive option. Not to mention if you have more than one dog.
If we could turn to a solid money-back guarantee, we would have felt better about VetriScience GlycoFlex Everyday. However, we were left feeling slightly wary about risking paying a fairly high price for just 3 active ingredients. When a manufacturer truly believes that their product will work, they offer a real money-back guarantee. Together with the fact that the reviews were mediocre and the lack of clinical data backing up their trademark blends, we had no other option than to place this in third place.
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