For the past 10 days, Juliet has been coping with arthritis without painkillers. I weaned her off Rimadyl, the common painkiller for dogs, because I was worried about the disadvantages such as stomach ulcers and other possible complications.

During Juliet’s 3rd acupuncture session with Dr Susanna Asia Paws yesterday morning, I asked Dr Susanna about natural painkillers for Juliet and she recommended boswellia which I read about in my research on dog arthritis. I’d also read about burdock as an alternative but since Dr Susanna recommended boswellia, I was ready to check it out.

Boswellia is also known as “shallaki” under Himalaya. It has the following benefits:-

• Supports the prevention of excessive joint wear and tear by inhibiting glycosaminoglcans degradation, an important element in the structural building blocks of joint cartilage that supports normal lubrication and shock absorbing which are essential for proper joint structure and function.
• Boswellic acid, an important active constituent in Shallaki, helps in suppressing joint inflammation and pain by targeting key enzymes that facilitate the release of pro-inflammatory chemicals in the joints.
• Unlike other NSAIDs, Shallaki is gentle on the stomach and doesn’t cause gastric irritation or ulcers.
• The analgesic properties of Shallaki help alleviate arthritic pain and improve joint function.

Sounds promising to me so since I was at MidValley yesterday, I went to Himalaya and they were having a discount on Shallaki, a bottle of 60 capsules of 125mg boswellia extract for RM43.85. That’s a lot cheaper than the Boswellia at GNC a few doors away – theirs is 100 capsules at almost RM200!

Dr Susanna recommended 450mg daily for Juliet, to be divided into 2 dosages of 225mg each. Dr Susanna said that Juliet may experience loose stools after taking boswellia/shallaki but I think that’s better than the possibility of stomach ulcers. In any case, if your dog has a similar condition to my beloved Juliet, please consult the vet before giving your dog any medication.