Has anyone used SAMe (Denosyl, Denamarin, etc) as a joint support product for arthritic cats?

I'm wondering if anyone has tried a SAMe product for their cats with arthritis.  Was it effective? 

I've never heard of using SAM-e as arthritis relief.  As far as I know, it is primarily used as liver support with mood support as a side benefit.

For arthritis or joint support I've known folks to use Glucosamine/Condroitin/MSM either individually or in compounds.  Also, Adequan injections have been reported to be quite effective.

I haven't head of using SAMe for arthritis either, but it seems that supplement is gaining popularity for other reasons as stated above, but for people, not felines. I wouldn't personally use any unknown supplements/meds/treatments without advice of a veterinarian first. There's also a sticky posted here in red about that...

Why not use other known supplements on the market already proven to work on felines instead? This older thread may help give you some ideas on what to use:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/217196/best-arthritis-supplements-for-cats

Denamarin is used for kitties, but it's the go to supplement for a kitty that has fatty liver.  It helps the liver heal, I had never heard of using it for arthritis.  Have you tried the Glucosamine Chondroitin.

EmandJee said:

 
I haven't head of using SAMe for arthritis either, but it seems that supplement is gaining popularity for other reasons as stated above, but for people, not felines. I wouldn't personally use any unknown supplements/meds/treatments without advice of a veterinarian first. There's also a sticky posted here in red about that...

Click to expand...

Actually, my veterinarian HAS told me that I can use SAM-e for my cat that has a severely scarred liver (from cholangiohepatitis), as it is the exact same active ingredient as Denosyl.  The  caveat is the dosage, I use about a quarter of a human dosage.  I do the same with Milk Thistle (Marin/silymarin).

Dosage is important for another reason:   While these supplements may be great for liver support, they still have to be processed through the liver and kidneys, too much could actually backfire, and raise ALTs and be harsh on the kidneys.

It's a good clarification that it is best to consult a veterinarian first before embarking on alternative treatments... which I did. 

And again, to my knowledge, these particular supplements are not generally used for arthritis.    

actually, sam-e is used in humans for depression, osteoarthritis, and liver disease, but sam-e only reduces the symptoms of arthritis while chondroitin and glucosamine also slow the progression. 

Thanks for the input.

I'm leaning towards starting him on Dasuquin(same as Cosequin but with ASU).  I have a few boxes of Denosyl left from my other cat(who is no longer with us) and I've wondered if it might help with cognitive decline/neurological concerns.  He's had two neurological events, and has shown some signs of potential cognitive issues.  Still, he's on quite a few other supplements and I would need to pill him with the Denosyl so.. I'm still on the fence.  I'm starting SAMe myself so I thought we could give it a try together.

I have a kitty with severe arthritis in her spine and was starting to question her quality of life. She started getting adequan injections and there has been a huge improvement in her mobility. I highly recommend it for anyone who has an older arthritic animal. Also you can do the injections at home, my vet has me do them subq instead of in the muscle and I actually think she tolerates the injections much better then giving her pills.