AR-News: Elk antler pills pushed for arthritic dogs

[jim robertson]

Elk antler pills pushed for arthritic dogs
Tuesday, April 13, 2004 Posted: 12:10 PM EDT (1610 GMT)


WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) -- Hurt by export bans after the discovery of 
brain-wasting diseases in elk and more recently in cattle, Canadian elk 
farmers have found a new market: they're going to the dogs.

They're touting a University of Montreal study that found arthritic dogs 
could run and play with more ease after two months of taking four to eight 
capsules a day of elk velvet antler, a traditional Asian medicine.

"It's going to have a huge effect on our industry in a very short time," 
said Don Bamber, president of Royal Elk Products, a processor at Sangudo, 
Alberta.

Elk are members of the deer family, generally found in large wild herds in 
northern Canada and the United States. A mature bull elk can weigh up to 
1,000 pounds.

There are about 2,500 elk and deer farmers in Canada.

Copyright 2004 Reuters

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"As often as Herman had witnessed the slaughter of animals and fish, he
always had the same thought: in their behavior toward creatures, all men are 
Nazis.
The smugness with which man could do with other species as he pleased
exemplified the most extreme racist theories, the principle that might is 
right."
                     ~ Isaac Bashevis Singer

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