Five Best Joint Supplements for Dogs
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Time to read 11 min
Joint problems are common issues that many dog owners will have to deal with at some point. The older dogs get, the higher their chances of being prone to joint disease. To promote joint health and ensure your dog lives a thriving life even as they age, veterinarians recommend the use of joint supplements for dogs.
In this article, we take a look at some of the best joint supplements for dogs.
Table of Content
Understanding Joint Health in Dogs Genetic Conditions Traumatic Conditions Degenerative Conditions What Contributes to Joint Issues in Dogs? Genetics Age Weight Activity level Ingredients to Look for in Joint Supplements For Dogs Glucosamine and chondroitin Omega-3 fatty acids Hyaluronic acid MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) Green-lipped mussel (GLM) How to Choose the Right Joint Supplement for Dogs Dog's size, age, and health Veterinarian recommendation Quality and safety Ingredients to avoid Dosing recommendations Top Picks of Joint Supplements for Dogs 1. Mobility-Max™ Advanced Hip & Joint Support Chews 2. Nutramax Dasuquin with MSM 3. VetriScience GlycoFlex Stage 3 4. Vet Strength Hip & Joint Mobility Bites 5. Phycox MAX Soft Chews Joint Supplement for Dogs Maintaining Joint Health Exercise and weight management Diet and nutrition When to Start Giving Your Dog a Joint Supplement Monitoring Progress and Consulting with a Veterinarian Conclusion Products Featured In This Blog Related Readings
Understanding Joint Health in Dogs
Joint health means the overall health of a dog's joints, which includes the ligaments, cartilage, and surrounding tissues. Your dog must have healthy joints for mobility, flexibility, and a thriving quality of life. As dogs age, their joint function starts to deteriorate as they become less active.
During this stage of your dog's life, prioritizing joint health is essential to preserving their quality of life and minimizing joint-related problems. That's where joint supplements for dogs come in. Joint support supplements can help reduce joint inflammation and stiffness and protect cartilage from damage.
Joint conditions in dogs can be degenerative, genetic, or traumatic, and over time, lead to osteoarthritis (OA).
Genetic Conditions
Genetic conditions cause joint instability, leading to cartilage damage and, eventually, arthritis. Some of the genetic joint conditions include:
Hip dysplasia, which is caused by poor development of the hip joint, resulting in cartilage wear and OA
Elbow dysplasia, which is an abnormal elbow joint development that results in instability and progressive arthritis
Traumatic Conditions
Traumatic conditions like ligament rupture may start as a sudden injury but can also be degenerative. Such ruptures lead to joint instability that accelerates cartilage wear, leading to degenerative arthritis.
Degenerative Conditions
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease where cartilage breaks down, leading to pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. OA can result from genetic conditions or traumatic injuries.
Factors like age and weight can accelerate the degenerative process.
Common joint diseases in dogs are arthritis and hip dysplasia. Arthritis occurs when cartilage begins to wear out until it disappears completely. This wearing out of cartilage causes joint degeneration and inflammation, resulting in stiffness, reduced mobility, and pain as bones rub against each other.
Some symptoms of arthritis are:
Limping
Irritability
Restlessness
Difficulty lying down or rising
Change in behaviour, like a previously active dog avoiding play or exercise
Hip dysplasia, on the other hand, is a genetic condition that affects the hips causing instability at the hip joint. As the dog moves, abnormal joint motion can lead to the breakdown of cartilage, resulting in pain and arthritis as the cartilage wears away.
Hip dysplasia can be managed through exercise, physical therapy, weight management, and dietary supplements.
As we can see, major factors that affect a dog's joints include age, genetics, weight, and activity level.
What Contributes to Joint Issues in Dogs?
Some of the contributing factors to joint issues in dogs include:
Genetics
Your dog's breed plays a key role in determining whether they're prone to joint issues or not. Large dogs are more prone to joint disease compared to small dogs because of their weight and size. For example, breeds like Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Golden Retrievers are more susceptible to hip and elbow dysplasia due to their larger frames. Meanwhile, Dachshunds, though small, are prone to intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) because of their long backs.
Age
Naturally, the older a dog gets, the higher the risk of joint complications. This is because, over the years, the cartilage that lubricates and cushions the joints wears out. This leads to joint degeneration and inflammation that causes stiffness and pain.
Weight
You must help your dog maintain a healthy weight to reduce the risk of joint complications. Excessive weight puts extra pressure on your dog's joints, leading to pain and inflammation.
Activity level
While regular exercise is crucial for your dog's overall health, the exercise should match your dog's weight, age, overall health condition, and breed. High-impact exercises like hunting and agility have a higher chance of causing joint trauma ,like ruptures than low-impact exercises.
Your dog's exercise routine should also be consistent so that you don't overdo the exercises when you're free, like during the weekend. Try to take your dog for some form of exercise every day, even if it's just a short walk. Incorporate other activities like swimming in their exercise routine to minimize the impact of activity level on the joints.
Ingredients to Look for in Joint Supplements For Dogs
To help boost your dog's joints, there are active ingredients in certain supplements that support joint health. These ingredients are as follows:
Glucosamine and chondroitin
Glucosamine and chondroitin are two active ingredients that have been thoroughly researched and recommended by veterinarians. Chondroitin is found naturally in healthy cartilage and helps with cartilage repair and protection.
The benefits of glucosamine and chondroitin include in joint supplements for dogs:
Reduced inflammation
Improved mobility
Support for cartilage maintenance and repair
Omega-3 fatty acids
The best omega-3 fatty acids for dog joint supplements are sourced from fish oils, as these contain anti-inflammatory compounds that are good for your dog's joints, coat, and skin health. These essential fats contain both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which work together to support joint health and overall well-being.
The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids are as follows:
Support long-term joint health by slowing down cartilage degeneration and reducing the progression of joint diseases like osteoarthritis
Improve overall mobility by reducing joint stiffness, inflammation, and pain
Reduce joint inflammation, resulting in less discomfort and pain and promoting flexibility
Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid is found naturally in healthy joint fluid and is used to lubricate joints and reduce friction between bones. The older dogs get, the more their natural levels of hyaluronic acid reduce, making it necessary to supplement its intake if you want to maintain healthy joints and alleviate pain.
The benefits of hyaluronic acid include:
Reduced tear and friction
Alleviation of pain
MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)
MSM is a natural sulfur compound with joint-supporting and anti-inflammatory properties. It's often used together with glucosamine and chondroitin as a powerful joint health formula.
The advantages of MSM are:
Relieves joint pain by reducing joint inflammation
Supports cartilage health by protecting and maintaining joint cartilage
Reduces joint stiffness by promoting flexibility and mobility
Remove toxins that cause inflammation by improving cellular waste elimination
Green-lipped mussel (GLM)
GLM is a marine superfood that originates from shellfish found in the waters around New Zealand. It's rich in chondroitin, glucosamine, antioxidants, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), and omega-3 fatty acids.
The benefits of using GLM include:
Joint pain relief
Joint lubrication support
Mobility and flexibility improvement
How to Choose the Right Joint Supplement for Dogs
There are so many joint supplements for dogs on the market that it can be overwhelming for pet parents to buy the right product. Before buying joint supplements, consider the following factors:
Dog's size, age, and health
Dogs' needs and dosages vary depending on their size, weight, age, and overall health.
Veterinarian recommendation
Before introducing joint supplements to your dog, consult your veterinarian. As an expert, your vet will make recommendations based on your dog's specific health needs.
Quality and safety
Look for quality products backed by scientific results and third-party testing. Third-party testing ensures the ingredients are accurately verified and that there are no harmful substances. Look for products verified by third-party organizations like the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC). Buy from reputable brands known for quality ingredient sourcing and high manufacturing standards.
Ingredients to avoid
Always read the ingredients list and avoid products containing potential allergens like flavors, unnecessary fillers, and artificial colors that could harm your dog.
Dosing recommendations
For effective supplement use, you must strictly follow the dosage instructions. Although supplements are safe, excess dosage can result in digestive issues . Also, under-dosing may not bring the desired results.
Top Picks of Joint Supplements for Dogs
1. Mobility-Max™ Advanced Hip & Joint Support Chews
Mobility-Max from Happy-Furever™ is made with active ingredients including glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, and GLM. These ingredients help repair cartilage, improve joint health, and reduce oxidative stress, which makes it one of the best joint supplements for dogs available on the market.
Mobility-Max contains no artificial colors or preservatives.
2. Nutramax Dasuquin with MSM
Nutramax Dasuquin is made with beneficial ingredients like MSM, chondroitin, glucosamine, and avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (ASU) powder. It helps reduce cartilage degeneration, supports joint comfort, and supports cartilage matrix production.
The downside to this product is that it uses a few inactive ingredients like artificial flavors, which may not be ideal for owners looking for products with all-natural ingredients.
3. VetriScience GlycoFlex Stage 3
VetriScience GlycoFlex is made with high-quality ingredients, including GLM, glucosamine, vitamin C, and GlycOmega™.
The advantages of using VetriScience are that it can help improve hind-leg strength, support joint and hip health, and improve mobility. It can be used by puppies as little as four to six weeks old.
The disadvantage of using VetriScience is that you'll only start seeing results after 4 weeks, which may not be ideal for owners looking for immediate results.
4. Vet Strength Hip & Joint Mobility Bites
Vet Strength soft chews are made with key ingredients, including astragalus root, quercetin dihydrate, vitamin C, and bromelain. These ingredients can help with supporting joint mobility and connective tissues.
The drawback of Vet Strength is that the ingredients have not been thoroughly researched. While key ingredients that are well-researched, like glucosamine and chondroitin, are used in most joint supplements, this formula uses ingredients with little research on their effectiveness in joint health.
5. Phycox MAX Soft Chews Joint Supplement for Dogs
Phycox Max Soft chews are formulated with Phycocyanin, glucosamine, and more antioxidants to provide the needed joint support even for large dogs. Despite having key elements in joint health, it doesn't have versatility when it comes to ingredients, making it not an all-in-one product.
Maintaining Joint Health
Prevention is the key to joint and cartilage health in dogs. Some of the preventative measures to help you maintain your furry friend's joint health include:
Exercise and weight management
Your dog must maintain a healthy weight to keep joint problems at bay. If your dog is obese, you must have a weight loss plan to reduce inflammation. Also, you need to have a consistent exercise regimen to maintain your pet's muscle strength and joint flexibility.
Diet and nutrition
A balanced diet is crucial for your dog's overall health. To promote joint health, your dog's diet must include beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and omega-3s with fish oil on top of the best joint supplement for dogs.
When to Start Giving Your Dog a Joint Supplement
Although it's never too early to start taking care of your dog's joint cartilage, some signs will prompt you to introduce joint supplements for dogs. These include limping, decreased mobility, and stiffness.
When you notice any of these signs, consult your vet for professional advice and diagnosis.
Monitoring Progress and Consulting with a Veterinarian
With proper care, many dogs with joint pain can still live healthy and comfortable lives. After introducing joint supplements to your dog, you must monitor and track their progress. This will help you determine whether the supplements are effective or not and if there is a need to adjust the dosage.
Look out for mobility and behaviour changes. Assess your dog's comfort levels and their ability to perform daily activities. Also, you must have regular consultations with your vet for professional guidance.
Conclusion
Joint supplements are one of the preventative measures to help with your dog's joint health. If you're unsure where to start, we believe that these top picks for the best joint supplement for dogs will help you.
Dr. Kathryn Rosalie Dench
With nearly two decades of experience, Cambridge veterinarian Dr. Kathryn Dench is dedicated to enhancing animal health through holistic practices. A member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, she focuses on preventive care over traditional methods, particularly for long-term wellness solutions in pets suffering from anxiety and chronic conditions. As Chief Scientific Advisor at Paw Origins, she champions holistic strategies and education to revolutionize pet care practices.
Products Featured In This Blog
Related Readings
How soon can I expect results?
The response time to CBD Happy-Furever™ can indeed differ from one dog to another, as it is a natural supplement that dogs may need time to adapt to. Many dog parents have observed noticeable positive changes in their pets' behavior and well-being within just a few days of starting the supplement. Common early signs of the supplement taking effect include better sleep, a calmer demeanor, and an increased appetite—all indicators of a content and healthy dog.
As the weeks go by, further enhancements in your dog's health may become evident. You may notice a shinier coat, a reduction in bodily pains, and an increase in energy, evident from bursts of playful excitement like the "zoomies" during fetch.
It's crucial to acknowledge that, like humans, some dogs may require a longer period to fully benefit from natural supplements like CBD oil. Patience is key, and during this time, it's also important to continue reinforcing good behavior.
When CBD helps to bring your dog to a more tranquil state, it's an opportune moment to introduce new habits and work on phasing out any undesirable behaviors. Remember, while CBD can support your dog's well-being, it is not a substitute for consistent training and conditioning.
Keep an eye out for signs of improvement; sometimes, they may not be immediately obvious. Documenting your dog's journey with videos and photos can help you recognize progress that you might otherwise overlook.
Furthermore, improvements might be taking place internally, such as enhanced immune function or reduced inflammation, which aren't always visible. The absence of health issues can often be a silent testament to the efficacy of the supplement, reflecting your dog's overall health and vitality. So, while some benefits of CBD are seen, others are felt—a healthy dog is a happy dog, inside and out.
Will these products make my pet 'high'?
Absolutely not! It's not possible for dogs to get 'high' off our CBD as they contain less than 0.3% THC, which won't cause any intoxicating effects. However, your pup might seem a lot more relaxed, and might be sleeping more - which is a healthy sign! Keep in mind that young puppies and senior dogs should be sleeping for up to 18-20 hours of their day, while adult dogs sleep approximately 16 hours.
The lack of quality sleep can affect their health and anxiety in many ways.
CBD can make older pooches act ‘puppy-like’ and nervous young pups feel calm. The ingredients that makeup hemp contribute to a balanced mood, resulting in a sense of relaxation for your pet.
