Best Dog Joint Supplements to Keep Your Canine Comfortable

Even the calmest dog breeds need some form of exercise to remain healthy. And when you have an active pup? It gets difficult to keep up with their energy demands. So it’s easy to notice stiffness in the morning. Or when your dog slows down on their walks. Maybe you don’t hear tell-tale snaps and pops when your dog gets up and stretches, but their joints start to wear down. And crunchy elbows and hips? They’re painful. You don’t want your best friend to feel uncomfortable day in and day out. And that’s when you turn to one of the best dog joint supplements on the market.

Joint Pain in Dogs

When you think of joint pain – in dogs OR humans – you’re dealing with cartilage. Cartilage is the sponge-like material that sits between the bones of the joints, acting as a shock absorber. And while it’s tough enough to allow your dog to run and jump, it’s also on the delicate side.

Any time there’s an injury, the body releases enzymes that attack that cartilage. Over time (and with repeated inflammation), the cartilage starts to break down. You see this with athletes – regardless of how many feet they have.

And, unhappily, cartilage grows thinner with age. It goes from a nice, thick cushion to a thin wafer that stops supporting the joint. And when that happens, osteoarthritis (the fancy term for arthritis) sets in. And that’s where you start thinking about dog joint supplements.

Dysplasia

You can also have developmental problems where the joint fails to form properly. The cartilage can’t provide a cushion because the bones don’t line up the way they should. When this happens, your dog ends up with dysplasia. And it’s usually seen in the elbows or hips.

Dysplasia requires surgery to correct. Dog joint supplements WON’T help with the pain. Why? Because the joint is the problem – not the cartilage. Once a surgeon corrects things, they WILL recommend a supplement to keep your dog comfortable. But you need to step in and fix things in the first place.

Dysplasia is common in both tiny AND giant breeds.

Understanding Dog Joint Supplements

You’ll find hundreds of dog joint supplements on the market. And some of them make fantastic claims. But reality? It’s a little humbler. Similar to fish oils and probiotics, you’re adding a supplement to your dog’s diet – not a miracle. And some of the products out there do more harm than good.

Supplements AREN’T regulated by the FDA. This means you need to understand which ingredients are important, which may be dangerous (or even toxic), and which don’t do anything at all. While the hype SOUNDS good, it may not benefit your dog. And if you want the best dog joint supplements, you should talk to your veterinarian.

Vets agree these are the BEST ingredients to check for on labels (they have science-backed studies to prove they work):

• Glucosamine hydrochloride
• Chondroitin sulfate
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• ASUs

Glucosamine

One of the biggest components of dog joint supplements is glucosamine. And for a good reason: it helps build AND protect cartilage. However, there are two forms of glucosamine out there:

• Glucosamine hydrochloride (HCl)
• Glucosamine sulfate

You’ll find plenty of dog joint supplements with the sulfate version. Unhappily, the sulfate doesn’t reach your dog’s joints. So while your dog may benefit from the other ingredients in that supplement, they’re not getting the glucosamine you want in their cartilage. You need the hydrochloride version to make a difference.

For the best dosing (which you want to confirm with your vet), you start with 30mg/kg a day for the first MONTH. And, yes, it takes THAT LONG to have an effect (so you need some patience). After that, you’ll drop to 15mg/kg a day.

Chondroitin

Remember those pesky enzymes attacking your dog’s cartilage? Chondroitin stops them. It also pairs up nicely with glucosamine (this is why you often see them together). You CAN give chondroitin alone, but it’s tough on a dog’s GI tract. Mixed with glucosamine, you use a lower dose and make things easier on puppy tummies.

You use the same dose as you see in glucosamine (but confirm things with your vet).

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

If you’re already giving fish oils, you don’t need to look for them in your dog joint supplement. But having fatty acids keeps joints moving smoothly. They also help the heart and kidneys and keep your dog’s hair looking shiny.

You want fatty acids from fish or krill oil – NOT flaxseed oil. And while your vet can give you the best dose for your pup, an average of 100mg/kg of both the EPA and DHA levels is a good starting point.

ASUs

What are ASUs? Avocado soybean unsaponifables. They keep inflammation down and promote the healing of your dog’s joints. They also like to pair up with glucosamine and chondroitin. So if you can find a dog joint supplement with all three, you’ve hit gold.

Other Ingredients

You may find sites recommending other ingredients for dog joint supplements. However, they lack scientific backing. And, in some cases – such as with turmeric – they may be dangerous. Before you use ANY supplement, talk with your vet and review the label. Everyone understands you want to help your canine companion. And they’ll pitch in on the process – while making sure you’re not unintentionally doing any harm.

The Exception to the Rule

When you start looking for dog joint supplements, you need to keep one thing in mind. If your dog is in end-stage arthritis, these supplements won’t help. There’s simply no cartilage there to protect or heal.

Instead, you need to consider alternative treatments for pain, such as CBD oil.

Choosing a Dog Joint Supplement

You have your ingredient list, but there are THOUSANDS of dog joint supplements out there. How are you supposed to narrow down your search? By considering these important features:

• NASC Seal: You can’t look for FDA approval, but you CAN search for the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) seal. They ensure companies use quality ingredients and perform quality control checks.
• Form: Dog joint supplements come in several forms, each with its pros and cons.
  • Chews: Dogs like the treat, but the ingredients aren’t the best, and ingredient concentrations are lower.
  • Powder or Liquid: You get better quality and higher concentrations here. The taste isn’t always the best, though, causing dogs to refuse to eat their meal.
  • Tablet: Tablets have the highest concentrations and the best ingredients. However, if you can’t get your pup to swallow it, you’re out of luck.
• Safety: You should see a lot number on the bottle. This indicates the company performs quality control.
• Size: How many chews or tablets does your dog need to meet their dose? Is it cost-effective for you? Or do you need to buy so many containers you’ll go broke?
• Ingredients: Read everything on the ingredient list. Do you see garlic or other potential problems?

Are Human Supplements Okay?

While you may see similar ingredients on your daily supplement bottle, NEVER give your dog a human supplement. The doses aren’t the same, and there are often other ingredients YOU can digest and handle that dogs CAN’T. It’s much safer to stick to dog joint supplements.

Again, bring your chosen product to your vet and review everything with them. They’ll make sure your pup stays safe. And this way the two of you can put any other plans together. (For instance, in case your dog needs to start a weight-loss plan to remove excess strain on their joints)

The Best Dog Joint Supplements

When your happy-go-lucky pup starts slowing down and playing less, it causes concern. And while no one’s figured out how to slow down the aging process yet, you CAN step in and slow down the destruction of your dog’s joints. Dog joint supplements protect cartilage from damage. And they even repair some of the wear-and-tear. It’s a handy little daily dose that accomplishes a lot.

And if you combine the supplement with other things such as hydrotherapy or laser therapy? You’ll see your dog bouncing back to their old selves. But remember – it’s a slow process, and you won’t see results overnight. (And if any of the dog joint supplements make that claim – run the other way)