Dog joint supplements are essential for keeping your dog’s bones strong and healthy. The best dog joint supplements help relieve joint stress and prevent further joint damage in dogs suffering from bone problems and arthritis. Since there is no cure for dogs’ arthritis and joint pain, giving them joint supplements from an early age can help reduce the pain caused by this health problem.
Why Give a Dog Joint Supplement?
Giving your dog a joint supplement is indispensable. The best joint supplements help lubricate a dog’s joints and promote healthy cartilage and muscles. When you start giving your dog joint supplements at an early age, you will help keep them pain-free, active and strong.
Just like humans, senior dogs suffer from arthritis. Their natural ability to produce healthy cartilage decreases. Since there is no cure for arthritis for our canine friends, giving them joint supplements helps relieve the pain and reduce inflammation.
7 Best Dog Joint Supplements
Given the wide range of joint supplements for dogs available on the market, it’s good to know that a supplement that works for your neighbor’s dog might not be effective on your dog.
It is therefore important that you consult your vet on the best dog joint supplements. In this post, we are going to look at some of the best dog joint supplements that are recommended by most veterinarians. Without wasting any more time, let’s take a look.
1) Dasuquin MSM Small/Med Dogs, 84 Chewable Tablets
If your small/medium dog is suffering from joint problems, you should get him the Dasuquin MSM supplements. These are chewable tables suitable for all dogs up to 60lbs.
These tablets are carefully made with a combination of ASU (avocado/soybean unsaponifiable and decaffeinated tea), MSM, Glucosamine, and sodium chondroitin sulfate to provide a complete joint health brand.
With all these ingredients, this supplement not only lubricates the joints but also boosts the dog’s immune system making it one of the best dog joint supplements for small and medium breeds.
The chewable tablets are highly palatable making them easier to administer. Once you start the initial administration, it will take about 4 to 6 weeks to see the results. However, it might take a shorter time for some dogs.
After this, you can continue to administer the supplements to your dog for long-term benefits. Overall, these supplements are highly effective. They are recommended by veterinarians so you can trust that they will deliver.
Features
- Pork flavor
- Highly effective ingredients
- Suitable for small and medium dogs under 60lbs
- Recommended by veterinarians
- Highly palatable and easy to administer
- Supports joint function and helps protect cartilage
- Made in the USA
2) COSEQUIN Maximum Strength Joint Supplement Plus MSM
The COSEQUIN Maximum Strength Joint Supplement is specially formulated to help dogs maintain healthy joints. Like other dog joint supplements, it contains glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate as the key nutrient to promote cartilage production and MSM which helps keep any pain at bay and reduce inflammations.
The supplement is made in the USA with high-quality ingredients that are sourced globally. It is available in the form of chewable tablets with a tasty chicken flavor. The tablets are highly palatable and small-sized so they are easy to administer. Veterinarians recommend the use of this supplement for all dogs regardless of their size.
Features
- Glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate and MSM
- Tasty chicken flavor
- Small-sized chewable tablets that are easy to administer
- Made in the USA
- Formulated for dogs of all sizes
- Quality tested
- Excellent for long-term use
3) Nutramax Laboratories Dasuquin with MSM Soft Chews
If your dog is reluctant to tablets, the Nutramax Laboratories Dasuquin with MSM Soft Chews may be the best choice. This supplement helps keep your dog’s joints strong and healthy. Thanks to the soft chew formula, it is easy to administer to all dogs regardless of breed, size, or age.
The ingredients in these soft chews promote the production of cartilage components to keep joints healthy. At the same time, the ingredients inhibit the breakdown of cartilage. These effects make it one of the best dog joint supplements for senior dogs and dogs with hip dysplasia.
If you notice that your dog is having a difficult time trying to get up or climb the stairs, he may be having joint problems. Using this Dasuquin with MSM supplement will help support their cartilage structure and improve their quality of life.
Moreover, the supplement contains specific glucosamine hydrochloride and a low molecular weight chondroitin sulfate which help revive cartilage matrix production. This joint supplement is rich in antioxidants to support the immune system of your furry friends.
Features
- Veterinarian recommended
- Suitable all dogs under 60 pounds
- A new breed of joint health supplement
- MSM for optimum joint health
- Beef flavor
- Easy to administer
- Key ingredients: Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Sodium Chondroitin sulfate and ASU
- Suitable for both dogs and cats
4) Doggie Dailies Glucosamine for Dogs
The Doggie Dailies Glucosamine is ideal for dogs of all sizes. It is specially formulated to promote healthy hips, joints and ligaments. Giving your dog this supplement can help improve their bones, stimulate cartilage matrix production and keep them active. With these soft chews, supporting healthy joints is made easier.
The key ingredients in this supplement are glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, Yucca Schidigera and Coenzyme Q10. All these ingredients boost your dog’s immunity, reduce inflammations and keep the joints lubricated. As one of the best dog joint supplements, the Doggie Dailies joint supplement will keep your canine active even in their senior years.
Thanks to the delicious chicken flavor, the supplement is very easy to administer. Better yet, this Glucosamine tablet is third-party tested to ensure purity and safety. Above all, the supplements are made using cold-press extrusion to preserve the quality of the ingredients and ensure optimum potency for your dog.
Features
- 225 delicious soft chews
- Highly effective formula
- Third-party tested for purity and safety
- Chicken flavor
- A powerful blend of multiple ingredients
- Multiple nutrition benefits
- Easy to administer
- Suitable for all dog sizes
5) Zesty Paws Glucosamine for Dogs
Zetty paws mobility bites are chewable dog joint supplements suitable for dogs of all sizes. This supplement has OptiMSM, a premium form of MSM that provides great muscular support as well as Glucosamine and Chondroitin sulfate which help support hips, joints and cartilages.
The supplement is made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients. It is free of artificial flavors, artificial preservatives, and synthetic colors. This makes it safe for all dogs.
Other than that, the supplement has Vitamin C and E to boost the immunity of your dog and enhance connective tissue formation. Lastly, the supplement comes with a bacon flavor which many dogs love.
Features
- Vitamin C and E to boost immunity
- Ideal for all dogs, puppies and adults
- High allergen ingredients
- Bacon flavor
- Premium Hip and joint support
- Premium OptiMSM
- Glucosamine and Chondroitin
- Free of artificial flavors, artificial preservatives and synthetic colors
- Made in the USA
6) Nutramax Laboratories Cosequin Soft Chews
The Nutramax Laboratories Cosequin supplements are specially formulated to lubricate your dog’s joints, improve mobility and provide joint support. If your dog doesn’t want to wake up or is experiencing difficulties walking, climbing stairs or jumping on the couch, this supplement suits them.
Since this supplement is made in the USA, you can trust its quality and effectiveness. It is very tasty and soft to chew so your dog won’t have a problem ingesting it. Plus, it comes with MSM which enhances muscular support and Omega-3 to maintain healthy joints, skin and coat. Overall, this is a premium, dog joint supplement that’s good for long-term use and maintenance.
Features
- Glucosamine HCl, Sodium Chondroitin sulfate and MSM
- Omega-3 for healthy skin and coat
- Ideal for all dogs
- Tasty soft chews
- Manufactured in the USA
- Premium hip support and joint lubrication
- Excellent for long-term use
7) Nutramax Laboratories DASUQUIN with MSM Soft Chews
If you are looking for the best DASUQUIN supplements for your large dog, the Nutramax Laboratories DASUQUIN suits you. The supplement is suitable for all large dogs over 60 pounds. It comes is a beef flavor which makes it pleasant-tasting and easy to administer.
The supplement’s key ingredients are Glucosamine HCl, Sodium Chondroitin sulfate, ASU, decaffeinated green tea extracts and Boswellia Serrata. It also contains MSM to help with joint support and comfort and antioxidants which help protect the joint tissues from oxidative stress.
Features
- Veterinarian recommended
- Pleasant-tasting and easy to administer
- Suitable for large dog breeds over 60 pounds
- MSM for optimal joint support
- Multiple ingredients for multiple benefits
- Antioxidants to prevent oxidative stress on joint tissues
See Also
Important Ingredients to Look Out for in Dog Joint Supplements
Glucosamine Hydrochloride
Dogs need healthy cartilage for joints to move smoothly without experiencing any pain. If your dog is having mobility problems, they are probably suffering from a lack of cartilage. To revive the growth of cartilage and protect the cartilage that’s already in the joint, you need to give them supplements with glucosamine.
Like any other dog supplement, glucosamine hydrochloride takes time to build up the dog’s system. This can even take a month or more depending on your dog. Other than that, glucosamine is also beneficial to dogs with arthritis or joint problems, particularly in large dog breeds.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are great joint supplements ideal for dogs of all ages. These supplements provide a wide range of benefits. For starters, they help promote joint lubrication in dogs with dry joints. They also help reduce inflammation in dogs with arthritis, relieve pain and promote a healthy heart, skin and kidneys.
While dog treats and dog foods contain Omega-3 fatty acids, the amount isn’t always high enough particularly for dogs with joint problems. Therefore, it is important to provide your dog with Omega-3 fatty acids supplements.
Avocado Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASUs)
ASUs are the other important ingredient that dog joint supplements must have. They protect the cartilage by reducing inflammation and stimulating the healing process after the damage.
ASUs work together with glucosamine HCl and chondroitin sulfate to provide excellent joint health and long-term benefits. All these three ingredients are good dog joint supplements for all dog breeds and any age.
Chondroitin Sulfate
Chondroitin sulfate helps protect cartilage by destroying enzymes that cause cartilage damage. It is suitable for all dogs older than 8 weeks, but not dogs with end-stage arthritis. Since chondroitin is hard to get absorbed into the dog’s body, you must choose a supplement that has a low molecular weight such as Dasaquin.
Dasuquin is not only easily absorbed into the body, but also has the benefit of having glucosamine HCl and ASUs. These three ingredients provide the best results when they work together than separately.
Cannabidiol
If your dog has severe arthritis, it will highly benefit from CBD oil supplements. This supplement helps modulate pain and reduce inflammation. Research has shown that giving an arthritic dog CDB oil supplements twice a day can help relieve pain and increase their activity. This supplement is more beneficial to senior dogs with joint problems than young pets with healthy joints.
Read: Best Senior Dog Food
What Causes Joint Problems in Dogs?
There are two main causes of joint problems in dogs, developmental and degenerative. With developmental problems, the joint of your dog fails to develop as it should. In the end, the dog ends up having hip or elbow dysplasia.
When it comes to degenerative problems, there are several factors to it. However, the most common cause is arthritis. This causes your dog’s ligaments to stop degenerating and with time your dog ends up suffering from instability and secondary osteoarthritis.
Read: Best Dog Food for Golden Retrievers
Best Dog Joint Supplements FAQs
Q: What Dog Breeds are Prone to Joint Problems?
All dog breeds are prone to joint problems. However, some breeds are more prone to joint problems and arthritis. They are Labradors, Springer Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, Rottweilers, and Bernese Mountain dogs.
Q: What Are the First Signs of Joint Problems in Dogs?
The first and most common signs of joint problems in dogs include difficulty standing up, reluctance to jump to and from a high point such as bed, car, or couch, swollen and stiff joints and difficulty in walking.
Q: Should I Limit My Dog’s Activity if They Have Joint Problems?
Yes. If your dog has joint problems, it is good to limit its activity until you get a good diagnosis from your veterinarian. Having your dog continue with his normal activity can end up causing more harm to the joint problem.
Q: What Can I Do to Prevent Joint Problems in My Dog?
If you are getting a new puppy, make sure that you check for any hereditary health problems. A good breeder should give you all the information you need concerning that. After that, you should make sure that your dog exercises regularly to stay in shape. Also, make sure that you take him to the vet for joint evaluation yearly.
Conclusion
Joint problems in dogs can be prevented if diagnosed early. When choosing the best dog joint supplements, you must conduct thorough research first. It is also important that you speak to your veterinarian, so they can guide you on the best supplements for your dog. Above all, make sure that you pick a supplement from a brand that’s reputable and reliable.