It is extremely important for dogs to keep their joints healthy so they can live a long and pain-free life. Here are our recommended dog supplements for joints.
Many breeds of dogs are prone to have back and joint issues especially when they get older.
Some important things to consider are not to allow your dog to jump up and down off sofas and beds.
Also, do not allow them to run up and down stairs as well.
There are inclines you can purchase to allow them to freely walk up and down without them hurting their backs and joints.
You want your dog to be happy and pain-free throughout their lives.
You want to help your loved one by providing an extra boost to keep their joints healthy and functioning as best as possible.
Joints can become stiff or painful, and suddenly your once hyperactive, fun-loving dog is spending more and more time laying around.
Dog joint supplements can help your dog get back to its active self.
I reviewed dozens of dog supplements for joints and here are my reviews of some of the best and most popular ones.
The reviews of dog supplements were based on their ingredients, customer reviews, costs, and certifications.
Thus, I narrowed the search down to my reviews of the three best joint supplements for dogs.
Why Buy Dog Joint Supplements?
Some dogs, particularly dachshunds with their long backs and short legs, are prone to joint and back problems. As they age this can take a toll on their joints.
The cartilage is located in between the bones and over time the joints can slowly erode away, resulting in the bones scraping against each other.
This will cause pain and stiffness in your dog with wear and tear over time.
When dogs are young their bodies can repair cartilage, but as they age their bodies lose this ability to repair cartilage.
Your dog will then start having stiffness and joint pain and make it difficult for them to run around like they used to.
If your dog starts experiencing this stiffness and pain, it is best to get them started on dog supplements for joints to prevent further joint damage. You don’t want this condition to get worse.
Also, dogs with arthritis will benefit from dog supplements for joints if they are on other medications.
If joint problems existing, you should start providing them with a dog joint supplement as soon as they are an adult dog.
This will help prevent them from having joint problems later in life.
Main Features to Consider
Supplements should provide three main features for the best support for joint health. Here are the main features for choosing a joint supplement for your dog:
Ingredients: The ingredients should be scientifically proven that will help improve your dog’s joints. There should be a high enough dosage with the right type of ingredient that should help repair cartilage and reduce pain and stiffness.
Safety: Look at the ingredients to make sure they are safe for your dog. The product labels and certification and vet recommendations are important.
Ease of administration: You want your dog to be able to like the taste so a good-tasting liquid or chewable is recommended. My dog loves the flavor of his chewable and he looks forward to eating it like a treat.
1: Select a supplement that contains multiple active ingredients for the best results. Typically, many people just think of glucosamine as the main joint supplement for their dog.
It is the most popular joint supplement, but it is best to combine this with other joint supplements, such as MSM, Chondroitin, and turmeric (curcumin).
2: Be Sure To Read The Label To Make Sure The Joint Supplements Has The Proper Amounts Of Ingredients.
To have the best effect on your dog’s joints, they should get at least 20 mg daily of glucosamine for every pound they weigh.
Some products that are inexpensive like around $15 a bottle, might not have enough glucosamine for the best effect.
Many of these cheaper bottles might not list the mg amounts and if they don’t…it is likely they don’t have enough glucosamine.
3: The Best Joint Supplements Should Be American Made
A lot of pet stores carry many brands, and some might not be made in America, as they are cheaper to buy. American brands have higher production standards and they might cost a bit more. However, they are worth the money.
4: Make Sure To Select A Hypoallergenic Joint Supplement If Your Dog Has Allergies.
When giving your dog a joint supplement, you need to watch to see if he has an allergic reaction.
Many dogs won’t have this problem, but there are always some that are allergic to certain ingredients.
There are some joint supplements that are made for hypoallergenic dogs.
5: Joint Supplements Should Be Given Before Signs Of Pain.
First, you will want to give your dog a joint supplement around the adult age of five. You want to do this before any joint or back pain occurs.
Once they have joint or back pains, then the dachshund joint supplements may take up to two months before their pain is alleviated.
Thus, giving your dog a joint supplement before they have any joint or back pain problems, is ideal for prevention.
6: Make Sure You Choose A Good Tasting Chewable For Your Dog.
If your dog doesn’t like the taste it won’t be of any use. The best joint supplements are good tasting and either a chewable soft tablet or liquid are the preferred choices.
FAQs:
What are dog supplements for joints and how do they work?
Joint supplements come in liquid or chewable tablets that have natural ingredients to help maintain and support joint health.
Many supplements have different ingredients and amounts of dosages, so it is important to choose the right recommended product.
Every joint supplement has the same purpose: to reduce pain and stiffness for your dog.
Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and MSM are the recommended and most beneficial ingredients. Glucosamine helps with cartilage growth and provides your dog’s joints with padding.
This has been scientifically proven to help with joint pain and improve mobility. Your dog will likely show improvement usually within 70 days.
Chondroitin is another proven ingredient that works by preventing and ridding certain chemicals that wear out cartilage. This will help prevent damage to your dog’s joints.
Msn is an ingredient that some dog supplements include in their product. Although not thoroughly tested for its effectiveness, it is said to work as an antioxidant and is a safe and natural ingredient.
Does my dog need a joint supplement?
Certain breeds are really prone to back and joint problems and dachshunds are one of them.
In addition, it is recommended for all dogs that are older or have been diagnosed with joint issues. So your dachshund would benefit from a joint supplement.
What are the best dog supplements for joints?
Here are my recommendations for three of the best supplements for joints for your dog.
Which supplement to consider depends on your dog’s situation. If they don’t have any issues yet, it would benefit more from ingredients for damage prevention.
On the other hand, if your dog already has damage issues, you would need a different product to help repair its existing damage.
Most joint supplements are not an instant fix, so don’t expect results in a few days. Most results take anywhere from 30-70 days to see results.
It depends on the severity of dog joint problems. Some owners have reported faster results in less than 30 days.
I started giving my dog a daily dosage at an adult age before he had any joint issues.
He turned fifteen back in May 2022 and runs around like a puppy without any joint or back problems.
I researched 21 different dog joint supplements before choosing what I considered the best according to ingredients, reviews, vet recommendations, and my own personal choices.
Best Recommended Dog Joint Supplements
Syn-Flex Liquid Glucosamine – Premium Joint & Cartilage Care
Synflex’s liquid glucosamine chondroitin for dogs contains the highest quality of other beneficial ingredients such as:
- Manganese which helps the body process glucosamine. The body uses it for normal bone growth and cartilage formation.
- Boswellin, a genus of trees, is an anti-inflammatory that improves blood flow to the joints and supports healthy blood vessels.
- Bromelain is a pineapple stem extract and an anti-inflammatory. It restores the balance of joint fluids and cleans the joints of debris
- Yucca powder can help with the symptoms of arthritis, hip dysplasia and other degenerative bone and joint diseases.
- Omega-3 and omega-6 are anti-inflammatories, and they naturally occur in fish and vegetable oils respectively
- Vitamins A and E are essential nutrients for overall health and antioxidants that inhibit destructive reactions at a cellular level.
Pros
Liquid glucosamine chondroitin formula only contains all-natural, gluten-free ingredients, and we don’t add any fillers.
We extract our glucosamine ingredients from shellfish shells, but they don’t contain the proteins that trigger allergic reactions to shellfish)
U.S.-made products don’t have any dangerous side effects.
More than 1 million bottles sold around the world and a 30-day, money-back guarantee.
Cons
A bit more expensive, but well worth the cost for optimum joint health.
Conclusion:
Syn-Flex Glucosamine is a well-known liquid joint formula.
Synflex is a brand that veterinarians and pet owners trust to improve joint health and quality of life for dogs.
Their glucosamine chondroitin formula is designed to aid the symptoms of hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis in dogs.
All natural ingredients made in the United States no dangerous side effects no fillers and gluten free highest quality liquid glucosamine
Available in beef and berry flavors, our pet formula contains pharmaceutical quality liquid glucosamine hydrochloride and glucosamine sulfate.
The original berry flavor has 1,250 milligrams, and the beef flavor has 1,500 milligrams. Each formula also contains 25 milligrams of chondroitin sulfate.
Nutramax Laboratories Dog Hip and Joint Care
Manufactured in the United States with globally sourced ingredients, Cosequin is a high quality, dog joint supplement, and is excellent for long-term use and maintenance.
Pros
#1 Veterinarian Recommended
COSEQUIN for dogs is available in a tasty chicken flavored chewable tablet and contains hyaluronic acid (HA)
Cons
More Expensive than others
Conclusion:
Nutramax is recommend #1 by many veterinarians.
Your veterinarian may suggest COSEQUIN supplements if your dog is having difficulties climbing stairs, jumping into the car, or going for walks.
Pet Honesty Advanced Hip And Joint Supplements
Pros
- PROVEN TO REDUCE YOUR DOG’S JOINT PAIN & INCREASE MOBILITY – Pet Honesty’s Advanced Hip + Joint soft chews combine glucosamine, MSM and other powerful all-natural ingredients like turmeric to help your dog be more mobile, active and flexible while reducing pain.
- PREMIUM NATURAL INGREDIENTS – NO SUGAR, WHEAT, CORN, GMOs OR PRESERVATIVES- At PetHonesty we’re committed to premium quality ingredients and strict safety standards
- MADE IN THE USA and use only the highest-quality ingredients with natural healing and nutritional properties like organic turmeric.
- 8 INGREDIENTS FOCUSED ON JOINT HEALTH AND STRENGTH
Cons
A small percentage states their dogs get upset stomachs
Small percentage of dogs do not like the taste
Conclusion:
Pet Honesty Joint formula ingredient is focused on reducing pain and inflammation and building joint strength.
Egg Shell meal coats joints, Organic Turmeric and Yucca Schidigera are antioxidants that prevent inflammation and Glucosamine, MSM and Chondroitin Sulfate are powerhouses that support cartilage and connective tissue development in your dog. One of the highly recommended choices.
