When looking for ways to support your puppy’s optimal health, supplements will always become a hot topic. With the wide variety of dog supplements on the market, all with varying prices and health claims, it can be difficult for new or even seasoned owners to choose the best one. One thing is for sure: Glucosamine recommendations for dogs are always the first choice of veterinarians, breeders, and pet enthusiasts alike. Let’s start discussing all things “glucosamine” related!
What is Glucosamine for Dogs?
Glucosamine is a compound naturally found in the body that supports the formation and repair of healthy cartilage and tissue and is commonly used to support both humans and canines. Many veterinarians recommend glucosamine for dogs with arthritis, as a supplement or alternative to NSAIDs. While further studies are needed to continue to confirm the positive results of glucosamine for dogs, many dog parents have reported beneficial health effects.
Benefits of using glucosamine for dogs may include:
- Improve joint function.
- Helps maintain joint health.
- Slows the onset of arthritis.
- Anti-inflammatory properties.
Best glucosamine supplement for dogs
Glucosamine supplements are often combined with chondroitin, a similar compound, or methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), mainly used as an anti-inflammatory agent. Learn showed positive results when these compounds were used together to treat osteoarthritis. Glucosamine is also commonly found in fish oils. In reality, a new study of people reported better results with the concomitant use of high-dose omega-3 fatty acids and glucosamine, as opposed to glucosamine alone.
Many recommended veterinary glucosamine products are mixed supplements, containing other herbal and therapeutic supplements; one of the most commonly recommended Dasuquin. In addition to glucosamine, Dasuquin includes other therapeutic ingredients such as MSM, chondroitin, green tea extract, and boswellia. Thorne Athoplex is another glucosamine blend produced from Throne’s veterinary line that includes additional ingredients, such as MSM, curcumin and chondroitin.
If you shop around and find another glucosamine product on the market, have your holistic veterinarian or traditional veterinarian run that product. Many, if not most, glucosamine supplements are not approved by the FDA. Consider this when purchasing glucosamine products for your dog!
Dosage of Glucosamine for Dogs
The best approach to starting your dog on glucosamine supplements is to consult your veterinarian! As mentioned above, many reputable glucosamine supplements include additional ingredients and this should be considered when calculating your dog’s glucosamine dosage.
However, here are some broad glucosamine dosage guidelines for dogs:
- Glucosamine supplements tend to have a “loading dose” where the initial dose is greater than the maintenance dose.
- For joint health, glucosamine doses usually start at 50-100mg/kg once a day. This is an oral/oral supplement.
- Maintenance use may be a lower dose.
Manage your child’s health with nutraceuticals is a great way to support him using natural methods. This can be especially helpful for dogs where pharmaceuticals (such as NSAIDs such as Rimadyl or Carprofen) are contraindicated or used with extreme caution. There are many supplements on the market for your dog, so always check with your veterinarian before starting glucosamine or any new supplement.
