//Best Glucosamine for Dogs: Help for Your Dog’s Aching Hips and Joints

Best Glucosamine for Dogs: Help for Your Dog’s Aching Hips and Joints

There are many medical problems that are common in dogs but with which humans can’t commiserate. Arthritis, joint pain, and twisted ankles are the ones that we know as good as our pet dogs. As do humans, dogs that suffer from these issues should take supplements such as glucosamine that will ease their pain and promote the regrowth of cartilage. Glucosamine for dogs does have the same main ingredients as the same supplement for humans, but they are not interchangeable.

Mainly, human supplements use various fillers that are toxic to dogs. Additionally, the best glucosamine supplements also have additional ingredients such as omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, as well as other vitamins and minerals.

Finally, while glucosamine for dogs is never toxic on its own, it is metabolized by the kidneys and shouldn’t be taken if not needed. Always consult with your vet if glucosamine is the best option for your canine companion and if it will help your dog with its joint pain or arthritis.

What is Glucosamine?

Glucosamine is a reasonably simple amino sugar that is a prominent precursor for making glycosylated proteins and lipids. It comes either as glucosamine sulfate or as glucosamine hydrochloride. As it is a very stable compound, it is easy to store in pills and will not melt unless under above-boiling heat.

Chemistry aside, glucosamine has been used as a dietary supplement for people with osteoarthritis for a long time, as it is known to ease joint pain. After additional research, we have found out that the same process is happening in our furry friends and that we can give them glucosamine for dogs for the same issue.

Best Glucosamine for Dogs on the Market

There are several types of compounds when it comes to commercial glucosamine supplements for dogs. Primarily, it is very rare for this ingredient to be sold on its own, as only small quantities are needed for joint relief, making it a seldom sold product. Manufacturers have combated this by making supplement mixes where other ingredients are mixed with glucosamine.

The biggest problem with these mixes is that most of them assume that the reason why your dog is taking supplements is old age. This is not always the case, and it is more than possible that your dog has bad joints even without having any other symptoms of old age.

Here you will need to look closely at other ingredients and to assess if they will be something that will help your dog’s health and well being, or would be something that will just strain their kidneys without an upside.

1. ActivFlex – Glucosamine for Dogs

ActivFlex - Glucosamine for Dogs

These heart-shaped doggy treats might be the best option for most adult and senior dogs that suffer from joint pain or arthritis. Apart from being a good formula that has chondroitin, MSM, turmeric, and yucca schidigera joined with glucosamine for dogs, it is also a tasty treat that your dog will love. The pack comes with 120 nice soft chews that can be used as treats when going for a walk or playing.

The fact that you can make your dog believe that taking medicine is a reward is a benefit for itself. Most dogs reject most pills as they don’t smell very well. ActivFlex feels like treats, even though it is something that will help your dog’s health and agility.

Key Features:

  • Safe and effective

  • All natural

  • No GMO included

  • No wheat, soy, or corn in the mix

  • Could be used as treats

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2. Zesty Paws Multivitamin for Dogs

Zesty Paws Multivitamin for Dogs

As we have mentioned, there are several formulas that aim to accommodate adult dogs that want to stay healthy as well as relieve joint pain. Zesty Paws multivitamin formula is a mix of several supplements, including vitamins and minerals, that aim to keep your dog healthy as a whole and not focus just on one problem.

Apart from easing joint pain and helping with the dog’s arthritis and osteoarthritis, this product claims to support other sectors such as digestion, immune system, cardiovascular system, as well as the dog’s skin and coat health.

All of the ingredients are fairly hard to cite, but one of the main ones is glucosamine sulfate that will, joined with chondroitin and MSM, help fight the pain in the joints and promote their recovery.

Key Features:

  • Good glucosamine formula

  • Skin and coat care with omega 3 & 6 fatty acids as well as vitamin B7

  • Digestive enzymes and probiotics

  • Hearth care with vitamins A, C, and E, as well as coenzyme Q10

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3. Doggie Dailies Glucosamine for Dogs

Doggie Dailies Glucosamine for Dogs

This canine supplement disguised as a soft, chewy treat sets out to solve just the joint pain, and it does that very well. While there are some additional ingredients that help other issues, such as coenzyme Q10 and hyaluronic acid, the main components are glucosamine, SMS, and chondroitin, all promoting joint pain relief and cartilage regrowth.

You will find 225 soft chews in the package, which can be used as treats for any dog that is not a very picky eater. From the smell, they look like good quality dry dog food and are small enough to be used even by toy breed dogs.

Finally, Doggie Dailies products are all made in the USA, which gives confidence that the product is FDA approved and doesn’t contain any trace materials that may hurt your four-legged friend.

Key Features:

  • Nice soft chews

  • Excellent glucosamine concentration

  • Contains Q10

  • Contains vitamins and minerals

  • Made in the US

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4. Paw Choice Dog Joint Supplement Chews

Paw Choice Dog Joint Supplement Chews

These turkey flavored soft chews can be an excellent addition to your dog’s diet. The bites are quite small and resemble some high-quality kibble. This should make the dog see the supplements as food and not as medicine, eating it as a treat.

While the size of the chew is slightly bigger and might pose a problem for very small breeds, they are filled with nutrients and ingredients that not only assist with joint pain, arthritis, and cartilage regrowth but has a lot of vitamins C and E inside, as well as other nutrients.

The fact that this product is made with good nutrition in mind means that it is very neutral when it comes to your dog’s regular diet. Because of this lack in prominent protein, fiber, or carbs, you will be able to feed this product to all sorts of dogs, from puppies to senior dogs. The former is very important when it comes to puppies that have had their hip dysplasia fixed and need to recover.

Key Features:

  • Nice flavor

  • Can be used as treats

  • Very effective

  • Good customer service

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5. Purely Pets Best Hip & Joint Complex

Purely Pets Best Hip & Joint Complex

If your dog is already in pain, this is the product you need. It focuses on anti-inflammation and tends to work very quickly after only a few doses. The formula inside contains glucosamine for dogs and chondroitin as main ingredients, which will promote future healing, but for that instant effect Purely uses turmeric curcumin, that will reduce the inflammation in the dog’s joints the same day.

This product is made in the US using the highest safety and quality standards. This means that there are no artificial fillers used to make the chews taste better. Rather, the product is just that good, and most dogs are more than willing to eat them up as treats.

Finally, the quality of the formula means that this supplement is good for dogs of all ages. Whether you have a puppy that is recovering from hip dysplasia or a senior dog with arthritis, Purely Pets will give your dog the much-needed help to recover from pain.

Key Features:

  • Powerful glucosamine based formula

  • Good for dogs of all ages

  • Made in the US

  • Excellent customer service

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Best Glucosamine for Dogs Buyers Guide

The path of using medical supplements for a variety of issues in dogs is rather the same as it is with humans. The only difference between us and our canine companions is that we can vocalize exactly when and where something hurts and can ask for the help of experts, not to mention being able to Google out problems online, which is not always the best solution.

To find out if your dog suffers from joint pain, or has medical issues such as arthritis or osteoporosis, you will need to observe it. Dog owners will notice if their dogs are behaving strangely and should act quickly to ensure their pet’s health and well-being.

If you act quickly, your dog can have a happy and active life without inflammation or stiffness in the joints even if they are a large breed or have been on this earth for a long time.

Arthritis in Dogs

The reasons why a dog would have arthritis are the same as in humans. Strangely enough, this is an illness caused by a good life mixed in with problematic genetics. For the biggest parts of history, neither humans nor dogs have lived long enough to start suffering from arthritis. Now, it is one of the most common maladies seen with the elderly.

Joint deterioration and inflammation don’t pop out from anywhere.  They are caused by years of wear and tear between the bones and the cartilage. Depending on the dog’s breed, some dogs may experience reduced joint mobility sooner. This is beacuse they are more active and spends more of their days jumping and running around.

Thankfully, there are multiple tablets for dogs, as well as chews and treats to make them more appealing, which will reduce inflammation and other symptoms of arthritis, as well as promote joint health and solve joint problems. Starting your dog on glucosamine on time will mean a healthy and active life for your four-legged friend.

Benefits of Glucosamine

Both glucosamine sulfate and glucosamine hydrochloride offer the same general benefits. These include reducing inflammation and promoting joint health. They do this by reducing joint pain and rebuilding connective tissue as to solve other joint problems.

By itself, glucosamine will form other compounds inside the dog’s body that will impact its joints and connective tissue directly. It does serve as a mild anti-inflammatory agent. Although, its benefit is mostly during recovery where it promotes new growth and better bone health.

Best glucosamine for dogs is the one given on time, as this supplement works fairly slowly and needs multiple doses to show its full potential.

Risks

As is with anything, the cure is in the dose. Thankfully, glucosamine is not toxic by any measure. And, if the body cannot use it, it will just regard it as another sugar. That being said, too much sugar is bad for the dog as well, and you shouldn’t be feeding your dog glucosamine treats as the main part of their diet.

A couple of treats a day will do wonders for the dog’s health and well-being. Anything more will just metabolize travel elsewhere. If you try to give your dog the whole package, you may put an unnecessary strain on their kidneys, which is not something you want to do unprovoked.

Mixing Glucosamine for Dogs with other Supplements

Some supplements shouldn’t be combined with others, but glucosamine is not one of them. As it is a very particular molecule that only reacts with what it needs to. It can also be used in combination with most other supplements. Additionally, there are some supplements like chondroitin and MSM that work best when used together with glucosamine.

Finally, when you are looking to buy supplements of glucosamine for dogs, take a list of what ingredients you want. These may include omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids and vitamins. Also, there are those you don’t want, as is anything your dog might be allergic to. Read the list on the back, here you will determine if some of the products have a deal breaker.

Conclusion

Supplements are a great way to promote your pet’s health. In the same way, you would help your own body be healthier and more active. Additionally, as most of the glucosamine formulas have active anti-inflammatory ingredients. You will want to use it to relieve your pet from pain and discomfort.

Consulting with your vet and taking a good mix, on time, will ensure that your dog will be happy. And in the end, it will be active for a long time, eagerly playing catch with you in the park.

By |2019-06-14T16:03:13+00:00January 11th, 2019|Categories: Dog Food|Tags: |0 Comments

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