6 Natural Joint Supplements For Dogs

Did you know that 1 out of 4 dogs suffers from arthritis? Arthritis isn’t always the result of old age either. One review found that osteoarthritis exists in 20% of dogs over 1 year old … and is likely “heavily underestimated.” (1)

So it’s never too soon to think about your dog’s joint health ... or natural joint supplements for dogs.

Before I get to that, let’s take a quick look at what causes arthritis and joint pain in dogs.

What Causes Joint Problems In Dogs?

The two main types of joint problems in dogs are developmental and degenerative.

Developmental joint disease includes:

• Elbow or hip dysplasia
• HOD (hypertrophic osteodystrophy) (2)
• OCD (osteochondritis dissecans) (3)

Degenerative joint disease is usually seen as osteoarthritis. Degenerative joint disease can also get worse with age if you don’t treat it.

Both developmental and degenerative joint disease involve inflammation. This isn’t necessarily bad. Swelling and pain aren’t pleasant, but they’re part of the body’s attempt to heal from injury and wear and tear. Inflammation is how the body sends antibodies and white blood cells to promote healing.

But if inflammation goes unchecked for weeks, months or even years, it can add to your dog’s joint issues.

How Inflammation Leads To Joint Disease

A thin layer of cartilage lines your dog’s joints and produces a fluid that lubricates the joint. This helps the joints move and function without any friction or pain. Over time, antibodies from chronic inflammation will begin to attack the joint lining … and ironically, cause the joint disease they’re supposed to protect against.

And that’s when you’ll start to see the symptoms of joint disease in your dog. But before you go to the vet for pain meds, you’ll want to read this next bit …

The Trouble With NSAIDs For Joint Pain

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) are drugs your vet might prescribe for your dog. These drugs (including Rimadyl (aka carprofen), Metacam, Deramaxx and Previcox), are also called cox-2 inhibitors. This means they work by inhibiting the inflammatory process … which happens through something called a cyclooxygenase pathway (COX).

The COX pathways are important for many body functions including:

• Blood vessel constriction and blood clotting
• Stomach acid production and mucus lining
• Blood flow to the kidneys
• Inflammatory response

So controlling inflammation with NSAIDs can cause issues in other parts of the body. Boehringer Ingelheim, the makers of Metacam explain,

“As a class, cyclooxygenase inhibitory NSAIDs may be associated with gastrointestinal (gut), renal (kidney), hepatic (liver) toxicity. Serious adverse reactions associated with this drug class can occur without warning and in rare situations result in death.”

And in case you’re looking for another reason to avoid NSAIDs, here’s a good one …

… NSAIDs can make your dog’s joint pain worse.

Dr Ross Hauser MD, a prolotherapy doctor who focuses on pain and rehabilitation, wrote in a paper published in The Journal Of Prolotherapy (4) …

“It is clear from the scientific literature that NSAIDs from in vitro and in vivo studies in both animals and humans have a significantly negative effect on cartilage matrix which causes an acceleration of the deterioration of articular cartilage in osteoarthritic joints. The preponderance of evidence shows that NSAIDs have no beneficial effect on articular cartilage in OA and accelerate the very disease for which they are most often used and prescribed.”

Ross Hauser MD

Simply stated, that means the risks of using NSAIDs outweigh the benefits … especially when there are natural alternatives that are just as effective. So let’s take a look at natural joint supplements for dogs.

Best Natural Joint Supplements For Dogs

There are tons of great hip and joint supplements that you can give to your dog. They will help reduce inflammation and pain so your dog can feel more comfortable. And you don’t have to worry about the side effects of harmful NSAIDs.

Here are our top 6 joint supplements for dogs.

1. Green Lipped Mussels (GLM)

Green lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus) come from pristine waters off the coast of New Zealand. They contain natural glucosamine, which can help repair joint damage, managing pain and inflammation. 

Glucosamine is in many joint supplements … but it’s often synthetically made. This means your dog’s body may not “recognize” the substance. So he may not absorb it properly and then it won’t help him. Instead, natural sources of glucosamine like GLM can really improve your dog’s joint health. And unlike many other supplements, there’s been some research on GLM specifically in dogs. 

GLM Research In Dogs

One study showed GLM powder significantly improved dogs’ joint pain, swelling and crepitus (crunching or cracking). In fact, GLM manage inflammation as well as NSAIDs. But they don’t have the harmful side effects of NSAIDs. (5)

The study concluded that whole freeze-dried GLM powder “may act synergistically to reduce inflammation and pain, to limit further cartilage degeneration.”  The researchers also suggest GLM may help regenerate damaged cartilage and synovial fluid. 

They also found an additional benefit: GLM can reduce gastrointestinal irritation from long term use of NSAIDs. 

A Finnish study at University of Helsinki compared GLM to carprofen for dogs (6). The researchers found it was an effective alternative to manage arthritis, without the drug’s harmful side effects.

Fatty Acids In GLM

GLM contain the fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid). These two fatty acids help manage inflammation.  Even though EPA and DHA are in fish oil … fish oil is unstable and can turn rancid very quickly. Rancid fish oil is worse than no fish oil. So GLM offers a safer and more convenient source of these fatty acids. 

Giving Your Dog GLM

First, verify you’re buying the right supplement.  Not every GLM supplement has EPA and DHA. That’s because some companies remove them to sell the omega-3 oil separately. Always check the nutritional analysis of the product you buy. It should contain a minimum of 6% fatty acids.

You also want to make sure your GLM powder is cold extracted (freeze dried). Heat destroys nutrients so don’t buy a dehydrated product. 

Give your dog 200 mg per day for every 10 lbs of body weight. 

2. Natural Eggshell Membrane (NEM)

Everyone knows what a nutritional powerhouse the egg is. But did you know eggs also contain a valuable joint support substance? That substance is Natural Eggshell Membrane or NEM®.

It’s the thin membrane that’s on the inside of an eggshell. You can even peel the membrane off the shell yourself to give to your dog. But that’s a lot of work. So you might want to buy NEM® as a supplement instead! 

Studies in humans show NEM® helps reduce pain and improves joint function (7). And now there’s research showing how NEM® helps dogs too (8).

In a 6-week trial on 51 dogs, researchers found pain improved 23.6% compared to placebo. Quality of life improved 26.8%. The study also assessed serum levels of the cartilage degradation biomarker CTX-II. This improved 47.9% in the dogs who got NEM®.

Giving Your Dog NEM® 

Make sure the eggshell membrane you buy carries the NEM® registered trademark.  Give your dog 60mg per 10 lbs of body weight a day.

3. Turmeric

Turmeric is one of the most researched herbs available today … and a ton of that research has focused on joint pain relief. The key constituent of turmeric is curcumin, also known as “Cure-cumin” because of its long list of amazing benefits. Not only does it decrease inflammation, it can also relieve the pain and stiffness.

In many studies (9), turmeric has outperformed:

• Anti-inflammatory drugs
• Pain killers
• Arthritis medication
• Steroids

Giving Your Dog Turmeric

To give turmeric to your dog , add it to his food. Give 1/8 to 1/4 tsp per day per 10 lbs of your dog’s body weight. Make sure you find organic turmeric. You can also buy a turmeric joint supplement and add it to your dog’s food. Just be sure to follow the directions on the label.

A word of caution: some dogs who are “hot” (seek out cool places to lie) may not do well with turmeric because it’s “warming.”

4. CBD Oil

CBD oil comes from the cannabis plant. Unlike marijuana though, which contains high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD oil must have a THC content of 0.3 percent or less, so it won’t make your dog high … but it can give him some major pain relief.

The cannabis plant contains many different chemicals, including CBD oil. Humans and dogs have specific cannabinoid receptor sites in the body, and when you feed these receptors there are major benefits.

Many cannabinoids, including CBD oil, have anti-inflammatory effects. Studies (10) have found that CBD oil can:

• Decrease chronic inflammation
• Reduce pain
• Stop premature aging due to oxidative stress

Giving Your Dog CBD

Buy a full spectrum CBD oil and use a 500 mg or 1000 mg strength.

How much should you give your dog? Every product is different. And indiviual dogs have different cannabinoid receptors so their response can vary. So, in general … follow the manufacturer’s dosing instructions. But always start out at the lower end and build up gradually until you find the dose that works for your dog.

As a bonus … CBD oil is also good for managing seizures, anxiety, even fighting cancer!

5. Astaxanthin

When some algae get stressed they release a powerful antioxidant called astaxanthin. Astaxanthin (red algae) is a red pigment and animals who eat it actually turn pink. Salmon and shrimp would be a different color if they didn’t eat astaxanthin. And flamingos are born with grey feathers. They don’t actually turn pink until they start eating algae and crustaceans.

It’s one of the most popular natural joint supplements for dogs because it relieves pain and inflammation and cleans the cells in the body. It actually blocks and handles several different chemicals that create pain (11).

It’s also great for heart health, cancer prevention, immune system health and slowing the aging process.

Giving Your Dog Astaxanthin

If you buy an astaxanthin supplement for dogs, follow the directions on the label. If you buy one made for people, assume the dosage is for a 150 lb person and adjust for your dog’s weight. For example, many human astaxanthin supplements recommend 8 mg to 12 mg per day, which means you can give your dog 1 mg to 1.6 mg daily per 20 lbs of body weight.

6. Chondroitin

Chondroitin is the major glycosaminoglycan in cartilage. You’ll often find supplements with both glucosamine and chondroitin for double the effect. Chondroitin may:

• Inhibit destructive enzymes in joint fluid and cartilage
• Help the body repair damaged cartilage and
• Restore joint integrity
• Help with shock absorption
• Protect existing cartilage from premature breakdown
• Keep cartilage tissue hydrated

Giving Your Dog Chondroitin

You can find chondroitin at your local health food store. You want one that’s made from the cartilage of animal bones. Avoid products made from synthetic ingredients. To give it to your dog, assume the dosage is for a 150lb human and adjust according to your dog’s weight.

Chondroitin is found in the cartilage of animals, so bone broth is an excellent way to feed it to your dogl Click here for an easy recipe.

How To Ease Your Dog’s Joint Pain

If arthritis or joint pain is stopping your dog from enjoying the things he loves, it’s time to give him the relief he needs. These natural joint supplements and valuable tips will really help.

RELATED: How to manage osteoarthritis in dogs …