by Tom Ken
Glucosamine is a compound that occurs naturally in dogs, and it will typically exist in any healthy cartilage. Its main functions are to act as a cushion between the joints, and it will also help repair cartilage and other body tissues.
As the dog ages and due to different health issues, the natural production of this vital compound can slow down. Hence, it becomes necessary to find the best glucosamine for dogs to ensure you keep cell repair optimal to prevent arthritis and ensure excellent mobility.
By giving your dog glucosamine supplement, you can also help reduce the pain that comes with cartilage damage. In this piece, we look at some top-rated glucosamine supplements for dogs and show you how to choose something that best suits your pet.
Contents
IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES |
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1. Cosequin Maximum Strength Joint Supplement Plus MSM - With Glucosamine & Chondroitin (Best Overall) |
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2. VetIQ Maximum Strength Hip & Joint Supplement for Dogs (Best Budget) |
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3. Doggie Dailies Glucosamine for Dogs (Best Soft Chews) |
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4. Grizzly Joint Health Liquid Hip & Joint Support for Dogs (Best Liquid) |
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5. Nutramax Dasuquin with MSM Soft Chews (Best for Small Breeds) |
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6. VetriSCIENCE Laboratories - Glycoflex 3 Hip & Joint Support for Dogs (Best for Senior Dogs) |
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7. PetNC Natural Care Hip & Joint Soft Chews for Dogs (Best Flavor) |
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The fact that the Cosequin Maximum Strength Joint Supplement Plus MSM works for a wide variety of needs from supporting joint health and mobility to maintaining cartilage is what makes it out the best overall option.
Also, this product comes with veterinarian recommendations, which should give some assurances of quality and effectiveness. With the high-quality globally-sourced ingredients, this glucosamine will be ideal for long term maintenance.
The chicken-flavored tablets are also easy to chew for the dogs and the perfect size even for smaller jaws. One more thing that makes these the best glucosamine for dog tablets is that they come with dosage instructions to ensure you know the right amount for your pooch.
For the price, the 60 count is relatively on the lower side, but given the superior quality of this glucosamine, you should not mind buying a few extra bottles.
Pros:
Cons:
For dog owners shopping for the best glucosamine for dog soft chews on a budget, these by VetIQ are perfect because, for a 180-count container, they are as cheap as it gets.
These glucosamine soft chews, offer flexible administration as you can give them during or after a meal. But, what makes them fantastic is the veterinarian-recommended triple-action formula that will ensure besides supporting cartilage, they also lubricate joint and maintain muscles.
Because these glucosamine chews will include inactive ingredients like soy and wheat, they are not grain-free. But, provided your dog is not gluten-sensitive, this should not be an issue. What's more, the quantities of the "grains" are almost insignificant.
Pros:
Cons:
With more active ingredients per chew and a more potent blend of ingredients, these are our best soft chews as they will be more effective. These chews also have a great-tasting chicken flavor and are cooked with no heat to preserve maximum potency, and so you can be sure they will work.
There are more of them in the container as it comes as a 225-count to give you excellent value for money. Besides helping with joint and cartilage care, the chews have cod liver and salmon oils to give the dogs healthy skin and coat.
These might not be the best smelling glucosamine treats, but most dogs will hardly have an issue with the scent once they get used to the chews.
Pros:
Cons:
Because this glucosamine comes in liquid form, it will be very convenient when it comes to administering as you can easily mix it with water or the dog's food.
Another thing that makes this one of the best liquid glucosamine for dogs is that besides providing synovial fluids support to help with joint health and mobility, it will be handy for pain management and injury recovery.
Because there is krill oil in the formula, it will be easier for dogs to absorb the glucosamine, which translates to more effective and faster results.
The pump provides little control of where it shoots the product, but as you use it more and more, this should become easier for you.
Pros:
Cons:
If you have a small breed dog, here is the best dog treat with glucosamine for you. These treats are for small to medium size dog breeds and come in perfect size soft chews that will fit a tiny mouth perfectly.
Because the formula includes ASU (avocado/soybean unsaponifiables), these glucosamine treats will also help support joint function and protect cartilage. This glucosamine will have a good dose of antioxidants that helps protect the joint tissues from the effects of oxidative stress.
These treats come in a bag instead of a container like most others on our list. But the good news is that the bag is still quite convenient since it is resealable.
Pros:
Cons:
This VetriSCIENCE Laboratories glucosamine supplement has a formula that will be very useful for senior dogs with aging indicators such a limited mobility or discomfort and also for very active dogs.
This glucosamine for dogs is clinically-proven to strengthen a dog's hind legs by up to 41% in just four weeks. Because it is a wheat-free product, it will be ideal for use on gluten-sensitive dogs.
While these glucosamine treats are kind of expensive when compared to our other options, you get a 120 count in the container, and the quality is also worth the extra bucks.
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Cons:
The delicious liver flavor is what makes these PetNC Natural Care amazing, as it will ensure you have no issues administering them as the pooch will love them. With the glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM combination, it will provide support for healthy joints and hips.
For the formulation, the company uses human-grade ingredients, and the product is lab-tested and formulated by a veterinarian to ensure it is the best quality. With this in mind, you can give the chews to the dog with the confidence they are safe and effective.
For larger dog breeds, the treats could be a little larger, but you can always give several to suit your dog's weight. Better yet, the manufacturer provides clear directions on the number to give your dog based on the weight.
Pros:
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These Zesty Paws soft chews have a unique formula that will deliver advanced hip and joint support. They include OptiMSM that will ensure the dog gets optimal support for improved range of motion, cushioning, and faster joint stress recovery time.
The delicious duck flavor makes these some of the best-tasting chews on our glucosamine for dogs review. And because the cooking is heat-free, you can be sure the maximum potency of the ingredients is preserved.
Key Features
ProSense Advanced Strength is a 120-count of some tasty chewable tablets that are full of healthy benefits for your pooch. The key among the benefits of these tablets is the inclusion of vitamin C to help with collagen growth.
There is a good dose of MSM in the formula. And this will ensure that mobility and flexibility are also taken care of by the supplements. Better yet, many dog owners will love that the tablets are ideal for daily use for all dog breeds and life stages.
Key Features
With more active ingredients and no fillers, you can be sure that everything on the PetHonesty Hemp Hip & Joint Supplement for Dogs has a benefit for your dog. With this product, you get an extra-potent formula to help with mobility and pain alleviation.
Everything used in the formula is all-natural, and it will include organic turmeric and hemp. This grain-free product does not contain any soy or wheat, and as a bonus, it comes in a tasty natural duck flavor that most dogs will love.
Key Features
Pethonesty makes this glucosamine supplement with ingredients that will focus on joint health and strength, which makes this a perfect choice for the overall well-being of the animal.
When compared to what other brands have to offer, there is also a higher concentration of active ingredients to make this product more beneficial. With premium quality and all-natural ingredients, this veterinarian-formulated supplement will not come with any side effects.
Key Features
Senior and adult dogs tend to have more joint issues, but with this particular glucosamine supplement, you will have the perfect solution for them. The soft chews are ideal for all breed sizes, and they will come with direction on the dosage for different dogs.
Because these dog supplements are for the overall well-being of the dog, they also have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents to keep the joints in great shape. And with omega-3 fatty acid to provide cushioning for tissues, you will never have to worry about joint stiffness.
Key Features
Bayer Synovi G4 Soft Chews are suitable for all dog breeds and for any life stage, which makes it perfect for those with different kinds of dogs. But, what makes this one of the best glucosamine for dogs is the optimal ingredient combination for joint and muscle care and antioxidant function.
And because the soft chews have a tasty chicken flavor, they will be easy to administer. Better yet, you can give them during and after meals, and there are also directions for the portions you need to give your dog.
Key Features
The Petlab Co. Joint Care Chews are all-round glucosamine supplements for dogs that will do your pet a lot of good.
Also, these supplements will ensure the joints maintain their normal function, and they can help support blood circulation for the overall well-being of the dog. Better yet, the product supports the immune system, and you can use it with clear conscience as all ingredients are ethically-sourced.
Key Features
With all-natural ingredients and an easy to serve powder form, you can be confident your dog will love this hip and joint supplement. Its improved flavor also makes it amazing as it will make the dog food taste even better.
This glucosamine will provide one of the most potent anti-inflammatory properties thanks to organic turmeric curcumin. And it will help alleviate arthritis while also improving heart health and relieving allergies.
Key Features
When choosing glucosamine for your dog, it is vital to make sure that what you buy does not have ingredients that will interact with any medication the dog is taking.
You will need to check the active ingredients in the product that you want to buy to determine whether they can have any adverse interaction with the medicine. Talking to your vet will be the best way to assess the safety of the glucosamine, but you should still be okay if you read the description keenly.
For example, when using the VetIQ Supplement for Dogs, the manufacturer recommends that you first talk to your vet if your dog is on anticoagulant medications. And this is because there is a possibility of interaction between some of the active ingredients with the medicines.
As you choose the best glucosamine supplement for dogs, you will need to decide the form that you want as they are available in different styles.
You can get these supplements as soft chews, tablets, liquid, and even in powder form. Here you will need to decide what will be most comfortable to administer to your dog.
Overall, the soft chews will give most dogs an easy time chewing, and many dogs also seem to love them. Liquid glucosamine like the Grizzly Joint Health Liquid Hip and Joint Support for Dogs, on the other hand, may require you to mix them into the dog's food or water.
The ingredients used to make the glucosamine supplement also matters a lot. There are two broad categories of compounds in glucosamine, which are the active and active ingredients.
The active ingredients are what will supply the essential compounds that the dog needs. Typical active ingredients in most of these products will include glucosamine, chondroitin, manganese, and methylsulfonylmethane.
For the inactive ingredients, different brands will use different things, and these will be for things like flavor, stabilizing the product, providing additional nutrients, and sometimes they are just fillers. Some common inactive ingredients in glucosamine include water, citric acid, fish oil, and natural flavor.
A: Glucosamine is generally safe and beneficial to all dogs. But, like any other product, it can have some side effects. The most common ones are fatigue, insomnia, allergic reactions (mostly for dogs allergic to shellfish), and excessive urination or thirst. In most instances, the side effects are mild.
A: While it is possible to give human glucosamine to your dog, it is not a good idea. Human glucosamine supplements contain several ingredients besides the glucosamine, which can be harmful to dogs.
A: It depends on the breed and the specific dog because some are predisposed to the development of osteoarthritis and other joint issues. If you have a Rottweiler, Bloodhound, Great Dane, German, and most other large dog breeds, you should start giving it glucosamine when it turns 1.
But, for all other dog breeds, it is crucial to be proactive and ensure you start giving glucosamine before it gets to its senior years. With all that in mind, it is safe to administer glucosamine to puppies as young as eight weeks.
A: It will depend on the age and breed of the dog and other factors like whether the dog already has a joint problem you want to treat or not. Most manufacturers will provide directions on the quantity to give different dog sizes or ages. But, for most products, a single soft chew a day is often enough for maintenance.
A: This will largely depend on the potency of the particular product you buy. However, on average, it will take around 30 days to see some improvement in the dog's condition. But, with most brands, the actual period is often between 3 and 8 weeks.
Nutramax Laboratories COSEQUIN Maximum Strength Joint Supplement Plus MSM - with - Walmart Link
STRELLALAB Glucosamine Treats for Dogs - Joint Supplement w/Omega-3 Fish Oil - - Walmart Link
VETIQ Vet Recommended Hip and Joint Supplement for Dogs, Chicken Flavored Soft Chews - Walmart Link
Cosequin Maximum Strength Joint Supplement Plus MSM - with Glucosamine and Chondroitin - - Walmart Link
ProSense Advanced Strength for Dogs Glucosamine Chew Tablets 120 ct - Walmart Link
Doggie Dailies Glucosamine for Dogs, 225 Soft Chews, Advanced Hip and Joint Supplement - Walmart Link
Paws & Pals Dog Vitamins and Supplements, Glucosamine for Dogs, Max Strength Hip and - Walmart Link
the Cosequin Maximum Strength Joint Supplement Plus MSM - Walmart Link
These glucosamine soft chews - Walmart Link
This VetriSCIENCE Laboratories glucosamine supplement - Walmart Link
these PetNC Natural Care - Walmart Link
These Zesty Paws soft chews - Walmart Link
the PetHonesty Hemp Hip & Joint Supplement for Dogs - Walmart Link
Bayer Synovi G4 Soft Chews - Walmart Link
The Petlab Co. Joint Care Chews - Walmart Link
the VetIQ Supplement for Dogs - Walmart Link
the Grizzly Joint Health Liquid Hip and Joint Support for Dogs - Walmart Link
the VetIQ Maximum Strength Hip, and Joint Supplement - Walmart Link
Nutramax Laboratories COSEQUIN Maximum Strength Joint Supplement Plus MSM - with - eBay Link
STRELLALAB Glucosamine Treats for Dogs - Joint Supplement w/Omega-3 Fish Oil - - eBay Link
VETIQ Vet Recommended Hip and Joint Supplement for Dogs, Chicken Flavored Soft Chews - eBay Link
Cosequin Maximum Strength Joint Supplement Plus MSM - with Glucosamine and Chondroitin - - eBay Link
ProSense Advanced Strength for Dogs Glucosamine Chew Tablets 120 ct - eBay Link
Doggie Dailies Glucosamine for Dogs, 225 Soft Chews, Advanced Hip and Joint Supplement - eBay Link
Paws & Pals Dog Vitamins and Supplements, Glucosamine for Dogs, Max Strength Hip and - eBay Link
the Cosequin Maximum Strength Joint Supplement Plus MSM - eBay Link
These glucosamine soft chews - eBay Link
This VetriSCIENCE Laboratories glucosamine supplement - eBay Link
these PetNC Natural Care - eBay Link
These Zesty Paws soft chews - eBay Link
the PetHonesty Hemp Hip & Joint Supplement for Dogs - eBay Link
Bayer Synovi G4 Soft Chews - eBay Link
The Petlab Co. Joint Care Chews - eBay Link
the VetIQ Supplement for Dogs - eBay Link
the Grizzly Joint Health Liquid Hip and Joint Support for Dogs - eBay Link
the VetIQ Maximum Strength Hip, and Joint Supplement - eBay Link
With the best glucosamine for dogs, you will have one of the most effective ways to keep the pet's joints and muscles in great shape. And now, finding the ideal product for your pooch should be a breeze as we do the hard job for you.
That said, the Cosequin Maximum Strength Joint Supplement Plus MSM takes our top overall spot as it works for all dog sizes and breeds and has a fantastic taste that any dog will love.
But, if you are looking for something that will give you the best value for money, the VetIQ Maximum Strength Hip, and Joint Supplement is perfect because, besides being more affordable, it also has a higher count. What's more, it has a potent triple action formula.
About Tom Ken
Tom has worked with many veterinary surgeons as a nurse at different veterinary clinics throughout his life.
There, he provides care for sick animals; such as: dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, hamsters, guinea pigs, and sometimes reptiles.
He has good work ethics and gentle hands; hence, the doctors as well the pet owners have come to love his presence alot.
With this site, he aims to help the readers ensure their pets' wellbeing, learn how to care, and proivide medical treatment as needed.
Joshua received Veterinary Technician Degree at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.
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