Glucosamine and chondroitin can help protect cartilage from further damage and inflammation which reduces pain and improves mobility and Quality of Life.
How does it work? Both glucosamine and chondroitin are part of normal cartilage in the joints. When there are abnormalities and damage to the joint (arthritis, torn ACL, hip or elbow dysplasia, knee cap issues or other abnormalities) the cartilage is damaged.
The body should repair the damage but often if there’s ongoing damage like with arthritis or hip/elbow dysplasia it just can’t keep up with repairs and more and more cartilage is lost and the joint becomes more inflamed and painful which makes the cartilage destruction worse and it all becomes a vicious cycle.
By supplementing their diets with some extra glucosamine and chondroitin we can give the body some extra tools to build more cartilage and help it stay ahead of the damage. Independently of that function glucosamine and chondroitin actually block inflammatory mediators and act as antioxidants to reduce further damage to the cartilage.
Does my pet need glucosamine and chondroitin? The answer is probably yes! Any pets that already have problems with their joints should definitely be on it.
That’s all pets with arthritis, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, slipping knee caps (luxating patellas), torn ACL’s, any history of trauma to the joints, and any pets with short, bowed legs.
Glucosamine chondroitin slows the progression of joint problems. There hasn’t been any research done using it to try to protect cartilage in pets that are at risk for developing joint problems, but given what we know about how they reduce inflammation and damage to the cartilage it’s very likely they help at least slow the progression of joint problems in pets at risk.
How do you know if your pet is at risk of developing joint problems? Well besides having the conditions listed above the other biggest risk factors are obesity, age, and genetics. Obesity is a treatable disease, age and genetics aren’t.
In fact about 75% of dogs over 10 years old have arthritis and for cats it’s even more dramatic: after the age of 6 more than half of cats have arthritis. By the time they get to 12 years old it’s pretty nearly 100%. So for all cats and most (if not all) dogs glucosamine and chondroitin supplementation is probably a good idea.
Of course I have to do a disclaimer that you should double check with your pet’s vet before starting any supplements but if your pet has any joint issues or is at risk they should be on it even if they’re not showing symptoms yet.
You want to start your pet on a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement, you can just pick up one at the pet store right? Not so fast. You need to be sure the glucosamine and chondroitin product you’re giving is going to be safe and effective.
Here’s a list of glucosamine chondroitin products I trust to be safe and effective. Learn how to evaluate glucosamine chondroitin products yourself and what to look for.