If your dog has mobility issues, arthritis, or other joint problems you’ve probably heard of glucosamine and chondroitin and maybe you’re already using it! That’s great, but are you sure the product you’re using is safe and effective?
Glucosamine and chondroitin can help protect cartilage from further damage and inflammation which reduces pain and improves function but not all glucosamine chondroitin supplements are created equal.
The first question with any supplement is safety. Are you sure there’s no contaminants like lead in the product?
Next is efficacy. Do they contain a dose of glucosamine and chondroitin that will actually do what we want it to? For dogs the dose is actually quite high compared to people. Studies where glucosamine and chondroitin was most effective dogs over 40 lbs received around 3600 mg of glucosamine chondroitin a day and even smaller dogs received about 1500 mg a day. Many products on the market have doses of only around 300 mg a day so may not be effective.
I also look at ingredients. Are there a bunch of unnecessary/unhelpful extra ingredients? Are there lots of added dyes or other undesirable things?
For details about what exactly I look for as a holistic vet when evaluating products see my post about how to choose a glucosamine chondroitin supplement.
I’ve listed some products below that have met my very strict standards.
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Best Overall Glucosamine Chondroitin Supplement for Dogs
Cosequin for Dogs by Nutramax
This is the best value and has solid safety and efficacy data to back up the product. Available in chews and chewable tablets. The tablet and chews contain 900 mg per tablet/chew which is one of the highest (and most effective) available. Dasuquin is Cosequin plus some extra things (ASU, Boswellia) which don’t hurt and the products still have high levels of glucosamine and chondroitin. All the versions of both Cosequin and Dasuquin are safe and effective.
Best Glucosamine Chondroitin Powder for Dogs
Cosequin for Horses by Nutramax
Here’s a secret: it’s not just for horses! You will have to do a little math (your vet can also help you with the math) since the instructions are for horses but the included scoop is 2400 mg of glucosamine and chondroitin. If you compare to a 900 mg tablet like the Cosequin chewable tablets that would be equal to about 2.75 tablets. The powder is unflavored and easily mixes into food so it can be a good option for picky dogs and dogs with allergies to lots of ingredients. It is also one of the best value options.
Best Liquid Glucosamine Chondroitin Supplement for Dogs
K9 Glucosamine by Liquid Health
Safe and effective, you will pay a little more for the convenience factor of being able to pour it on their food. A downside to liquid is that it has less glucosamine and chondrotin than other forms. One teaspoon of this is 466 mg of glucosamine and chondroitin.
Can my dog take the same glucosamine chondroitin supplement as me?
The thought has probably crossed your mind. The answer is maybe. Be careful with any glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for made for people, they can contain xylitol which is very toxic to dogs. They can also contain Vitamin D or other things that would not be at the correct dose for dogs. Also recommended dose on the bottle will be for humans so you’ll need to dos some math (your vet can help too) to figure out the correct dose for your pet. Here are a couple safe and effective human brands. Costco brand Kirkland Signature tablets have 1350 mg glucosamine chondroitin per tablet. Pure Encapsulations has 600 mg glucosamine chondroitin per capsule.
