Best Dog Joint Supplements UK - Help your dog with arthritis and clicking joints

How to get the best joint supplement for your dog

The best supplements for dog joints can play a crucial role in maintaining, or supporting, a dog’s joint health - particularly if they’re suffering from arthritis, or osteoarthritis as a secondary condition of hip or elbow dysplasia. 

Arthritis refers to general inflammation of the joints. The joints become stiff and swollen. and painful. The surfaces of the joints may be rubbing together because the cartilage that cushions the joint surfaces has deteriorated. This causes pain. There are different stages of arthritis, ranging from Stage 1 (pre-clinical) to Stage 4 (severe).

Osteoarthritis is an inevitable result of hip or elbow dysplasia, where the limb bones don’t fit into the joint socket properly.  Repetitive strain injuries to the joints result in erosion of the cartilage, possible microfracturing of the bone surfaces, and bone rubbing against bone, which is incredibly painful.  

Certain breeds of dogs can be more prone to joint health issues because of a genetic predisposition. Although they’re not preventative, joint health supplements can sometimes somewhat lessen the risk of joint conditions developing in certain dogs, if taken early enough in a dog’s life.

The ingredients used in dog joint supplements are specially formulated so they work to reduce inflammation, promote cartilage health, improve joint lubrication, support the overall joints structures, and, in some cases, alleviate pain. 

The world of dog joint supplements can be confusing. Some ingredients are backed by stronger clinical evidence than others.

Here’s a short summary of some of the most commonly included dog joint supplement ingredients, and how they might help joint conditions.

What are Omega 3s? 

These are fatty acids with anti-inflammatory properties. Omega 3s contains three specific types of fatty acid: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid); DHA (docosahexaenoic acid); and ALA (alpha Lipoic Acid). Dogs need EPA and DHA - they’re unable to metabolise ALA. Therefore their Omega 3s must come from fish sources, rather than flaxseed, linseed, or canola oil. Dogs can’t produce these fatty acids by themselves. They need to be taken as a supplement. There’s strong evidence to show that Omega 3s make a significant difference to dogs suffering from arthritis and osteoarthritis. In particular, trials showed it improved crepitus (creaking, cracking, or clicking noises made by the joints), pain, and joint effusion (fluid build-up around the joint). Omega 3s are also recognised as being supportive of a dog’s skin, coat, mental, cardiovascular, eye, and immune health. It also helps speed up wound healing.

What are Green Lipped Mussel for Dogs?

Green Lipped Mussel is a shellfish that’s a very rich source of Omega 3s. Scientific research shows that it can help ease stiffness or discomfort in a dog, and help mobility. It’s also a source of chondroitin which supports joint health (see below). For these reasons, Green Lipped Mussel is a popular ingredient in various canine joint supplements. It’s included because of its proven efficacy.

What is Glucosamine? 

Glucosamine is one of the compounds in cartilage, and supports the integrity of the cartilage. Cartilage is the tissue that cushions joint surfaces. In supplement form, it’s called a chondroprotective agent i.e. a cartilage protector - it helps protect cartilage from degradation by inhibiting the enzymes which contribute to the breakdown of cartilage. It also stimulates the generation of molecules intrinsic to the cartilage structure. It’s included in dog joint supplements because it helps with the formation and repair of cartilage. There’s some evidence to suggest glucosamine for dogs also has anti-inflammatory properties, therefore helping to alleviate the pain, swelling, and stiffness resulting from osteoarthritis. Studies on human use of glucosamine for osteoarthritis have shown mixed results - some suggesting it does help, others less equivocal.

What is Chondroitin / Chondroitin Sulfate? 

Chondroitin is a cartilage building block. It helps keep the joints lubricated and hydrated because it attracts water molecules into the cartilage. Chondroitin Sulfate is the biologically active form of the chondroitin molecule and the form in which Chondroitin is naturally found in the body. Unlike Chondroitin, Chondroitin Sulfate has some sulfate groups attached to it (as the name suggests!).  Chondroitin Sulfate is found in ligaments, cartilage, tendons, and the synovial fluid (fluid surrounding the joints). It’s likely that chondroitin sulfate has better bioavailability than simple chondroitin. That’s why supplements generally include it in this form. There’s some evidence from various human trials to show that it can possibly be beneficial for osteoarthritis, particularly when used with glucosamine, with which it has a synergistic (collaborative) effect.

What is Hyaluronic Acid? 

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a naturally occuring substance that’s found in connective tissues, joints, fluid, and the skin. HA is good for joint lubrication, reducing friction between joint surfaces during movement. It also cushions the joints through its effect on the synovial fluid viscosity and elasticity. The thicker the synovial fluid, the more resistance and therefore protection it offers the joint surfaces that are in contact with each other. HA also helps maintain the health of cartilage’s structure and integrity. This is because it’s in the extracellular matrix of the cartilage. HA also helps generate the synthesis of proteoglycans and collagen, both of which are essential to the formation of healthy cartilage. In some cases of hip dysplasia, for example, HA is actually injected into the joint to help successfully manage pain.

What is MSM? (Methylsulfonylmethane): 

MSM is a bio-available sulphur, in its natural form. Sulfur’s a mineral that’s needed for the formation of collagen, connective tissues, and joint cartilage. Sulfur’s also needed for the generation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGS), components of cartilage. Therefore it’s believed MSM helps support the production of GAGS for cartilage repair. Overall MSM is believed to be essential for keeping tendons, ligaments, and joints healthy. It maintains their elasticity and also helps with the repair and maintenance of collagen (found in the connective tissue and cartilage of healthy joints).  MSM also has mild anti-inflammatory properties which can help reduce swelling and lessen joint pain.

Zoomadog stocks products that use the highest quality ingredients, have either a long track record of anecdotal evidence about their efficacy (beyond the clinical trials done on particular ingredients) or high scores and excellent reviews in customer feedback.

Please note that dog joint supplements don’t work in the same way as prescribed medication. They can take longer to work and have a cumulative effect, rather than making an immediate difference.

Sadly, if some dogs have conditions that have reached an extreme level of severity, sometimes these supplements won’t have any effect. It’s worth consulting your vet for further advice.

How do I choose the right joint supplement for my dog?

If you’re unsure which joint supplement is best suited to your dog, asking your vet is always a good starting point.

However, among the list of things to consider are:

• Your dog’s breed
• Your dog’s age (e.g. YuMove has a special formulation for senior dogs)
• Your dog’s activity levels
• Whether your dog’s suffering from a particular condition, or has an inherited predisposition to inheriting that condition
• Whether the supplement contains the active ingredients (some of which are listed above) which are known to improve and support joint health
• The quality of the supplements and their ingredients. Make sure that there aren’t too many fillers (cellulose, maltodextrin, colourings) or additives (sugar, salt).
• Understanding your dog’s preferences in terms of how the supplements are taken. Supplements come as pills, powders, chews, or liquids. Most dogs will take the pills with treats if necessary.

Monitor and observe your dog for improvements or changes in their mobility, condition of their coat, digestion, energy levels, and mood. Once your dog has been taking the supplements for several weeks, you should be able to see what difference the supplements have been making.  There may be an element of experimentation as you see which supplements work best for your dog. That’s completely fine, and to be expected, as part of the process of choosing the best ones for your dog and their specific needs.

Why is YuMove Dog Joint Supplement so popular?

YuMove for dogs was created out of a personal desire to help a specific dog. This seems to be a benchmark of all the really excellent canine products. The supplements are packed with the ingredients known to make a positive difference to joint health: green lipped mussel;  Glucomasine and N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine; Manganese (for collagen formation); Vitamin C&E for their antioxidant properties; and Hyaluronic Acid.

The range has now been expanded so there are different supplements appropriate for different age ranges (i.e. 0-4 years old, 5-7 years old, 8+ years old - YuMove Senior is particularly popular) and the supplements also come as chews, bites, and tablets. 

There are also different strength levels of YuMove for dogs. The strongest strength product that they offer to the general public is YuMove Plus Max Strength.

Zoomadog sells YuMove Plus Max Strength - the highest strength that’s available to the general public.

If you think your dog needs an ever higher strength than this, consult with your veterinarian, who will be able to supply your dog with YuMove Advance 360 - which is exclusive to veterinary practices i.e. can only be sold to you by a vet.

What is special about Winstons Dog Joint Supplement?

Winston’s is definitely an “in the know” product.  It’s not a well-known brand but what we’ve noticed at Zoomadog is that a lot of the owners who buy Winston’s for their dogs from us are absolutely fanatical about it.  To the point that they get very panicked if they think they’re about to run out! This is because they’ve seen what a profound difference it’s made to their dog’s mobility and quality of life.

Winstons is another product developed by an owner desperate to help his own dog, springer spaniel Winston. Winston’s owner,  a naturopath (an approach to treating disease using natural agents - water, air, herbs - and physical means - tissue manipulation, electrotherapy) put together a formula. He was delighted to find that it made a huge difference to Winston. At the time, Winston was suffering from Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) bone chips in his elbow and moderate to severe hip dysplasia.

To test the product further, Winston’s owner gave it to other dog owners to try and they reported back similar stories of significant improvements in their dogs. 

Winston’s hasn’t been laboratory tested on animals.

There are two Winston’s ranges: Winston’s Joint System - 100% Natural Dog Joint Repair. This is a 3 part system: Part 1 to support healthy bones and joint development; Part 2 is essential lubricants for healthy joint function and helps maintain flexible cartilage; Part 3 to help alleviate inflammation and the pain associated with normal daily activity and exercise.

Dosages are calculated by the weight of your dog and this can be taken alongside any prescription medication that your dog is on. As you see an improvement in your dog’s mobility, you can then start tapering off the medication, as appropriate.

Improvements usually start being visible after a month of taking Winston’s, although often quicker than that. Unlike prescription medication, supplements can take a while to take effect and there’s often also an accumulative aspect to their successful use.

A compelling Winston’s Review.

Winston’s Pain Formula - Again this is 100% natural, this has been designed to target the pain caused by arthritis, an ageing body, injury, or joint conditions such as Osteochondritis Dissecans.

Your dog will need to take one tablet a day and you give this to your dog before or with food, so that it can be digested well. 

This can be taken with Winston’s Joint System and prescribed medication. Many owners start reducing the dosage if their dog’s on prescribed medication, as appropriate.

This supplement hasn’t been proven safe for dogs who are pregnant or lactating. Please check with your vet if your dog has a clotting disorder, is on anticoagulant medication, has diabetes  or any metabolic disorder that causes hyperglycemia, history of urinary tract stones, or known shellfish allergies.

How often should I give my dog a joint supplement?

Each joint supplement range will have its own product instructions about frequency and dosage.

Allows follow the specific instructions of a product and get in touch if you’re unsure.

Consistency is important to allow the product to work as effectively as possible. Many joint supplements work best over a period of time, and their effects aren’t always immediately visible. To maintain therapeutic levels of the active ingredients in your dog’s system, most supplements need to be taken daily, if not more often.

Keep monitoring your dog’s response to the supplements and adjust accordingly. Obviously if your dog looks like they’re improving, keep going. If there’s no improvement or it seems that your dog’s having an adverse reaction, speak to your vet. It may be that you need to reduce the dose, or change to another type of supplement.

What age should I start giving my dog joint supplements?

It could be argued that starting dog joint health supplements early enough a dog’s life, in conjunction with other lifestyle strategies (weight control, appropriate levels of low impact exercise, and avoiding activities that are more likely to result in musculoskeletal injury such as jumping on and off hard surfaces) can have a preventative effect on the development of arthritis, or at least slow its progression. Some vets will go as far as to say that joint health supplements are more effective as a preventative measure, than if they are taken only once symptoms appear.

You can read more about findings on this here 

Another element that may influence when you start giving your dog joint health supplements is a) knowing if their breed is prone to joint issues or arthritis b) knowing whether there are joint issues, such as hip dysplasia in their lineage.

Basically, the best age to start giving your dog joint health supplements varies. It depends on your individual dog, including their size, breed and overall health.

Large breed dogs, for example, are known as being predisposed to joint health problems. Therefore, the advice is to start them early on joint health supplements - between 12 and 24 months old - basically when their skeletons have stopped growing.

If your dog is a working dog, extremely active, or participating in agility competitions, then a joint health supplement is a good strategy to counteract the strain that these activities are putting on their joints.

When a dog reaches 7, this is the time joint issues can start to become apparent. So it’s a good time to start a joint health supplement, if you haven’t already. It’s recommended being on the lookout for signs of arthritis or osteoarthritis, such as limping, trouble getting up, standing, or walking. If you see any of these, then it’s recommended that you get a vet’s appointment to have a confirmed diagnosis.

Certain ranges, such as YuMove, have supplements specifically formulated for specific age groups.

As long as it’s high quality, a dog can start having Omega 3 supplementation at any age, once you’ve consulted your vet on appropriate dosage. Omega 3s are highly beneficial, not just for bone health, but also for your dog’s skin, coat, vision, brain and cardiovascular health, and overall immunity.

Conclusion

There are lots of different dog joint supplements on the market. If you’re not completely sure what you’re looking for, the level of choice can be a bit overwhelming.

To choose the right supplement, think about your dog’s age, condition, and what you’re looking to achieve by giving your dog the supplement. Is it for general preventative reasons, or is there a specific condition with which you’re hoping it will help? 

It’s definitely recommended that you invest in the best quality supplement within your budget. Reading the ingredients list carefully will give you an idea of quality.  For example, what’s the percentage of active ingredients in the supplements, is there a long list of fillers and synthetic additives listed, and are the ingredients free from pesticides, chemicals and GMO free?

The right supplement can usually make a real difference to your dog’s wellbeing, mobility, and general health. 

Zoomadog stocks premium grade supplements that have a strong track record for positive, tangible results and owner satisfaction.

Please give Zoomadog a call or email if you’re unsure and would like to discuss further.