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At What Age Should I Begin Giving My Dog A Joint Care Supplement?

Written by: Justin Palmer
Justin Palmer is a Certified Pet Food Nutrition Specialist and co-founder of iHeartDogs.com. Inspired by his rescued husky, Splash, he dedicated himself to learning about extending both the length and quality of her life. Splash lived and thrived until 18 years old, and now Justin is on a mission to share what he learned with other dog owners.Read more
| Published on March 20, 2017

old dog joint pain

Many dog parents have witnessed the benefit of giving their dogs and puppies joint supplements, such as glucosamine, MSM, or chondroitin. Together these nutrients support healthy joints by providing natural relief with improved flexibility, reduced inflammation, and strengthened cartilage and joints.

But at what age should you consider starting this supplement routine? The answer depends a lot on your dog’s breed. Glucosamine and other supplements for puppies are more common than you’d think.

Related: 11 Best Dog Immunity Supplements

When Should I Start Giving My Dog Joint Supplements?

If Your Dog’s Breed Is Listed Below, Consider Providing A Joint Supplement As Soon As Their Bodies Stop Growing: As Soon As 12 Months Old

The following dog breeds are known to experience earlier, more severe symptoms of arthritis, hip and elbow dysplasia, and general joint inflammation. All dogs can develop these problems, especially as they age. Yet, breeds with less health concerns might not need glucosamine supplements so early on. Talk to your vet, and consider supplementing their joints as early as one year of age.

American Pit Bull Terriers
American Staffordshire Terriersglucosamine for puppies
Bloodhounds
Basset Hounds
Bernese Mountain Dogs
Catahoula Hounds
Chow Chows
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers
Dachshunds
French Bulldogs

German Shepherds
Great Danes
Golden Retrievers
Labrador Retrievers
Neopolitan Mastiffs
Norwegian Elkhounds
Newfoundlands
Otterhounds
Old English Sheepdogs
Pugs
Rottweilers
Saint Bernards
Shih Tzus

You might notice that most of the above dogs are large breeds. Larger dogs are more likely to have joint issues. Additionally, smaller dogs with unusual body shapes like Dachshunds are also on this list. This is because their structure makes them prone to hip, back, and joint problems as well.

Related: 9 Best Pill Pockets for Dogs

When can I start giving my puppy glucosamine?

All dogs are at risk for developing joint issues. Like humans, as dogs age, their joints break down over time. This puts them at risk for arthritis, hip dysplasia and joint pain. But the question is when can I start? You can start to give your puppy glucosamine around 12 months of age. Some puppies can be give glucosamine as early as 8 weeks. Check with your veterinarian to determine if your dogs breed is qualified to start supplements before 12 months.

Related: Best Glucosamine Supplements for Your Dog

Is glucosamine safe for puppies?

Glucosamine is generally safe for puppies 8 weeks or older. However, most veterinarians would suggest you wait until your puppy is a year old to start giving your dog joint supplements. Checking with your veterinarian would be best to determine if your dog is able to take supplements prior to them being one year old.

Can you give puppies joint supplements?

It is suggested for most small breeds to wait until your puppy reaches one years old. This is because their bones are still forming. Some large breeds and few small breeds should start taking a joint supplement as early as 8 weeks old. It is important to remember that hip and joint supplements are not only used as a treatment once the onset of symptoms appear. They can be used as preventative care as well. The breeds listed below are more predisposed to developing severe hip and joint issues:

  • Great Danes
  • Rottweilers
  • German Shepherds
  • Dachshunds
  • Basset Hounds
  • Bulldogs
  • Golden Retrievers
  • Shih Tzus
  • Pugs

If your pet is not on this list, check with your veterinarian to see if your dogs breed qualifies you to start your dog on a joint supplement prior to one years of age.

How do I protect my puppy’s joints?

Protecting your puppies joints begin well before they reach the age where joint pain and joint issues become apparent through signs and symptoms. Preventative care is important to ensure your dog gets the best care needed to prevent and slow down the breakdown of cartilage over time. This will also help decrease their risk for joint injury as well.

Related: The 10 Best Calming Supplements for Dogs

Ways to Protect your Puppies Joints

Proper Diet

The type of food you feed your dog is important to their diet. A healthy diet helps their gut, digestion and overall health. When choosing dog food that is best for your growing puppy, it is important to look for a food that is grain free. Food that contains grains are more likely to lead to increased inflammation in the body. Rice and barley are more healthy for dogs than corn, wheat, and soy. Depending on the breed and size of your puppy, consider feeding them adult food instead of puppy food. Puppy food can promote an accelerated growth. This in turn will put extra pressure on the puppies joints causing them to carry more weight than their developing joints can support.

When talking about proper diet, we don’t just focus solely on food. We also take into consideration the amount of food fed to your dog. A dog who is not monitored on the amount of food intake it ingests could lead to obesity in a puppy. Some puppies have a hard time knowing when they are full and tend to eat more than is needed. A puppy becoming obese can lead to joint injury from carrying the excess weight. Consider feeding your puppy smaller meals and checking with your veterinarian on the proper amount of food your dog should consume in one day.

Supplements

Supplements are a great thing to add to your dogs daily diet. Supplements can be given to your puppy as early as one years of age. If your puppy is a larger breed, they are more predisposed to develop joint issues and can start taking joint supplements as early as 8 weeks of age. Joint supplements work by lubricating the joints, repairing cartilage, and strengthening the joints. Supplements are also great because they decrease inflammation and therefore decrease pain as well. Consider these supplements below as they help prevent joint issues as well as treat them:

  • Turmeric
  • Glucosamine
  • Vitamin C
  • Fish Oil
  • Chondroitin
  • Sweet Potato
  • Ginger

Related: 10 Best Dog Multivitamin Products

Exercise

It is hard to say the exact amount of exercise is healthy for a puppy. Every breed is different which plays a major role in how much your puppy should exercise.

The correct amount of physical activity and exercises for a puppy would ensure that there is a healthy development of the musculoskeletal system.

The 5 minute rule is a guideline that has recently become popular in our society today. The 5 minute rule says that for every month of your dogs age, should be five minute of exercise, twice daily. Even with this rule in place, it is important to look for social and physical cues that you could be over exercising your dog.

Puppies go through their biggest growth spurt for joint development between the ages of four and eight months old. Once your pup reaches eight months the growth plates are fully developed .

Avoid as they put strain on the front legs during development:

  • Tug-a-war
  • Playing catch and receive
  • Jumping over obstacles regardless of height off the ground
  • Jogging alongside a bicycle
  • Long walks
  • Rough play

Can I give Consequin to a puppy?

Consequin is best to start when your dog has finished growing their joint plates. This is usually around 12 months for most dogs. However, larger breeds tend to benefit more from beginning a joint supplement as early as 8 weeks of age. Check with your veterinarian to decide if your dogs breed is on the list to begin a supplement prior to one years old.

Consequin is an amazing joint supplement to give your dogs through out their life, not just when they reach their senior years, but through out their life as well. It is important to treat Consequin as not only treatment but as preventative care as well.

Consequently is composed with the two most important supplements for joint problems, Glucosamine and Chondroitin. Glucosamine is a supplement that works by boosting healthy cartilage growth and rebuilding worn down cartilage as well. Chondrotin helps with elasticity of cartilage and lubricates the joints as well.

Consequin:

Helps stimulate the growth of new cartilage
Reduces inflammation
Repairs damaged joint tissue
Provides pain relief
Prevents further breakdown of cartilage

Related: 10 Best Krill Oil Supplements for Dogs

Is it normal for puppy joints to pop?

Puppies joints develop over the course of 12 months, however most of their joints growth plates slow down growing around 8 months. Puppies joints are soft and loose. The popping and cracking noise you hear is most likely the sound of the air between the joints.

Some puppies are more likely than others to be born with joint issues due to wrongful breeding. It is important to visit a veterinarian if you notice your dog is having cracking or popping of their joints and also showing symptoms of pain. As it is possible that the breeder did not use a dog with good genetics.

Glucosamine For Puppies

If your dog is not on this list, consider supplementing their diet before they reach their senior years. If your dog is on the list, it’s possible that your vet might even recommend glucosamine supplements for puppies at an earlier age, such as 8 weeks of age. Yet, it’s likely safer to wait until your puppy is about 1 year old.

RELATED: 10 Natural Ways To Relieve Canine Joint Pain

Supplements Provide More Benefits BEFORE A Dog Begins Showing Symptoms of Pain

Sadly, dogs have evolved to hide their pain from their parents. In a pack setting, showing signs of pain could lead to being left behind by the group. Any weakness can become a liability for the pack as a whole. Dogs don’t understand that their life with humans is different.

While many dog parents see a significant improvement in their dog’s mobility after signs of pain are present, the best medicine in this scenario is prevention. Starting supplements early is the key to keeping your dog safe.

Related: The 13 Best Heart Supplements for Dogs

Supplementation Is Most Effective With Proper Diet And Exercise. It Will Not Provide A Miracle!

The number one cause of joint distress is canine obesity. Needless to say, if your dog is overweight, their joints will be bearing extra weight too. The joint pain creates a vicious cycle: pain leads to inactivity, which results in even more weight gain. Getting your dog to a proper weight through diet and nutrition is more important and will provide more relief than any dietary supplement.

Here are some signs that your dog is experiencing joint pain:

  • Difficulty standing up or sitting down
  • Excessive panting
  • Limping or only walking on certain legs
  • Joint swelling

How to Choose a Quality Joint Supplement for Your Dog

#1 – Pay attention to the number of active ingredients in the product. Compare the amount of glucosamine, MSM, and chondroitin on the ingredient labels. Oftentimes, the lowest-priced options will contain fewer quantities of active ingredients.

#2 – Only buy from manufacturers that make their products in the USA. Most serious brands today make their product in the USA, but check the label to be sure.

#3 – Ask about the manufacturing method. Heat destroys nutrients, and many tablet forms of glucosamine are made with high heat manufacturing methods. We’re a big fan of cold-press extrusion, which uses no heat whatsoever in the manufacturing process. It’s a more expensive method and leads to a higher-priced product. Yet, the nutrients are more potent and more bioavailable for your dog.

#4 – Choose a well-rounded supplement, rather than just one nutraceutical. Most veterinarians see benefits for a mixture of joint supplement ingredients (glucosamine, MSM, and chondroitin) rather than just one. Chondroitin, in particular, works best when paired with glucosamine for dogs and puppies. In recent years, many dog parents have also seen joint benefits by supplementing with turmeric.

If you’d like to learn more about our Happy, Healthy line of advanced canine joint supplements, click here. We spent over 6 months developing what we believe to be the most well-rounded and potent joint care product on the market. And like all of our products, each purchase provides healthy meals for shelter dogs waiting for their forever homes!

 

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional.

H/T: topdoghealth.com

 

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