The Absolute Best Joint Supplements for Dogs 7 Years and Older

As they get older, our dogs need extra nutritional support to stay happy, healthy, and mobile. To find the best joint supplement for dogs, look for one that uses natural, bioavailable ingredients to support your dog’s whole body along with their aging joints. 

And when you’re looking for a supplement to put some pep in your pup’s step, you need to be sure you’re getting the supplement that’s best for their life stage.

For example, a puppy doesn’t have the same nutritional needs as a senior dog. Puppy supplements usually focus on nutrition for healthy development and preventative care for healthy joints, while senior supplements often focus primarily on joint health and inflammation.

Believe it or not, seven years old is often considered “senior” when it comes to dogs. To be clear, not all dogs are considered senior at seven. It depends on your pup’s breed and their typical life expectancy.

If your pup does fall into the senior category, this doesn’t mean your pup will automatically become more frail or fragile on his seventh birthday. It does, however, mean he’ll need additional nutritional support.

Lastly, while even young dogs and puppies can have joint issues, a senior pup is more likely to have muscle aches and joint pains, including things like hip dysplasia.

Why Do Senior Dogs Get Joint Pain or Hip Dysplasia?

Most pups love to run and jump and play, but as they get older this often becomes increasingly difficult. Besides wear and tear on their joints over the years, older dogs produce less glucosamine – a nutrient used by the body to maintain healthy cartilage and tendons in those joints.

Their breed also plays a role. Many people associate German shepherds with hip dysplasia, but other breeds can be susceptible too – from the giant St. Bernard to the tiny pug. The same is true with joint issues like arthritis.

Perhaps the biggest risk factor is your pup’s size. It doesn’t matter if they’re a purebred or a mixed breed dog – large and giant dogs have an increased risk of hip dysplasia and joint pain.

Being overweight increases their risk as well. Also, just like with people, dogs that have injuries when they’re younger can get arthritis or joint pain when they’re older.

But what exactly is arthritis? Or hip dysplasia?

What Is Canine Arthritis?

Inside a dog’s joints, a soft tissue called cartilage keeps the joint cushioned and working smoothly. When the cartilage starts to break down, this causes pain and swelling. This is called arthritis.

The number one cause of joint pain in senior dogs is arthritis. Some estimates say as many as 80% of senior dogs suffer from it!

What Is Canine Hip Dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia happens when a dog’s hip joint develops abnormally. This may happen because of things like genetics, growing too quickly as a puppy, or being overweight as an adult.

When a dog has hip dysplasia, his hip joints are loose. Over time, he may develop inflammation and arthritis. While the looseness often starts when they’re younger, many dogs don’t show signs of pain or difficulty moving until they’re older.

But does all this mean our poor pups are doomed to live out their golden years in pain? Not at all! Keep reading to find out all the ways we can make sure our beloved furry friends live their best life no matter their age.

How to Provide Joint Pain Relief for Your Dog

We can help our older pups get joint pain relief by:

• Building up their immune systems.
• Improving their environment.
• Optimizing their bodies so they can manage health issues naturally.
• Decreasing the inflammation.

But how does a concerned pet parent do all that?

First, talk to your veterinarian. They are the best qualified to help you develop a treatment plan. In some extreme cases, your pup may need more serious medical help than you can provide at home. 

To build up his immune system, provide your furry friend with a healthy diet and nutritional hip and joint supplements made for senior dogs.

Improving their environment means changing things in and around your house to make things easier for your senior pup. This might mean using a ramp so they can get into bed or your vehicle easily without jumping and then straining something, causing further inflammation.

To help optimize your pup’s health, make sure they’re getting all the nutritional support they need. Often, this means adding a high-quality nutritional supplement to your pup’s diet. 

Also, there are certain natural substances that can help decrease your pup’s inflammation, which will go a long way to relieving your dog’s joint pain.

But what exactly are those natural substances? Which dog hip and joint supplement has them? And is there any way to get nutritional support and anti-inflammatory ingredients all in one supplement?

Pin Me!

 

What Are the Best Joint Supplements for Dogs? 

If you search for “best joint supplements for dogs,” you’ll literally find dozens of options. What’s a pet parent to do to narrow the field and find the best formula possible for their precious pup?

First, when you have a senior dog, you need a supplement that’s more than a joint supplement.

Senior pups need nutritional support for their whole body, not just their joints. This includes nutrition for things like immune support and a healthy mind. This support becomes even more important as our dogs age – and many senior dog joint supplements overlook it completely!

Second, bioavailability is critical. If a supplement’s ingredients are “bioavailable,” it means they’re easy to absorb.

As our dogs age, their kidney and liver function begins to decline. Because of this, you want ingredients that are easily absorbed and usable without making your dog’s body work overtime to get the benefits.

Finally, you need to make sure it has the right ingredients to help your senior pup.

Which Ingredients Should Be in a Senior Dog Supplement?

The ingredients in your senior dog’s supplement should be naturally sourced, bioavailable, and proven to help their joints while also supporting healthy immune systems, bodies, and minds.

We started Pawsomely Healthy with the goal of making the best supplements for every stage of our dog’s lives. That’s why we scoured the world looking for only the best natural ingredients.

Pawsomely Healthy’s Super Senior formula contains these important ingredients:

Green Lipped Mussel

Only found in New Zealand, green lipped mussel is extremely rich in glucosamine, chondroitin, natural proteins, minerals, and omega fatty acids.

Green lipped mussel helps restore mobility, relieve muscle aches, and ease joint pain and inflammation. It’s also linked to a wide range of health benefits including heart, eyes, skin, bone and brain health.

Aquamin™

Aquamin is a multi-mineral complex that comes from red marine algae. It contains calcium, magnesium, and 72 other necessary trace minerals essential to life. Because it’s a single natural source of all these nutrients, it’s also very bioavailable.

These minerals help preserve bone structure and strength by inhibiting bone density loss. They also have anti-inflammatory properties, which help reduce pain and stiffness from joint pain, arthritis, and hip dysplasia.

A Powerful Blend of Glucosamine, MSM, and Chondroitin

In addition to the glucosamine and chondroitin naturally found in green lipped mussels, Super Senior contains an added boost of these critical ingredients, along with MSM.

Glucosamine helps in the formation of cartilage. Dogs naturally produce glucosamine, but that production goes down as your pup gets older. That can lead to arthritis and stiff joints.

Providing him glucosamine in a supplement can help rebuild cartilage – which helps keep your senior pup active and happy.

Chondroitin is naturally found in cartilage and other connective tissues in your dog’s body. It helps your dog’s cartilage stay elastic and healthy, which adds flexibility and lubrication to your dog’s joints.

Supplementing your senior dog with chondroitin helps build the cartilage in your pup’s joints. That, in turn, keeps your pup moving.

MSM (or methylsulfonylmethane) is an organic form of sulfur. Bioavailable sulfur keeps your furry friend’s cells functioning at their best and helps him absorb vitamins and minerals.

MSM helps cleanse the bloodstream and flushes toxins from your dog’s cells. It also relieves pain and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Together, these three powerful ingredients support joint mobility, flexibility, strength, lubrication and comfort.

Vitamin C

Many people take vitamin C for its antioxidants and immune support. It can do the same for your dog!

Unlike humans, dogs can produce their own vitamin C. However, this ability goes down as your furry friend gets older. Giving your pup a supplement with vitamin C helps make up the difference.

Manganese

Manganese plays a critical role in your dog’s health. Your pup needs it to help his brain and nervous system function properly. It also decreases your pup’s risk of some serious conditions, like heart disease and strokes.

Manganese has additional benefits for older dogs. It assists in nutrient absorption, and it’s vital for keeping your dog’s bones healthy and strong – two things that senior dogs often need help with.

All together, these ingredients in our Super Senior formula support your senior dog’s immune system plus physical and mental health while also providing tender loving care for their aging joints.

The Final Woof

Our beloved furry friends need extra nutritional support as they age to keep living their best lives. Our senior dogs have so much love to give and we can return that love by our caring attention to their needs. Making sure their nutritional joint supplement contains natural and bioavailable vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that support their whole body along with their sore joints is one of the best ways to keep your pup active, mobile, and happy for years to come.

Are you unsure about which supplement your furry friend needs to keep them healthy and happy? Take our quiz to find out!