Supplements for joint nutrition can be fed in appropriate amounts

Dogs recovering from fractures or those with congenital bone development issues can improve by using some joint nutritional supplements. However, even with supplements, the choice must be made carefully, considering the ingredients, purity, and effects.

1. Purity and Structure of Supplements

Many people ask why similar ingredients can have such different prices. This is because of the manufacturing process. Firstly, good joint supplements clearly indicate purity. If purity is not stated, even with high content, the effective ingredients may not be much. Secondly, whether it’s powdered capsules or tablets—the powdered capsules are easiest to absorb and most effective, but feeding is a bit more troublesome. Tablets absorb less effectively but are easier to administer.

Therefore, when buying good joint supplements, the purity should be clearly stated as 95% or 99%. If there is no purity indication, certification is necessary. Some US-made joint supplements without purity indication must have the NASC (National Animal Supplement Council) certification mark. With NASC certification, the quality is absolutely guaranteed. Currently, some imported or domestic joint supplements have added pain-relieving drugs, which is unethical. Although such products show obvious pain relief effects on joints on the surface, long-term use causes great damage to dogs’ liver and kidneys and leads to drug dependency. If a US-made joint supplement has NASC certification, the product quality is very reliable.

For joint maintenance, internationally, veterinarians most commonly use: Cosequin DS and Vetplus Synoquin. Cosequin DS is produced in the USA, so North American vets use Cosequin DS, while Synoquin is made in the UK, so European vets generally use Synoquin. Virbac’s Joint Care from France is well promoted in China, so Chinese vets recommend Virbac Joint Care.

Brands and ingredients both need attention

2. How Do Glucosamine and Chondroitin Work?

Glucosamine plays a very complex role in joint maintenance. Cartilage consists of several types of cells, one of which is chondrocytes. Chondrocytes are responsible for synthesizing new cartilage. Under normal wear, cartilage is constantly damaged and replaced. When a dog has hip dysplasia or aging, and the chondrocytes cannot synthesize new cartilage to replace the damaged old cartilage, glucosamine provides the necessary tissue raw materials for producing new cartilage. Glucosamine is an essential substance for producing new tissue cells, called glycosaminoglycans. These mucopolysaccharides bind with hyaluronic acid to produce new collagen. Collagen is the main structural substance for synthesizing cartilage.

Chondroitin is another necessary product for synthesizing cartilage mucopolysaccharides, but its most important role is to inhibit and eliminate destructive enzymes. These enzymes accelerate cartilage damage, and chondroitin helps reduce their destructive effect on cartilage.

Therefore, glucosamine and chondroitin do not only provide anti-inflammatory and pain relief effects; they also repair damaged chondrocytes and prevent damage to cartilage cells. For joint disease prevention, taking an appropriate amount of glucosamine and chondroitin supplements regularly is entirely acceptable.

Although these are supplements, feeding too much is not advisable because it not only lacks benefits but can also hinder the dog’s recovery. Therefore, attention should be paid to selection and feeding amounts.