From the very first day we take them home, our pets are ours to care for and have fun with. But sometimes, the wear and tear of everyday life make our pups feel too achy to play. Arthritis and joint pain are serious concerns for any pet owner. If you want to prevent or reduce joint pain for your dog, you’ve probably heard of glucosamine. But what is glucosamine, and how can it help your dog?

Understanding glucosamine for dogs

Glucosamine is a natural compound found throughout your dog’s body. Glucosamine is essential for building cartilage in the body, which becomes especially important as we age.

Cartilage is a connective tissue found in the joints that helps cushion the body. When it wears down—thanks to arthritis, an injury, or old age—simple movements become extremely uncomfortable for our pets. If you’ve noticed that your pup is slow to rise, unwilling to jump, or is just moving slower, the cartilage in their body may be wearing down.

How glucosamine can help

Enter glucosamine. It can be used to reduce the negative effects of cartilage deterioration. Whatever the cause of your pup’s achy joints or deteriorated cartilage, glucosamine has been shown to help. But how?

Glucosamine is found in chicken feet and trachea, and—like we mentioned earlier—it’s already present in your dog’s body. But that doesn’t mean your dog is getting the amount their body needs.

For every 25 pounds your pet weighs, they should take in approximately 500mg of glucosamine per day. Your pup’s body may not be producing that much, so giving pets a glucosamine supplement can help stimulate joint repair, relieve joint pain, and prevent cartilage deterioration.

Due to the nature of cartilage deterioration, supplementing glucosamine is most effective when done proactively. In other words, choosing dog treats with glucosamine from an early age on helps protect your pup against joint pain. If you’re seeking reactive treatment, however, glucosamine has also been shown to provide modest pain relief.

Strengthening the benefits of glucosamine

You may be wondering—is there any way to increase the benefits associated with glucosamine? The answer is yes! Chondroitin, another naturally-occurring compound in your pup’s body, has been shown to make glucosamine especially effective at aiding cartilage production.

Chondroitin helps cartilage retain water and has been shown to provide additional pain relief for pets. When feeding your pup glucosamine-enriched treats or supplements, it’s wise to choose a product that contains both.

We want to keep our dogs active for as long as possible. Arthritis, joint pain, and injury can prevent that from happening—but they don’t have to. By providing your pup a boost of glucosamine, you help ensure that he’ll feel good enough to keep playing.