Joint Supplements That Work. Guaranteed.

Depending on the active ingredients and the quality of those ingredients, dog joint supplements containing glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, and omega fatty acids can improve joint mobility and decrease pain in dogs with osteoarthritis. However, these dog joint supplements need to be used correctly by providing a loading dose that is twice the maintenance dose, and by allowing the supplement time to work. Most dog joint supplements won’t show benefits until after at least 60-70 days of use. Users often decide that a dog joint supplement isn’t working before it has had a chance to reach its full potential.

The best supplement for your dog’s joints is going to depend on your dog. Factors such as your dog’s joint condition and severity, age, weight, and other health issues should be taken into account.

In general, joint supplements containing glucosamine hydrochloride helps to stimulate cartilage cell growth to help repair damaged cartilage in a joint. Chondroitin sulfate helps cartilage and joint fluid retain water to promote joint elasticity and shock absorption. MSM helps to reduce inflammation, block pain transmission, and strengthen bonds in the connective tissue. Omega fatty acids help to reduce inflammation. All of these added together can help to improve your dog’s joint health from the inside out by helping to rebuild and maintain cartilage and lubrication and reduce inflammation. This is important for dogs that have joint health issues as well as those looking to prevent them.

In short, TopDog Health makes supplements to help your dogs’ joints Get Better. Feel Better. Stay Better. The products that do that include:

GlycanAid Maintenance: a blend of the necessary nutrients to maintain healthy joints in dogs with mild to moderate arthritis.

GlycanAid HA: all of the perks of GlycanAid Maintenance with the addition of hyaluronic acid to help older dogs, and those suffering from severe arthritis or following orthopedic surgery.

Flexerna Omega: one-of-a-kind green-lipped mussel oil helps to naturally decrease inflammation using high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids.

Flexerna Essentials: the potent anti-inflammatory properties of green-lipped mussel and MSM decrease joint discomfort with the addition of other joint nutrients to rebuild joints from within.

MSM Joint Boost: using the purest form of MSM to provide your dog with sulfur, a building block for cartilage, an anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant all in one.

You can also take our 2-minute quiz to find out the best supplement regimen for your dog.

While most human joint supplements contain the same active ingredients as dog joint supplements to decrease joint discomfort and improve mobility, they may have additional ingredients that aren’t so great. Xylitol, for example, is a sweetener added to many human products to, well, make it taste better. However, for dogs, xylitol is toxic to dogs. Other ingredients may be added to boost the human appeal for joint supplements that may not be safe for your pup.

Human supplements also aren’t going to be in the proper dosage for every dog. After all, they’re formulated for humans weighing 100-180 pounds or so, not your 70-pound canine companion. Along with dosage, the composition of the medication needs to be taken into account. Ever need to give your dog a pill? For some dogs, it can be an all-hands-on-deck situation. Dog-formulated joint supplements come in a tastier form, such as chews and liquids, to appease your dog’s taste buds and put the supplement in a form that their body can more readily use. You can read even more here.

Let’s just say that dogs don’t necessarily NEED physical therapy after surgery in order to heal, but physical therapy definitely speeds the process, making it quicker and easier for your dog to return to normal. Physical therapy strengthens muscles, improves flexibility, balance, and coordination, promotes weight loss, and decreases pain. Plus, and this may be the greatest benefit, physical therapy after surgery in dogs gives them something to do while they’re on cage rest! Going through their exercises provides mental stimulation, a little controlled activity, and a moment of bonding that will help keep them from going stir-crazy.

Dog rehabilitation is becoming more and more recognized as a way to help dogs recover from injuries, illnesses, or surgeries by decreasing pain, restoring function, and improving strength. Rehabilitation can also be used to prevent injuries or to increase performance. A rehabilitation program uses exercises as well as other modalities such as cold therapy, massage, acupuncture, and hydrotherapy.

Every dog is different, so every physical therapy prescription is going to match those differences. The amount of physical therapy your dog needs may depend on your pup’s condition, the amount of time you have, financial concerns, and the availability of professionals in your area. Most dogs will do well with two to three physical therapy sessions weekly for six-10 weeks following orthopedic surgery. Others may choose lifelong physical therapy to help relieve arthritis or other chronic conditions.

The beauty of dog physical therapy and rehabilitation is it’s extremely flexible. Many owners feel comfortable performing things like massage, cold or heat therapy, and passive range of motion exercises at home. Don’t worry, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Fortunately, TopDog Health has you covered with free(!) how-to videos and rehab guides to teach you what, when, and how you can do your dog’s physical therapy and rehabilitation at home.

The most common orthopedic injury in dogs is a torn cranial cruciate ligament (CCL). Never heard of it? How about a torn ACL? That’s the equivalent in human medicine. Torn CCLs can happen in any breed, age, or activity level of dogs but are most prevalent in those movers and shakers, especially those that like to jump and twist while catching a Frisbee or go all-in in a doggie wrestling match. Dogs with a partial or complete tear to the CCL may show up with lameness in one hind leg. This lameness may come and go, usually getting worse after exercise. They may also sit with their leg swung out to the side, have difficulty standing up, or even make a clicking sound when they walk. Torn CCLs are best treated through surgery followed by physical therapy.