Why Do dogs Need Glucosamine?

As dogs get older, so does their body. This means their ligaments, tendons, joints and joint fluids all wear down with age. Like humans it affects every dog differently, but generally old dogs are often very stiff and immobile.

A dog’s diet is typically red meat based. Red meat has high amounts of uric acid and uric acid is the leader in the development of many arthritic problems. If you dog eats a lot of red meat, then the chances of them having  problems in the future is drastically increased.

Glucosamine is a popular supplement that is used to help with many joint problems in humans such as arthritis and osteoarthritis to name a few. This product can also be used by dogs to help with their joint pain and stiffness problems. Glucosamine has anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it able to sooth affected joints and tissues. Glucosamine is usually taken with chondroitin and together they are able to improve the health of joint cartilage in dogs.

The joints in animals are responsible for movement and they typically are made up of  joint cavity filled with synovial fluid, a synovial membrane, and particular cartilage. The joint cartilage acts as a buffer responsible for the smooth gliding of the bones as well as a shock absorber. The synovial fluid acts as both a lubricant and a source of nutrition for the cartilage. The cartilage is made up of mainly collagen and glycosaminoglycans. As wear an tear occurs, the components of the bones and joints are constantly being destroyed and need to be replaced. This is where Glucosamine and Chondroitin make a grand entrance because they are the two major building blocks for cartilage synthesis.

 

Owners should maintain a dogs diet with glucosamine as it is very helpful for their joints health. The glucosamine can help the synovial fluid in joints as well as help to build and replace broken down and destroyed cartilage.  If your dog is losing mobility and is starting to suffer from joint pain, then it is good to give him glucosamine supplement. You will be able to see a good improvement in the dog once this is placed in his diet.