Is your dog getting older? Have you noticed your furry friend has started to slow down or has stiff legs? Nobody wants to see their dog starting to get older. But joint wear and tear are common when your dog reaches middle age. This can be down to their activity levels and genetics. Indeed, arthritis can develop when they get older too. Some signs of arthritis include sleeping for longer periods of time and struggling to get up and down the stairs. If you notice any of these signs, it may be time to consider acting before it gets any worse.
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No dog owner wants to see their beloved companion in pain. It can be particularly distressing if your pooch is normally the life and soul of the party and jumping around all over the place full of life. The good news is that there are some things you can do to ease your dog’s discomfort and help with the stiffness. It does not have to involve surgery or heading to the vet just yet. Instead, you can try to help your dog’s joint inflammation with a good quality supplement. In particular, those supplements that include glucosamine and chondroitin can be effective for helping your pooch. These are ingredients that can be found naturally in foods. But most dogs simply do not get enough of them to be effective. Supplementing them can give your dog the boost they need to help with any ailments.
There are a lot of supplements out there for your dog. If your dog has recently been experiencing stiffness or discomfort, it can be difficult to know which one to choose. Two of the most popular joint supplements on the market right now are Dasuquin and Cosequin. Let’s take a look at which one is going to be better for your furry friend.
Dasuquin for Dogs
Dasuquin is a joint supplement created by Nutramax Laboratories. It has a great reputation and contains a unique combination of ingredients. It has been a popular supplement for some time and this means that it is worth the money. Indeed, it can be more expensive than some other products on the market. But we can see that it has had great results for some dogs.
How Dasuquin Works
Dasuquin should be given to your dog every day in order to see results. But it is also important to remember that it does not work overnight. It can take several weeks for the active ingredients to help your pooch. So, give it time to work and see if you can see a difference in your pooch when they are taking this joint supplement.
This supplement works by helping to protect your furry friend from further cartilage damage in their joints. In addition, it can actually help to rebuild some of this cartilage. So, it is more than a maintenance joint supplement. It can help to improve your pup’s quality of life if they are starting to suffer from ailments. The ingredients can also have an anti-inflammatory effect. This can help your dog and relieve discomfort, as well as improve their mobility. For example, they may be able to run like they did when they were younger.
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Ask a Vet Live NowThe Active Ingredients in Dasuquin
There are four main ingredients included in the Dasuquin supplement that can help your pup. Let’s take a look at each one to see how they can help.
Glucosamine Hydrochloride
This ingredient is normally from the shells of crustaceans. It is included in this supplement as it is an important amino sugar that can help with the production of cartilage. Of course, if your pooch is suffering from arthritis, they need more cartilage to make them feel better and to gain mobility. Dasuquin contains glucosamine hydrochloride, which can provide your dog with the resources they need to repair and build their cartilage. This joint supplement contains 900 mg of glucosamine.
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
The next ingredient included in Dasuquin is methylsulfonylmethane, commonly referred to as MSM. This is included because research shows this ingredient can have an anti-inflammatory effect. This means it may be able to help your furry friend with any joint pain and discomfort they are experiencing. A lot of dog’s diets are short in sulfur, which can cause inflammation. So, including this ingredient can have the opposite effect.
In addition, there are some studies that show MSM can help to restore healthy bodily tissue. This can help with mobility and flexibility. MSM is found in leafy vegetables, which dogs do not get enough of. The good news is that this supplement contains 800 mg of MSM in each tablet.
Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate
The ingredient is sodium chondroitin sulfate, but all we really need to know is that it is chondroitin. As we mentioned at the beginning of this review, this is an ingredient that is very important to include in a joint supplement. Indeed, chondroitin is important for cartilage and helps make it stronger. For example, when your dog walks and weight is transferred to their legs, it is chondroitin sulfate that acts as the shock absorber.
There are several good reasons to include this ingredient in Dasuquin. First of all, it can have an anti-inflammatory effect. This can help your pooch with pain or discomfort they are feeling on a daily basis. In addition, it can help to prevent cartilage from breaking down, as well as helping with the creation of more cartilage. This joint supplement enjoys 350 mg of chondroitin per tablet.
Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU)
The fourth active ingredient contained in Dasuquin that is worth mentioning is avocado/soybean unsaponifiables or ASU. This is a by-product that is quite novel in joint supplements but it may be able to help your beloved companion in a number of ways. It contains around one-third avocado oil and then the rest is soybean oil.
ASU has the ability to prevent inflammation. It helps prevent the chemical reaction that leads to inflammation in the joints. This means that it can keep the inflammation your dog can experience low. As a consequence, this might help to reduce joint damage, as well as ease pain and discomfort. In addition, it appears that ASU may be able to help with the regeneration of cartilage. These are all good effects for your aging pooch. There is 90 mg of ASU present in a tablet.
Cosequin For Dogs
Now it is time to take a look at Cosequin. This is another joint supplement brought to you by Nutramax Laboratories. It was first formulated in 1992 and lots of dog owners have chosen this supplement for the pet if they have joint problems, hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis. Again, we can see from customer reviews that this product has been good for some dogs and improved their mobility.
How Cosequin Works
If you choose Cosequin for your pooch, this is a joint supplement that should be taken daily. It is known as a safe supplement and there are minimal side effects. It is important to be realistic with what this supplement can achieve. In addition, it will have to be taken for a number of weeks until you can start to see the benefits. The goal of Cosequin is to help prevent joint damage in dogs. With this combination of active ingredients, it can also help with the formulation of new cartilage.
This may help your pup stay strong and healthy into their old age.
The Active Ingredients in Cosequin
Cosequin contains some of the same ingredients as Dasuquin but they do differ slightly. In particular, they are contained in different quantities. So, let’s take a closer look at what this product contains.
Glucosamine Hydrochloride
Again, we have glucosamine and this product contains 600 mg. This is a good amino sugar to have in the active ingredients due to its role played in the production of cartilage. This can help your furry friend repair their cartilage in the joints and gain some mobility back. It can also help to prevent more damage occurring as they age. It is likely that glucosamine comes from the shell of crustaceans for this ingredient.
Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate
This joint supplement also contains chondroitin. This is exactly what we want to see. Included in each tablet is 300 mg of chondroitin, which can help with your pup’s cartilage. Ingesting this ingredient can help to prevent cartilage from breaking down with activity and it may even help to repair existing cartilage.
Chondroitin also has an anti-inflammatory effect. This means that if your dog is experiencing pain and stiffness, chondroitin can help to relieve this discomfort. Not only can this help your pooch, but you can know that you have done something to help them. This can relieve some stress that you are feeling from watching your pup suffer.
Manganese Ascorbate
This is an ingredient in Cosequin that is thought to work as a catalyst. In other words, it can help to speed up the repair of cartilage for your pooch. This can mean that they experience decreased symptoms quickly and they can get back on their feet. This works well in combination with the other active ingredients. You will find 3 mg of manganese ascorbate in each tablet.
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
Another ingredient from this supplement that is worth mentioning is methylsulfonylmethane or MSM. With 250 mg of this ingredient. It may help to decrease inflammation for your pooch, decreasing the pain and discomfort they are experiencing.
MSM has also been shown to help rebuild cartilage, which can improve your dog’s mobility. With this joint supplement, you can make sure that your pup enjoys a good amount of MSM.
Dasuquin v Cosequin – The Verdict
The truth is, chondroitin and glucosamine are two ingredients that are important for joint health but are low in your dog’s diet. There is not enough of these ingredients present in their foods. That is why it can be a good idea to turn to a joint supplement, especially as your pooch gets older. Nutramax Laboratories is a trustworthy brand to choose for a joint supplement. They are a company that has been around for more than 16 years, with its manufacturing facilities present in the United States. This includes South Carolina and Maryland. You can enjoy peace of mind when it comes to quality and safety. They are also known for their unique combinations of ingredients. There are no other products on the market that use their formulas. Ultimately, both of these joint supplements can be good for your dog. But there are differences, which means they can be used in different circumstances.
If your dog already has arthritis, hip dysplasia or other joint problems, you may want to choose Dasuquin. This has a great combination of ingredients that can help ease discomfort and pain your dog is experiencing, as well as prevent damage and help to rebuild cartilage. For example, it has a lot more glucosamine, offering 900 mg to the 600 mg of Cosequin. This is going to help your pup repair and build cartilage. It also contains more chondroitin for cartilage repair, as well as more than double MSM amounts to 800 mg. This anti-inflammatory effect could really help your pup if they are experiencing discomfort. Of course, the addition of ASU is important too. Studies have found that using this new ingredient can help with inflammation and the regeneration of cartilage.
If you are wanting to improve your dog’s overall joint health, you can consider Cosequin. If they are not showing any signs of stiffness or mobility problems, this can be a good joint supplement to help them stay this way. It can help to maintain good joint cartilage, as well as prevent damage. So, if your dog is getting older but not showing signs of any problems yet, consider Cosequin. It has good levels of glucosamine and chondroitin for encouraging strong and healthy cartilage. It also contains a sufficient amount of MSM, as well as having the addition of manganese ascorbate for delivery. Overall, this makes a good maintenance joint supplement.
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Tom
Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!Review symptoms, medications & behavior to keep your pets healthy with a Vet Online in just minutes.
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