Your dog’s joint supplement isn’t doing as much as you think.
What I found changed what I give my own dogs (and myself).
| Ingredient | BetterWild | Dasuquin all 6 varieties | Dog Is Human Advanced Hip & Joint | Jope | Native Pet Advanced Care · powder | Native Pet Inflammatory Care · chew | Native Pet Mobility Care · chew | WINPRO | Wuffes | Zoomies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Delivers | Does not | Does not | Does not | Does not | Does not | Does not | Does not | Does not | Does not |
| UC-II®registered / undenatured | Delivers. Never with a meal. Give on an empty stomach. 40 mg in one chew, the same for every dog, given as a treat, and nothing else in the chew competes with it: no glucosamine, no chondroitin, no other collagen. | Wrong delivery. Never with a meal. Give on an empty stomach. This 2 g stick pack carries glucosamine 800 mg, chondroitin 200 mg and bone broth 150 mg in the same dose, which is the same as giving it with a meal. | Wrong delivery. Never with a meal. Give on an empty stomach. The label directs “Give soft chews directly or mix with food,” and a label that offers the meal route has the delivery wrong whatever its default is. | Wrong delivery. Never with a meal. Give on an empty stomach. This 6 g powder is a food topper the label directs onto the meal, during or after eating. The same scoop carries Exclzyme 500 mg, papain and bromelain, enzymes sold to tenderise meat by breaking down connective tissue, alongside collagen that has to arrive intact. Plus whey 1,300 mg. | Wrong delivery. Never with a meal. Give on an empty stomach. This 1.6 g chew carries bovine collagen 150 mg in the same dose, other collagen in the same mouthful, which is the same as giving it with a meal. Plus 75 mg eggshell membrane. | |||||
| Omega-3EPA + DHA | Falls short in every variety that carries it. Label: varies by variety. None in plain; EPA+DHA 50/75 mg in With MSM; 65/85 in Soft Chews for Senior Dogs; 40 in with Omega-3s; 65/85 of EPA, DHA and ETA together in both Advanced. Research figure for a 50 lb dog: about 1,100 mg a day for maintenance. | Falls short. Label: fish oil 200 mg per chew, 98 mg of it EPA+DHA (EPA 59, DHA 39). A 50 lb dog is directed 2 chews, 196 mg a day. Research figure for a 50 lb dog: about 1,100 mg a day for maintenance, 2,300–3,200 for a therapeutic amount. | Falls short even if all 16 mg were EPA+DHA. Label: “Omega 3 (from Pollock Oil) 16 mg” on the Large label, and it does not say how much of that is EPA+DHA, which is the part that counts. Research figure for a 75 lb dog: 3,400–4,400 mg a day; for a 100 lb dog, 4,600–5,400. | Falls short even if all of it were EPA+DHA. Label: “Omega-3 (Fish/Algal Oil Powder) 150 mg” per chew, and it does not say how much of that is EPA+DHA, which is the part that counts. Its Amazon listing says one chew a day under 50 lb, two for larger dogs, so a 50 lb dog gets 2 chews, 300 mg of powder. Research figure for a 50 lb dog: about 1,100 mg a day for maintenance, 2,300–3,200 for a therapeutic amount. | ||||||
| Boswellia | Falls short in every variety. Label: 20/40 mg in plain and With MSM; 24 mg in with Omega-3s; an unstated amount inside a blend in Soft Chews for Senior Dogs and both Advanced. Research figure for a 25 lb dog: about 455 mg a day. | Falls short. Label: 60 mg boswellia extract at 30% AKBA; total boswellic acids not stated. Research figure for a 25 lb dog: about 455 mg a day of an extract standardised to 60–65% total boswellic acids at 30% AKBA. 60 mg is about 13% of the figure. | Falls short. Label: 100 mg boswellia serrata extract per chew, “(65%)” with no statement of what the 65% is; AKBA not stated. Research figure for a 25 lb dog: about 455 mg a day of an extract standardised to 60–65% total boswellic acids at 30% AKBA. One chew, 100 mg, is about 22% of the figure. Its Amazon listing says one chew a day under 50 lb, two for larger dogs, so 200 mg is about 22% of the figure at 50 lb, 15% at 75 lb and 11% at 100 lb. | |||||||
| Curcumin / turmeric | Wrong form. Plain turmeric is under 1% absorbed, so the form is what counts. An absorbable form (phytosome or Meriva, Longvida, Theracurmin, BCM-95, liposomal, or paired with piperine) costs more, and a brand using one says so on the label. Label: only the two Advanced varieties carry it, inside a 70/140 mg blend that does not say how much is turmeric. The material is named (NMXCC95 Curcuma longa, standardised to curcuminoids), but standardised says how concentrated it is, not what form it is in. No absorbable form stated. | Wrong form. Plain turmeric is under 1% absorbed, so the form is what counts. An absorbable form (phytosome or Meriva, Longvida, Theracurmin, BCM-95, liposomal, or paired with piperine) costs more, and a brand using one says so on the label. Label: 50 mg curcumin per chew, form not stated; 2 chews at 25–75 lb, so 100 mg a day for a 50 lb dog. Research figure for an absorbable curcumin: 15–20 mg per kg of body weight a day, about 340–450 mg for a 50 lb dog. Jope’s label and site were searched for every form named above: none. No absorbable form stated, and even if it were one, 100 mg falls short. | Falls short. Plain turmeric is under 1% absorbed, so the form is what counts. An absorbable form (phytosome or Meriva, Longvida, Theracurmin, BCM-95, liposomal, or paired with piperine) costs more, and a brand using one says so on the label. Label: Turmeric Extract 100 mg per chew, with Black Pepper Extract 5 mg on the same label; 1 chew per 25 lb, so 200 mg a day for a 50 lb dog. Black pepper extract is piperine, so this one would absorb, and that makes it more dangerous if your dog takes medication: turmeric interacts with a number of drugs, and piperine adds to that by slowing the liver’s clearing of them. See the warning below. Research figure for an absorbable curcumin: 15–20 mg per kg of body weight a day, about 340–450 mg for a 50 lb dog. The curcuminoid strength is not stated, and even if the whole 100 mg were curcumin, 200 mg falls short. | |||||||
| Hydrolyzed collagenbioactive collagen peptides | Falls short. Label: porcine collagen 40 mg per chew. Research figure: 240 mg per kg of body weight a day, about 2.4 g for a 22 lb dog (the smallest dog the research included) and 5.4 g for a 50 lb dog. 40 mg is under 2% of the smallest figure. | Falls short. Label: bovine collagen 150 mg per chew. Research figure: 240 mg per kg of body weight a day, about 2.4 g for a 22 lb dog (the smallest dog the research included) and 5.4 g for a 50 lb dog. 150 mg is about 6% of the smallest figure. | Falls short. Label: “Balanced Collagen” 50 mg. Research figure: 240 mg per kg of body weight a day, about 2.4 g for a 22 lb dog (the smallest dog the research included) and 5.4 g for a 50 lb dog. 50 mg is about 2% of the smallest figure. | Falls short. Label: collagen peptides (type I/III) 200 mg per chew. Research figure: 240 mg per kg of body weight a day, about 2.4 g for a 22 lb dog (the smallest dog the research included) and 5.4 g for a 50 lb dog. Its Amazon listing says one chew a day under 50 lb, two for larger dogs. One chew, 200 mg, is about 8% of the smallest figure, and 2 chews, 400 mg, are about 7% of the 50 lb figure. | ||||||
| Glucosamine + chondroitin | Wrong form. The label will tell you which form it is: glucosamine sulfate or glucosamine hydrochloride. The sulfate form is the one that has been shown to work in human trials; the hydrochloride has not. Usual amount in the research: 500–1,000 mg a day. Label: glucosamine hydrochloride 600/900 mg (700 in with Omega-3s) + chondroitin 250/350 mg. The amount is in the usual range; the form is the hydrochloride. | Wrong form. The label will tell you which form it is: glucosamine sulfate or glucosamine hydrochloride. The sulfate form is the one that has been shown to work in human trials; the hydrochloride has not. Usual amount in the research: 500–1,000 mg a day. Label: glucosamine hydrochloride 800 mg + chondroitin 200 mg. The amount is in the usual range; the form is the hydrochloride. | Wrong form. The label will tell you which form it is: glucosamine sulfate or glucosamine hydrochloride. The sulfate form is the one that has been shown to work in human trials; the hydrochloride has not. Usual amount in the research: 500–1,000 mg a day. Label: glucosamine hydrochloride 1,250 mg + chondroitin 150 mg on the Large label; 400 + 50 on Small/Medium, 1 chew under 35 lb and 2 at 36–65 lb. Only meets at Medium on amount, out of range in both directions at the other sizes, and the form is the hydrochloride. | |||||||
| ASUavocado-soybean unsaponifiables | Falls short. Label: their own trademarked ASU, NMX1000, at 45 mg powder per Small/Medium chew and 90 mg per Large (56 mg in with Omega-3s), standardised to at least 30% ASU, so at least 13.5 mg and 27 mg of the active part per chew. Directions run 1–2 chews a day. Research figure: 10 mg per kg of body weight a day of the active part, about 230 mg for a 50 lb dog and 340 mg for a 75 lb dog. Even at two chews it is under a quarter of the figure. Their own material, at too low a level for a therapeutic amount. | |||||||||
| Green-lipped musselGLM | Depends on your dog's size. Research figure: about 30 mg per kg of body weight a day, about 300 mg for a 22 lb dog, 680 mg for a 50 lb dog and 1,350 mg for a 100 lb dog. Not definitive: in the one study that tested it on its own, vet-scored and self-reported pain and mobility improved, in a small group of 15 dogs. Label: 300 mg, one chew, every size. Meets the figure for a 22 lb dog; a 100 lb dog gets less than a quarter of their figure. Depends on your dog’s size. | Depends on your dog's size. Research figure: about 30 mg per kg of body weight a day, about 300 mg for a 22 lb dog, 680 mg for a 50 lb dog and 1,350 mg for a 100 lb dog. Not definitive: in the one study that tested it on its own, vet-scored and self-reported pain and mobility improved, in a small group of 15 dogs. Label: 300 mg per scoop, 1 scoop per 25 lb, so a 50 lb dog gets 600 mg and a 100 lb dog 1,200 mg. Meets the figure at 22 lb, a little under it at every larger size. Depends on your dog’s size. | Depends on your dog's size. Research figure: about 30 mg per kg of body weight a day, about 300 mg for a 22 lb dog, 680 mg for a 50 lb dog and 1,350 mg for a 100 lb dog. Not definitive: in the one study that tested it on its own, vet-scored and self-reported pain and mobility improved, in a small group of 15 dogs. Label: 300 mg per chew, 1 chew per 25 lb, so a 50 lb dog gets 600 mg and a 100 lb dog 1,200 mg. Meets the figure at 22 lb, a little under it at every larger size. Depends on your dog’s size. | Falls short. Research figure: about 30 mg per kg of body weight a day, about 300 mg for a 22 lb dog, 680 mg for a 50 lb dog and 1,350 mg for a 100 lb dog. Not definitive: in the one study that tested it on its own, vet-scored and self-reported pain and mobility improved, in a small group of 15 dogs. Label: 100 mg a day on the Large label (66–120 lb). The figure for that size is roughly 900–1,600 mg. | ||||||
| Oral plasmaporcine or bovine | Falls short. Label: K-Thrive Formula D, a 2,500 mg blend that “includes porcine plasma, serum, albumin, IgG and IgA” and never says how much of it is plasma. Research figure: 4% of the whole diet, as fed in the one dog study, so the amount rose with the size of the dog; a fixed number of chews cannot deliver that, and the bigger the dog, the further off it is. At a typical food intake that is about 6 g a day for a 22 lb dog and 12 g for a 50 lb dog, more than the whole 2,500 mg blend even if all of it were plasma. Not supported by the research. | Falls short. Label: bovine plasma 150 mg per chew; the form (spray-dried or not) is not stated. Research figure: 4% of the whole diet, as fed in the one dog study, so the amount rose with the size of the dog; a fixed number of chews cannot deliver that. At a typical food intake that is about 6 g a day for a 22 lb dog and 12 g for a 50 lb dog, about 40 and 80 chews. Not supported by the research. |
How to read it
Deliversthe label gives the form shown to work, at a researched amount for your dog regardless of size, given to your dog in a proven manner that works.
Does notmisses on form, amount or delivery.
Depends on your dog’s sizeenough for some sizes, not for others.
Not in this productthe product does not contain this ingredient.
A product Delivers when the ingredient has a proven, measurable benefit and the label meets all three:
- the form shown to work: undenatured UC-II; glucosamine sulfate, the form shown to work in human trials and not used in any of the canine testing; an absorbable curcumin such as Meriva or Theracurmin
- the dose proven to be beneficial, for your dog’s weight: 40 mg UC-II for any size; about 1,100 mg EPA+DHA a day for a 50 lb dog, the maintenance figure
- the method of delivery proven to work: nothing on the label sends UC-II onto a meal, and nothing in the dose competes with it
It Does not when any one of the three is missed:
- wrong form: glucosamine hydrochloride; turmeric with no absorbable form named
- dose falls short: 98 mg EPA+DHA a chew against about 1,100 mg a day; 150 mg collagen against 2.4 g
- wrong delivery: UC-II directed onto a meal, or packed in with glucosamine, chondroitin or other collagen
Green-lipped mussel is not definitive. In the one study that tested it on its own, vet-scored and self-reported pain and mobility improved, in a small group of 15 dogs. Oral plasma was studied as a share of the diet, which rises with the size of the dog, and a fixed number of chews cannot deliver that, so no product can Deliver on that row.
Depends on your dog’s size when a fixed dose meets the figure at some weights and not others.
A product Delivers if at least one ingredient meets all three, form, amount and delivery, for your dog regardless of size.
The research figures behind these marks are the figures reported in the research. They are not a prescription for your dog. What your dog takes is a conversation with your vet, against the product’s own label.
Before turmeric is added
Avoid turmeric entirely if your dog has ANY gallbladder issue or concern, unless your vet is supervising and has tested: not even as a kitchen spice, pending further research. Where it is used, have your vet check gallbladder and liver function first. The body masks these problems for a long time before you would notice anything. A dog that has always eaten a highly processed kibble diet likely needs organ support in place first. The risk travels with the form that works: moving your dog from powder to an absorbable curcumin raises the exposure in the same step. If your dog is on any medication, check with your vet first: turmeric interacts with a number of drugs, curcumin thins the blood slightly, and piperine (black pepper extract) slows the liver’s clearing of drugs, so a turmeric-and-pepper product does both.
What this means for your dog
Most of what is in these 10 products will not benefit your dog. Too little of an ingredient to help. The wrong form for it to be useful. Or directions that make it worthless, like UC-II mixed into food. Either way, you’re paying for something your dog isn’t getting.
I bought one of these for years
I gave my senior dogs Dasuquin for years. I moved them onto it as they got older because I wanted them getting boswellia, and I wanted to keep their NSAID use low. Then I took a closer look at what my dogs were actually getting, compared to the research. Its large chew carries 40 mg of boswellia. An effective dose runs into the hundreds of milligrams a day.
It is a 6 gram chew. With everything else it already carries, there is no room for an effective amount of boswellia, the reason I bought it.
What I thought I was paying for, I was not getting, and neither was Lolly, who is fifteen and has severe lumbar arthritis. My money goes elsewhere now.
No one is paying me, and I don’t sell any of these 10 products.
What to do instead
Start with the Joint Support Plan. It is free, and it is made to fill in and share with your vet. It starts with the things that cost little or nothing, and it ends with the questions to ask.
If you would rather not assemble it yourself, a Holistic Canine Consult is where I read your dog’s full history and write your dog’s care plan myself.
Continue to Cultivate Care.