When our dogs are young, we love to see the joy and beauty of them running. However, just as we might slow down with age, some dogs might too. This can be caused by the joint disease of osteoarthritis (OA), or more simply, arthritis in dogs. It can impact all types of breeds at all different ages. Amazingly, 4 out of 5 dogs will have signs of arthritis by the time they are age 8. For some, it can be earlier. When joints hurt, mobility is impacted. This is where you might notice your dog slowing down.
At Parnell, we take veterinary nutraceuticals very seriously with the development of Glyde Mobility Chews for the treatment of osteoarthritis in dogs. Previous posts written have educated readers on the key ingredient of Green Lipped Mussel (GLM). This article will focus on the other two main ingredients of Glucosamine and Chondroitin. Read on to learn about these proven ingredients and other points that will make it clear: what makes us different? What is the best glucosamine for dogs?
Difference 1: How we make it
One key difference is the careful process of how we make Glyde. We proudly make our own products and unlike others currently on the market, produce a product within facilities that are compliant with the current Good Manufacturing Principles or GMP’s dictated by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) and the U.S. FDA.
Difference 2: Our Ingredients
We chose our ingredients carefully, selecting three proven active ingredients to contribute to the benefits you get for your dog’s mobility. They are:
- New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel (GLM), which we’ve already written about, is a powerful anti-inflammatory
- Glucosamine, reduces cartilage degradation, and
- Chondroitin helps rebuild cartilage.
These 3 key ingredients have a ton of scientific backing behind them. Other products will have one or two of these components, but rarely all three. Make sure you are choosing a product with ingredients that have years of proven research and are not just riding the fad of new buzz-worthy ingredients.
What does Glucosamine do?
Glucosamine was discovered in 1876 and used clinically in Europe since the 1960s. This became popular in the U.S. in the mid-1990s with the study “The Arthritis Cure” by Jason Theodosakis. Glucosamine is the main building block for healthy joints and as such it is a very popular supplement for people and pets with joint pain and stiffness. It also:
- Reduces pain, improves joint function and mobility and reduces arthritis progression
- Reduces joint space narrowing in the knee, a measure of progression of arthritis
- Inhibits cartilage degradation
- Suppresses inflammation in the arthritic joint
- Is easily absorbed through the system
What does Chondroitin Sulfate do?
Chondroitin Sulfate has been used in Europe to treat arthritis for over 20 years. Chondroitin eases pain while still being a building block for joints:
- Reduces pain, improves joint function and mobility and reduces arthritis progression
- Inhibits connective tissue, called synovial membrane, from inflammation
- Maintains the consistency of synovial fluid, which is the natural fluid found in the joints
Chondroitin Sulfate can be obtained from many sources such as fish, pigs, cattle, birds and sharks. It is important to choose a product that uses chondroitin that is obtained as a by-product of the meat industry, instead of requiring potentially unsustainable harvesting of cartilage from sharks or other animals.
Difference 3: Accurate Dosage
We wrote about how much Glyde your dog needs. Think to yourself: should a 60-pound Golden Retriever receive the same amount as a 120-pound Mastiff? Probably not. Or, should you take the same amount of vitamin as your child? Of course, the answer is no, it should not be the same. However, if you look at our competitors, only Glyde Mobility Chews breaks out the dosing by weight to make sure every dog receives the correct amount of nutrients for their needs.
Difference 4: Other Ingredients
Some other joint glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for dogs that are available have filler ingredients, something Glyde simply doesn’t use. Also be sure to always review the total level of validated active ingredients, which means the mg number. Glyde Mobility Chews is made from natural, gluten-free, environmentally sustainable ingredients. Plus, we proudly are shark-safe in the harvesting of our chondroitin. We wrote about it in our post about #SharkWeek.
Will Glyde work FOr dogs? Yes!
When dogs were given the main, proven ingredients of Glucosamine and Chondroitin for dogs as well as the Green Lipped Mussel (GLM) at or below the levels found in Glyde, it was shown to reduce clinical signs of arthritis. Our ingredients contains building blocks for cartilage and a wide range of anti-inflammatory compounds that protect and repair cartilage.
Will Glyde work for cats? Yes!
Similarly, when cats were given the main, proven ingredients of the best Glucosamine and Chondroitin for cats as well as the Green Lipped Mussel (GLM) at or below the levels found in the Glyde product, it was shown the cats were significantly more active. Cats were also more able to jump up, more likely to interact and play with other pets and less likely to seek seclusion.
You see, it is clear: Glyde Mobility Chews is the best choice to protect your fur-baby’s joints. Hopefully, you enjoyed learning more about these key ingredients. Another fun fact: this post wins for the longest title of all our blog posts!
