I frequently get asked by dog owners and sport-dog handlers: “What are the best supplements I can give my dog?”
My answer, like most things, is: it depends. I hope this article saves you time and money while giving you more clarity on which supplements can help your dog stay comfortable and active.
So why does it depend? It seems like a straightforward question that should yield a straightforward answer. The common line of thought is that as dogs age, they need extra nutritional support to fuel recovery and stay healthy. That isn’t entirely wrong. However, the industry landscape complicates things. The global pet supplement market was valued at $2.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $4.6 billion by 2033 (Grand View Research, 2026). Owners watching their dogs slow down, experience pain, or recover from surgery can understandably feel helpless. An expensive supply of joint supplements can seem like a small price to pay for a chance at restoring their dog’s quality of life. But the size of that market and the promises on a label don’t tell us whether a product works.
Glucosamine and chondroitin are a familiar example. They have been popular for years, but a 2022 systematic review found no convincing pain-relief benefit from these products in dogs and cats with osteoarthritis (Barbeau-Grégoire et al., 2022). I don’t bring this up to breed distrust in the supplement industry, but to help you select scientifically supported options without overpaying for flashy marketing. Two options I want owners to know more about are green-lipped mussel and undenatured type II collagen, often called UC-II.
Green-lipped mussel (GLM) is exactly what you think it is. It is a marine-derived mussel used in joint supplements. In a canine trial, a GLM preparation improved some pain and mobility measures compared with placebo (Hielm-Björkman et al., 2009). Beyond the canine studies, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in July 2026 found improvements in pain and physical function in adults with mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis (Kim et al., 2026). That trial was in people, not dogs, but the findings are worth noting alongside the canine research.
Another lesser-known option is undenatured type II collagen (UC-II). Its proposed mechanism involves changing the immune response to type II collagen, the type found in joint cartilage. In a study of healthy Labrador Retrievers undergoing an exercise program, UC-II supplementation improved pain assessments and measures of gait (Varney et al., 2022). Pretty cool stuff.
There are also prescription options beyond oral supplements. Adequan contains polysulfated glycosaminoglycan, an antiarthritic drug. White (2025) describes its incorporation into cartilage and its effects on cartilage metabolism, inflammation, and clinical signs across laboratory and clinical studies. Adequan Canine is labeled for intramuscular injection to control signs associated with non-infectious degenerative or traumatic arthritis (American Regent, Inc., 2024). Talk to your veterinarian about whether your dog is a good candidate for this.
At the end of the day, your goal isn’t to buy into flashy packaging or empty marketing promises; it’s to keep your dog active, comfortable, and mobile for as long as possible. Green-lipped mussel and UC-II are worth knowing about, and the broader research also supports omega-3 supplements and omega-3-enriched diets for osteoarthritis pain (Barbeau-Grégoire et al., 2022). There are plenty of products available. Knowing which ingredients have evidence behind them gives you a better place to start than choosing the most familiar name on the shelf.
If you have any questions, or there’s something you’d like to learn about regarding canine rehabilitation, feel free to drop me an email.
References
Barbeau-Grégoire, M., Otis, C., Cournoyer, A., Moreau, M., Lussier, B., & Troncy, E. (2022). A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of enriched therapeutic diets and nutraceuticals in canine and feline osteoarthritis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(18), Article 10384. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231810384
Grand View Research. (2026). Pet supplements market size & growth report, 2026–2033. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/pet-supplements-market
Hielm-Björkman, A., Tulamo, R.-M., Salonen, H., & Raekallio, M. (2009). Evaluating complementary therapies for canine osteoarthritis part I: Green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus). Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 6(3), 365–373. https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/nem136
Kim, H.-T., Shin, B.-J., Lee, Y.-W., Park, H.-J., Park, S.-Y., Hwang, E.-H., Hwang, M.-S., Lee, D.-J., Shin, B.-C., & Heo, I. (2026). Efficacy and safety of green-lipped mussel powder supplementation in adults with knee osteoarthritis: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 26, Article 236. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-026-05465-5
Varney, J. L., Fowler, J. W., & Coon, C. N. (2022). Impact of supplemented undenatured type II collagen on pain and mobility in healthy Labrador Retrievers during an exercise regimen. Translational Animal Science, 6(3), Article txac123. https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txac123
White, G. W. (2025). Polysulfated glycosaminoglycan as a treatment for osteoarthritis in veterinary medicine: Summary of the pharmacological, laboratory, and clinical data. Open Veterinary Journal, 15(9), 4007–4023. https://doi.org/10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i9.6