Joint Care for Older Dogs: What Really Helps?

As dogs get older, joint care becomes something many owners start thinking about more seriously. I am a firm believer in thinking about joint health early, and it is one of the few areas I am happy to support proactively from a younger age. But I also completely understand that for a lot of people, joints do not really enter the conversation until their dog starts getting older.

Sometimes that is because a dog has begun to slow down, looks stiff when they first get up or has already been diagnosed with arthritis. Other times there are no obvious problems at all, and the question is simply:

What can I do to support my older dog’s joints?

Dogs can begin entering their senior years from around seven, although this varies depending on breed, size and the individual dog. Rather than getting too hung up on a particular birthday, I think the important thing is recognising that their bodies will gradually start to change and that we may need to become a little more aware of how they are moving and recovering.

The longer we can keep our dogs fit, active and comfortable, the better.

Myst is 12 now. She is still active, still keen to walk and still very capable of behaving as though she is much younger than she actually is. She does not currently have clinical signs of arthritis or a diagnosed joint problem, but that does not mean I wait until there is a problem before I start thinking about her joint health.

Joint care for older dogs: how can you support their joints?

For me, supporting an older dog’s joints is about looking at the whole dog. Movement, muscle, body condition, the surfaces they are walking on, regular checks, physio, diet and nutritional support can all have a part to play.

The research into canine osteoarthritis supports that kind of multi-faceted approach. Rather than relying on one thing alone, joint and mobility care can involve weight management, appropriate exercise, rehabilitation or physiotherapy and nutritional support.

That means the basics really do matter.

Keeping an older dog moving helps maintain muscle, strength and function. That does not mean pushing a dog through pain or discomfort, but equally I do not think getting older automatically means they should stop exercising. It is about adapting what they do to suit the individual dog and paying attention to how they cope with it.

Why weight matters for joint health in older dogs

Weight is one of the most important things to think about when we are talking about joint health.

Carrying excess weight puts more mechanical load through the joints, and that can matter even more as dogs get older or if they are already showing signs of arthritis or reduced mobility.

But it is not just about the extra kilos themselves. Fat tissue is biologically active and is associated with inflammatory processes within the body, which is another reason why keeping a dog at a healthy weight can support joint health.

Research looking at obesity, exercise and orthopaedic disease has found that body condition is closely linked with lameness severity in overweight and obese animals with osteoarthritis, and that weight loss and exercise are important parts of improving mobility.

That does not mean I want an older dog to be thin. I want them carrying an appropriate amount of weight while still maintaining good muscle, because muscle is part of what helps support and stabilise the joints.

And that is where body condition becomes more useful than simply looking at the number on the scales.

Body condition matters more than many people realise

Body condition is something I do not think is always fully understood.

We tend to focus heavily on weight, but the number on the scales does not tell you the whole story. Two dogs can weigh exactly the same and have very different body compositions.

A body condition score looks at the dog as a whole:

• Does the dog have a visible waist?

• Can you easily feel the ribs without having to press through a layer of fat?

• Are they carrying excess fat?

• Are they maintaining enough muscle?

For me, that overall picture matters far more than simply saying a dog weighs a certain amount.

So rather than asking only, “What does my dog weigh?”, I think it is much more useful to ask:

“What condition is my dog actually in?”

That gives us a better idea of whether they are carrying unnecessary strain through the joints and whether they have enough muscle to support themselves properly.

Muscle matters just as much as weight

When we talk about joints, it is easy to focus only on the joint itself, but the muscles around it are doing a huge amount of work too.

Good muscle condition helps support and stabilise the joints, helps control movement and can reduce unnecessary strain going through the body. As dogs get older, maintaining that muscle becomes increasingly important because once they start losing strength, everyday things like getting up, climbing stairs or recovering after exercise can become harder.

That is one of the reasons I do not want Myst simply to be “light”. I want her lean, but I also want her strong.

For me, the aim is to keep enough muscle around the body to support her joints properly while still avoiding unnecessary weight.

And this is where physio becomes really useful.

Why I use a canine physiotherapist

This is one area I really value with Myst.

A canine physiotherapist is looking at far more than whether a dog is limping. They can assess gait, how muscles are being used, areas of tension or weakness and how the body is working as a whole.

A good physio may pick up subtle changes that are not particularly obvious when you see your own dog every day. That gives you the chance to deal with a small niggle or weakness before it has the opportunity to become something more significant.

Research into canine physiotherapy and rehabilitation also supports the use of structured exercise, strength work and rehabilitation as part of maintaining mobility and function, while also acknowledging that the canine-specific evidence base is still developing.

That is why Myst still has regular physio appointments even though she is not currently showing obvious joint problems. I would much rather somebody picks up a small change now than wait until she is clearly struggling.

Think about what they are walking on

Another part of joint care that is very easy to overlook is the surface underneath their feet.

Slippery floors, polished tiles, wet leaves and mud can all make things harder for an older dog. If a dog does not feel secure underfoot, they can start altering how they move to compensate, as well as being at risk of an actual slip or fall.

At home, runners, rugs or non-slip mats can make a big difference where they are needed.

Outside, I think more about where I take Myst now than I did when she was younger. I am certainly not stopping her going out, but if I know somewhere is going to be extremely muddy or slippery, I may choose a different route.

That is not wrapping an older dog in cotton wool. It is simply removing an avoidable risk.

So where do joint supplements for dogs fit?

Once people start thinking about joint support, supplements usually enter the conversation pretty quickly.

And this is where it can become confusing, because there are so many different products available and many of them contain long lists of ingredients.

You will often see things such as glucosamine, chondroitin, green-lipped mussel, collagen, omega-3 oils, herbs and hyaluronic acid all bundled together.

For me, more ingredients does not automatically mean a better product.

I want to understand what I am adding and why I am adding it.

Why I prefer a simple formula

My approach is generally quite straightforward. I want each thing I give my dog to have a purpose, and I want to understand what that purpose is.

When I am adding omega-3, I am looking at the right source of omega-3 and why I am using it. There is good evidence behind omega-3 fatty acids in dogs with osteoarthritis, with systematic reviews finding stronger evidence for omega-3 interventions than for many other commonly used nutraceuticals.

I have already gone into omega-3, EPA, DHA and the different sources in much more detail elsewhere, so I am not going to repeat all of that here. Read my Omega-3 guide

I take the same approach when I am adding something specifically for joint support. I want it to be adding something that is not already being covered through the food I am feeding or through another supplement in the routine.

That is important to me because I do not want to keep piling different ingredients on top of one another without really knowing what I am giving.

What about glucosamine, chondroitin and herbs?

Glucosamine and chondroitin are probably two of the names most people immediately associate with joint supplements.

They have been studied in dogs, and there are individual trials that have reported improvements in dogs with osteoarthritis. One randomised trial found improvements in measures including pain and weight bearing in dogs receiving a glucosamine and chondroitin combination.

But when researchers have looked at the evidence more broadly, the picture has been much less convincing. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis found a marked lack of pain-relieving effect from glucosamine/chondroitin products in canine and feline osteoarthritis, while finding much stronger evidence for omega-3-enriched diets and omega-3 supplements.

For me, that is exactly why I do not choose something simply because I recognise the ingredients on the front of the tub.

That does not mean I think glucosamine or chondroitin are bad. It means I want to understand why I am adding something rather than assuming that a familiar ingredient automatically needs to be there.

I feel much the same way about herbs.

I love herbs and think they can be incredibly useful, but understanding herbs also makes me less likely to treat them as harmless extras that can just be thrown into every formula.

Devil’s claw is a good example. It is often used in products aimed at joints and mobility, but herbs contain active compounds and can have effects beyond the reason you originally chose them. That is why I would rather choose when and why I use a herb than have it automatically included in a multi-ingredient product.

For me, that is the bigger point.

If I am giving a supplement for a reason, I do not want to accidentally double up on something elsewhere in the routine, and I do not want to add ingredients simply because they make the label look impressive.

I would rather understand each thing I am giving and know exactly what role it is there to play.

And that is what led me to look more closely at hyaluronic acid.

So why hyaluronic acid for dogs?

Hyaluronic acid is not rare. You will find HA included in lots of joint supplements.

What interested me was learning that simply seeing “hyaluronic acid” on a label does not tell you the whole story.

The type of HA matters.

Before looking at why, it helps to understand what HA actually is.

What actually is hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is something your dog’s body already produces naturally.

One of the places we find it is in synovial fluid, which is the fluid inside the joint. The easiest way to think about synovial fluid is as the slippery fluid that helps the surfaces inside the joint move smoothly against each other.

HA helps give that fluid some of its cushioning and lubricating properties.

So when we talk about hyaluronic acid as part of joint support, we are not talking about introducing something completely foreign to the body. We are talking about a substance that is already naturally involved in the joint environment.

And this is where it gets more interesting, because not all hyaluronic acid is the same.

Why the type of hyaluronic acid matters

Hyaluronic acid is made up of chains, and those chains can vary enormously in length.

Scientists describe the size of those chains using molecular weight. In simple terms, some HA molecules are made from very long chains, while others are much shorter.

That matters because molecular size changes the way HA behaves.

Research looking at HA in inflammation and tissue repair has found clear differences between molecular sizes. High-molecular-weight HA has been associated with anti-inflammatory and regulatory effects, while smaller low-molecular-weight fragments can behave differently and have been associated with inflammatory signalling.

That does not mean every short-chain HA is automatically “bad”, or that every product containing high-molecular-weight HA is automatically better. Biology is rarely that simple.

What it does mean is that the form of HA matters, and simply seeing “hyaluronic acid” somewhere on an ingredient panel only tells you part of the story.

For me, that was the important bit.

If I have deliberately decided that HA is what I want to add for joint support, then I also want to know what sort of HA I am giving.

Why I choose Zooomy

The first thing is the type of HA it uses. Zooomy uses MegaChain HA, which is a long-chain form of hyaluronic acid.

I also like the fact that it is produced with zero animal derivatives. That means I am not adding poultry, shellfish or another animal protein source into the routine just because I want to add joint support. That can be particularly useful when I am working with a dog where sensitivities or restricted proteins are already part of the picture.

The other big reason I use it is simply because it is a liquid.

Myst is not the easiest dog in the world when it comes to tablets. If I put one in her food, there is a very good chance the food will disappear and the tablet will still be sitting there looking at me.

Then we start the usual game of crushing it, hiding it, disguising it and hoping she does not notice — and somehow she normally does.

With Zooomy, I do not have that problem. It is liquid, easy to measure, quick to add to her food and does not add another complicated step into the routine.

For me, that is important. If I am going to use something regularly, I want it to be simple enough that I can actually give it consistently.

When should an older dog’s joint problems be checked by a vet?

Joint support is one thing, but there is a point where we need to stop thinking in terms of supplements and start thinking about whether something else is going on.

Speak to your vet if your dog:

• suddenly becomes lame

• seems painful

• stops bearing weight

• becomes reluctant to move

• starts struggling with stairs or getting up

• shows a clear change in the way they are walking or behaving

I also think it is important not to automatically put every change down to age.

Yes, older dogs may slow down a little or take longer to recover, but a sudden or obvious change is different.

Supplements can be part of supporting joint health, but they are not there to diagnose a problem or replace veterinary assessment when a dog is uncomfortable.

For me, that is also why regular checks and physio matter. I want to support Myst proactively, but I also want to know if something changes so I can deal with the actual cause rather than assuming it is simply because she is getting older.

Joint care is much bigger than one supplement

Good joint care is not one bottle or one ingredient.

It is the whole picture: keeping a dog moving, maintaining muscle, keeping them at a healthy body condition, thinking about the surfaces they are moving on, having regular veterinary checks, using physio where appropriate, feeding well and then adding nutritional support where it makes sense for that individual dog.

That is why I do not think the question should simply be:

“What is the best joint supplement?”

For me, the better question is:

“What does my dog need, and what am I actually trying to support?”

For Myst, HA is one part of that answer.

She is 12, still very active and currently has no clinical signs of arthritis. I want to keep her moving, keep her strong, keep an eye on how she recovers and support her joints while she is still charging around like a much younger dog.

Knowing Myst, she is unlikely to be the one who decides she needs to slow down.

So my job is to keep paying attention.

Scientific sources and further reading

1. Pye C, Clark N, Bruniges N, Peffers M, Comerford E. Current evidence for non-pharmaceutical, non-surgical treatments of canine osteoarthritis. Journal of Small Animal Practice. 2024;65(1):3–23. DOI: 10.1111/jsap.13670. This review looks at weight management, therapeutic exercise, physiotherapy, nutraceuticals and other non-surgical approaches to canine osteoarthritis. PubMed record

2. Frye CW, Shmalberg JW, Wakshlag JJ. Obesity, Exercise and Orthopedic Disease. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. 2016;46(5):831–841. DOI: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2016.04.006. PubMed record

3. Mille MA, McClement J, Lauer S. Physiotherapeutic Strategies and Their Current Evidence for Canine Osteoarthritis. Veterinary Sciences. 2023;10(1):2. DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10010002. PubMed record

4. Barbeau-Grégoire M, Otis C, Cournoyer A, et al. A 2022 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Enriched Therapeutic Diets and Nutraceuticals in Canine and Feline Osteoarthritis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022;23(18):10384. DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810384. PubMed record

5. McCarthy G, O'Donovan J, Jones B, McAllister H, Seed M, Mooney C. Randomised double-blind, positive-controlled trial to assess the efficacy of glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate for the treatment of dogs with osteoarthritis. The Veterinary Journal. 2007;174(1):54–61. DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.02.015. PubMed record

6. Litwiniuk M, Krejner A, Speyrer MS, Gauto AR, Grzela T. Hyaluronic Acid in Inflammation and Tissue Regeneration. Wounds. 2016;28(3):78–88. PubMed record

7. Balogh L, Polyak A, Mathe D, et al. Absorption, Uptake and Tissue Affinity of High-Molecular-Weight Hyaluronan after Oral Administration in Rats and Dogs. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2008;56(22):10582–10593. DOI: 10.1021/jf8017029. PubMed record

8. Serra Aguado CI, Ramos-Plá JJ, Soler C, et al. Effects of Oral Hyaluronic Acid Administration in Dogs Following Tibial Tuberosity Advancement Surgery for Cranial Cruciate Ligament Injury. Animals. 2021;11(5):1264. DOI: 10.3390/ani11051264. This study involved dogs recovering from cruciate surgery, so it should not be taken as evidence that HA prevents arthritis in healthy dogs. PubMed record