What to look for when buying pet joint supplements

With so many pet joint supplements on the market, it’s difficult to know what to look for when buying one for dogs and cats.

We’ve created this simple reference guide to help you understand what to look for when buying pet joint supplements for your four-legged friend:

Compare admin price per day – not price per capsule

On the face of it many pet joint supplements can appear good value, however many are very low in strength. It’s important to compare the milligrams (mg) strength of a product and how many mg’s each capsule/tablet delivers for the required need, as often many more capsules/tablets are required for a true comparison. By comparing the mg strength of a product and how many mg’s each capsule/tablet delivers for the admin price/day the true value of a product will be determined.

Purity of the product

Ensure products contain 100% active ingredients without any added bulking agents or fillers. You need to know exactly what a product contains. Avoid land animal sourced ingredients as they are cheap alternatives to marine or plant sourced ingredients. Always ensure ingredients are ethically sourced. Also ensure a product is made in the UK to the latest EU regulations and manufactured to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards.

Guaranteed label claim

A respectable company will guarantee their label claim by stating the percentage purity (%) of their key active ingredients so you can be assured of consistent product quality and efficacy. There are only a handful of companies who will guarantee this.

Capsules over tablets

Tablets need to be bulked out with high fat binding agents thus reducing the purity of the product. Many overweight animals require pet joint supplements therefore it is counterproductive to feed them a high fat ‘treat’. Sprinkle capsules are low in fat and are more flexible for administration, look for sprinkle capsules that contain 100% active ingredient.

Independent trial data

Beware of company funded trial data where a biased outcome is always likely to be published. Always seek independent trial data which will provide an unbiased evaluation of ingredients and benefits.

Customer AND Veterinary Practice testimonials

Whilst you would expect a number of positive reviews from pet owners, a good measure of a joint supplement’s real value is whether Veterinary Professionals also believe in the product and are prepared to put their name to it.

Exclusivity to Veterinary Practices

Your vet understands your pet’s medical history better than anyone and is able to offer their best advice and provide the most appropriate one-to-one care for your pet. They are able to recommend the best possible products for your pet’s needs while also managing your pet’s health on a regular basis.

Find out more about Nutraquin and Nutraquin+ our high strength joint supplement for pets