Integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby’s favorite supplement for joint pain in dogs does more than just help the dog’s joints. Learn what makes this the best joint supplement for dogs and why Dr. Buzby (a 20-year veterinarian with a successful track record in senior dog care) stands behind it so much so that she’s willing to put her name on it.
The best supplement for joint pain in dogs is not just about the joints
It may sound surprising, but the best supplement for joint pain in dogs isn’t just about the joints. With over 20 years of veterinary care under my stethoscope— the majority of those years focused on improving the lives of senior dogs—I made this discovery about three years ago.
But rather than telling you about the best joint supplement for dogs, let me show you the results through the true story of a German Shepherd named Frieda.
Meet Frieda
Frieda’s mom came to my veterinary office with her beloved German Shepherd who suffered from hip dysplasia. Her vet, who had exhausted all the traditional options of medicine, had referred Frieda to me for acupuncture.
Frieda was fairly young at six. But she was really not doing well.
Her owner was distraught.
Putting a joint supplement plan place
As I began to gently run my hands over the dog and perform a physical exam, I said to the owner, “I don’t want to disappoint you because I know that you’re here for acupuncture today. And, if your dog were 14 years old, I would throw everything at him possible, including the kitchen sink, because my goal would be to get your dog feeling and moving better as fast as possible. And in that case, it wouldn’t really matter to me what worked. We would just do an empirical cocktail of medications, supplements, herbs, and physical modalities.”
“But in your case, your dog is only six. It matters a lot more to me what works and what doesn’t work because I suspect that whatever does work, she will be on for the rest of her life, which hopefully means many, many more years.
So I think we really need to try things in a step-wise fashion and just change one variable at a time. That way, we will know what’s working.”
The client understood my reasoning and agreed. Then she asked the obvious question that I had managed to avoid till then,
“Okay, what do you want to try first?”
I looked at her intently and said, “Honestly, the first thing I want to try, even though you’re here for acupuncture, is a joint supplement…with New Zealand deer velvet and green lipped mussel.”
I think she was skeptical. She raised her eyebrow a bit, but she was willing to trust me and give it a try.
A few weeks later, Freida’s mom texted me: “I need more joint supplement.”
“My dog is now running, which she hasn’t done in many months, and she’s acting like a happy six-year-old German Shepherd!”
While I can’t say that I was surprised— I’d had other clients who’d shared similar testimonials about New Zealand deer velvet —it was great news!
While I’m sure that at some point in Frieda’s life, we’ll need to consider additional therapies, she is now thriving—which means her doting owner is thriving too.
Did Frieda’s story pique your curiosity about what’s behind this joint supplement? Feel free to skip down a few paragraphs. However, if you’re wondering about why finding the best supplement for joint pain in dogs is part of my mission as an integrative veterinarian and founder of ToeGrips® nail grips for dogs, please read on.
A quest to find more ways to help dogs
As a veterinarian, I often have to deliver heart-wrenching news. I may tell a dog owner that the bloodwork results indicate a beloved pet is in kidney failure. I may share X-rays and explain to a family that the reason their beloved dog collapsed is due to an abdominal tumor.
So imagine my joy when I’m able to offer help and hope to a distressed dog owner. This is precisely why, over 20 years ago as a newly minted veterinarian, I registered for veterinary acupuncture training and began my career practicing integrative veterinary medicine.
Supplements as a component of integrative veterinary medicine
To understand what integrative medicine is, you just need to know what the word integrate means—to combine or blend into a functioning whole. I realized very early on in my career (like week one) that as valuable as traditional veterinary medicine is, I still needed and wanted more tools in my toolbox.
So I prescribe antibiotics. I cut corn cobs out of dogs’ stomachs in surgery. I administer vaccinations. But, I also run titers, perform acupuncture, and prescribe supplements.
Utilizing a combination of western medicine and complementary therapies to achieve maximum benefit in each individual patient is my goal as an integrative practitioner.
Integrative medicine gives me more tools in my toolkit, so to speak, so I can help you help your dog have the best life possible.
Finding the best supplement for joint pain in dogs
Because I am an integrative veterinarian (certified in both veterinary acupuncture and animal chiropractic), I have the good fortune of caring for a slew of senior dogs. Ninety-five percent of my current practice is comprised of senior dogs. I am often “the last resort.”
“We’ve tried everything else. You’re our last hope.”
I’ve heard this too many times to count.
Obviously, these are hard conversations, but I have to confess that I love them! I find myself handing the client tissues while gently explaining that I think we’ve got a lot of options left to try.
Then I watch as hope enters the room and transforms the scene from black and white to technicolor.
This is the backstory on why I’m qualified to share what I know to be the best supplement for joint pain in dogs. It’s why I’m always looking for more tools for my toolbox. And it’s why joint supplements (and one in particular that’s my gold standard) are part of my integrative approach to veterinary care. Let’s take a deeper look at joint supplements.
Hip and joint supplements abound: some are good options
Virtually every one of my patients suffers from joint problems and is on some combination of anti-inflammatory medications and joint supplements. And, good heavens, there are a zillion options out there when selecting joint supplements for dogs. Most are built on a “base” of glucosamine and chondroitin. Beyond that, some additional ingredients are beneficial and some, I think, are “hocus pocus.”
There are even prescription dog foods touted for senior dogs with joint pain. While I do believe that prescription diets have their place, improving joint health is not one of those places, in my opinion. I’d much rather have a client feed an excellent quality diet and then administer joint supplements separately. This allows me to control the concentration of “active ingredients” the dog gets and it’s likely quite higher than what they’d get in the dog food.
Three cheers for green lipped mussel! A better option
For most of my career, my go-to recommendation for the best joint supplement for joint pain in dogs contained green lipped mussel. It is like a power-packed “superfood” for dogs. Green lipped mussel has been demonstrated to contain the following:
- chondroitin
- amino acids
- omega-3 fatty acids
- many vitamins and minerals
And in terms of bioavailability and synergism, I deeply appreciate that these are naturally occurring compounds, not synthetic molecules made in a lab. (Think about the difference between consuming Vitamin C from an orange versus taking ascorbic acid tablets.) Whole food nutrition is better than chemical alternatives.
However, I have found a new gold standard. It’s one that I have seen restore my patients’ spark and spunk too. It contains green lipped mussel, of course, plus an ingredient that I wasn’t familiar with until three years ago.
Delivering the one-two punch: the best joint supplement for dogs
While attending the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture’s annual conference, I learned about the benefits of New Zealand deer velvet. One of the veterinarians I met at the conference was speaking about a product containing both green lipped mussel plus bioactive deer velvet.
The veterinarian explained that in his homeland (Israel) this joint supplement is prescribed more than GlycoFlex and Cosequin DS combined.
This piqued my curiosity and started my journey to determine whether New Zealand deer velvet combined with green lipped muscle was indeed the best supplement for dog joint health.
What’s behind green lipped mussel and New Zealand deer velvet
The infographic below “pulls back the curtain” on how New Zealand deer velvet combined with green lipped mussel packs a one-two punch. To learn more about what I discovered, read on!
A research study shows the benefits of New Zealand deer velvet for arthritic dogs
Through my research, I discovered that there was a fair amount of science behind the concept of using deer velvet for health, in both humans and animals. Not only did New Zealand deer velvet appear to be extremely safe, but also there was a research study that concluded that deer velvet was quite beneficial for dogs with osteoarthritis. To read the complete abstract, please see the clinical evaluation shared by the National Center for Biotechnology.
Why do I consider this the best supplement for joint pain in dogs?
Because New Zealand deer velvet works differently…
Deer velvet is harvested from deer antlers, which grow from nothing to about 45 pounds in 45 to 50 days. It’s such a rapidly growing mammalian tissue that, in traditional Chinese medicine, it’s actually considered a plant. (It grows like a weed…literally.)
Note: Lest you send me hate mail, the deer antler (which the deer loses as part of its natural cycle) is humanely harvested with local anesthetic, and the deer continues on with life.
There’s nothing quite like deer velvet in nature; it is filled with an exorbitant amount of growth factors. That is what makes it so valuable for tissue regeneration and healing. (Think of it similar to stem cells.)
What dogs benefit from this joint supplement?
From my experience as a veterinary practitioner, I’ve found this joint supplement to benefit many dogs with many types of medical conditions including:
- dogs with osteoarthritis (as evidenced through the research above too).
- dogs with a wide variety of musculoskeletal and neurologic issues including intervertebral disc disease in aging dogs.
- dogs with cruciate ligament tears. Whether the dog is pre-op, post-op or non-op, I see great results with New Zealand deer velvet as part of a multi-modal plan for a torn ACL in dogs.
- dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction (doggie dementia). CCD dogs can be challenging to treat, yet I’ve had success with deer velvet as part of a multimodal treatment approach.
Is your dog a good candidate?
If your dog is a bionic senior dog, then you probably don’t need to change your dog’s regimen. Just keep doing what you’re doing!
But if you’re like my clients and your beloved senior dog is slowing down, then read on…
Encore Mobility™: The best supplement for joint pain in dogs
I’ve had so much success with this joint supplement in my own practice, that we are now launching the same exact veterinary formula that I’ve been using for the past several years, under my own label, with my name as my endorsement: Dr. Buzby’s Encore Mobility™ joint supplement for dogs.
The Benefits of Encore Mobility™ joint supplement for dogs
As Frieda’s mom explained through witnessing her dog’s own stored vigor and vitality, this joint supplement not only supports hip and joint flexibility but also supports overall health for:
- renewed vigor and vitality
- ease of motion
- better comfort
- increased stamina
P. S. Dogs love the taste of Encore Mobility™
Finally, if you’ve ever tried to give a dog a pill, you (and your dog) will be relieved to know that the chewable tablets are irresistible to dogs and the most palatable joint supplement I’ve ever seen. Especially since senior dogs can have “iffy” appetites, it was critical that Encore Mobiity was “dog candy” for our grey-muzzled companions.
Dramatic results
You can probably tell as I write this thesis from my heart, that I’m passionate about this product as the best joint supplement for dogs. I hope you can also tell that I’m passionate about helping dogs, especially the grey-muzzled ones!
But even more than that, I’m passionate about being honest! There is no one “miracle cure” for all dogs, for all disorders, for all situations. Anyone claiming that they know of one is akin to the snake oil salesmen of the 19th century. Deer velvet is not magical, but just like ToeGrips®, when used appropriately, it can yield pretty dramatic results.
What questions do you have about New Zealand deer velvet for your dog?
Please comment below.
My Rescue pup, Black Jack, lived most of his life on a chain being totally neglected and near death when he was saved. He has been with me for 5 years and his age was guessed to be around 12-15 years old. During the last 5 years, he had HW treatment and multiple surgeries including neck surgery removing the disintegrated disc the tight collar caused and double TPLO surgeries. we also found out that the heartworms caused Pulmonary Hypertension. Black Jack takes slindaphil, vetmedin, dasuquin with msm, carprofen and gabapentin. The carprofen and gabapentin has been added recently due to his back legs getting weaker, some osteoarthritis, and a bone spur on one knee. my question is will this supplement be OK to give with all of the meds and issues I mentioned? He also has a chicken allergy and a sensitive stomach.
Hi Camille,
I am sorry Black Jack is facing so many issues at once but glad to hear you have given him a new lease on life for his senior years. He is lucky to have you taking such good care of him and advocating for his health and well-being. Encore Mobility should be fine when given alongside the other medications you mentioned. There is no chicken in the product but there is no way to know how your dog’s sensitive stomach will react to a new supplement. Even natural healthy foods can cause a dog with a sensitive stomach to have a GI flare. If you have any other questions about Encore Mobility, don’t hesitate to reach out to our expert customer care team at: [email protected]
Hoping you can find the best ways to maintain your pup’s quality of life for as long as possible. Best wishes and keep up the good work!
My 10.5 year old dog is still doing agility and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down or difficulty rising/laying down/using stairs, etc. However, I want to be proactive. Am trying to avoid putting her on NSAIDs for as long as possible. Should I wait until I notice an issue, or start giving these to her now? She’s on Synovi G4, hyaluronic acid, Myos, krill oil, UC-II, calcium fructoborate, and green spirulina.
Hi Heather,
Your pup is very lucky to have you taking such an active role in advocating for her health and well-being. You can definitely start Encore Mobility before there are any signs of arthritis. The active ingredients have been used in other counties for years as an arthritis preventative in young dogs. As always, we recommend you discuss the addition of this supplement with your vet since they are more familiar with your dog’s specific medical details. Also, since green lipped mussel is very high in Omega-3s you may not need to use the krill oil too. But I do think the addition of the deer antler velvet could offer some great benefits to your girl. Wishing you both many happy years ahead and keep up the good work!
Hello, we have a mixed breed Catahula leopard dog and possibly Pyrenees who will be 1yr old next month. Being a bigger breed and having lost other adopted dogs to hip and spine disease I’d love to provide as much as I can to help out puppy in any way possible. Is this product good life long and for younger dogs? Thanks!
Hi Lauren,
YES! This product is approved for all life stages. It can be used in younger dogs as a preventative to help reduce the possibility of arthritis formation later in life.
My old lady is 15 1/2. Lab who tries to lab but can’t. Her poor feet are arthritic. And her hips are old and achy. She takes CBD drops and some dasequin along with welactin. She does get an occasional pill when she is moving slow (it’s an anti inflammatory) though I swear it knocks her out!
Is your supplement compatible with all of that? Super interested. We just ordered toe grips that should be here Monday.
Hi Sarah,
I am sorry your senior girl is having so much trouble with arthritis pain. She is a lucky pup to have you advocating for her health and well-being. When adding any supplement or medication to your dog’s regimen, it is always best to consult with your vet since they are more familiar with your dog’s specific details and needs. With that being said, there are many dogs on the exact combination of medications you mention and find that Encore Mobility is a great compliment. I hope you will be as happy with the ToeGrips as I suspect you will. Please let me know how things go and don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer care team if you have any questions. Best wishes!
Hi, I am interested in the Green Lipped Mussel. My Newfoundland is 6 and is on daily Cosequin and fish oil as preventatives and for the beginnings of arthritis in the diaphragm. Would the Green Lipped Mussel be a replacement to those tablets or would it be in addition, please? While she remains active, she doesn’t play as long as she used to (40 minutes instead an hour or more when she was younger.)
Thank you, Judy
Hi Judy, Cosequin is a wonderful product that I have certainly recommended over the years. It would not be a wrong thing to do both Cosequin + Encore Mobility (our product with green lipped mussel + deer velvet.) But that combo would be costly. Personally, I’d recommend waiting until your bottle of Cosequin runs low, then ordering Encore Mobility and trying it alone for 30 days to determine how it compares to the Cosequin. I predict, based on the difference in active ingredients, that you’ll notice a significant change and then wish to stay on the Encore Mobility. 🙂
Hello,
My dog, Sara, is 15 (mixed breed) and has arthritis, carpal laxity, and was recently diagnosed with Cushing’s, so she takes Vetoryl daily. I am ordering the toe grips because her back legs are sliding, and I’d like to be sure this supplement isn’t contraindicated with the Vetoryl. She has been taking Cosequin – would I discontinue that?
Thank you.
Hello Mary Lynne, It’s not wrong to do the Cosequin along with Encore Mobility because they do work differently. However, that gets expensive. So my preference would be to finish the Cosequin and then just stay on the deer velvet supplement long term. Also, no contraindication with Vetoryl. 🙂
Our arthritic welsh springer 13 yo gal just finished chemo for skin cancer (seems to be doing fine, fingers crossed). She’s taking 10 mg of prednizone every morning and Denamarin every night. and is on prescription food for her kidneys. Toe grips have helped her a lot, thank you for that! She goes for acupuncture once a month, takes Dasuquin daily too. Other supplements recommended by her acupuncture vet (essential oils, CBD) haven’t seemed to have made any difference. Any issues with her current meds for trying this as a replacement to the Dasuquin? Thank you! Julie
Hi Julie,
I’m glad that your sweet gal is doing well after her chemo and am thrilled that the ToeGrips are working so well for her! It sounds like she is a lucky dog to have dedicated owners like you. I think trying Encore Mobility in place of the Dasuquin would normally be a great idea and there are no issues combining it with her current medications. However, out of an abundance of caution, I do not recommend it for dogs who have had cancer. ;( So in light of her story, I would not recommend it. I’m sorry, and I certainly wish you all both the best. ?
Why would you not recommend this supplement for dogs who have had cancer?
Hi Joanne,
What a great question! Out of an abundance of caution we recommend not using Encore Mobility in dogs with cancer because of the growth factors (IGF-1 and EGF) that it contains. However, some research has indicated that deer velvet may have some anti-tumor effects. Thus the recommendation not to use Encore Mobility in dogs with cancer could potentially change in the future.
Hello, my 13 yr old shih tzu has pretty severe arthritis & several years ago the Dr recommended FHO sx which we passed on. Then he had two vestibular episodes which result in a TECO BO sx. He’s been wobbly since those episodes & surgery didn’t full right his head tilt or his wobble. He currently takes an abundance of meds but his current joint supplement is Osteo TruBenefits which is 300 mg green lipped mussel extract (single ingredient) as his daily dose. He also takes Omega benefits (omega 3’s), Rimadyl, a Chinese herbal supplement for inflammation prescribed by his acupuncturist who he sees every 2 weeks, cyclosporine drops for his eyes (CKS) and he gets a Cytopoint injection monthly for his allergies. Surprisingly enough his bloodwork is still very good. He doesn’t currently take any glucosamine & chondroitin supplements. I have been doing some research on the antler velvet & wanted to give it a try. My questions are 1) Should he be on a G&C supplement along with the antler velvet/mussel extract? 2) Are any of his current meds incompatible with the supplement? 3) Any other suggestions you may have to help with his arthritis (adding Omega 6’s or another type of supplements possibly for senior wellbeing)?
He’s a happy dog & doing well considering all his issues. I just want him to be as comfortable as possible.
Thank you for your input.
Hello Kristi, Great questions!
1. No, he doesn’t need to be on an additional G+C supplement, nor would you need to continue the Osteo TruBenefits, since Encore Mobility also contains green lipped mussel.
2. Everything is compatible with the supplement in the blog; it’s very safe.
3. I would not add in Omega 6. Stick with Omega 3s. The Encore Mobility is definitely my recommendation for boosting his stamina and mobility!
Please let us know how it goes! Thanks!
My 10 year old dog recently had her back leg amputated due to an injured Achilles’ tendon that couldn’t be repaired. Will this help with her other joints and legs and the added stress that they will now carry?
Thanks so much!
Hi Carol, I’m sorry to hear about your dog’s amputation, but the great news is dogs tend to do very very well on 3 legs. They are so resilient! Yes, I would definitely recommend the supplement to protect the rest of her body because she will have a different gait now and be more likely to experience compensatory injuries. More on that story here: https://toegrips.com/compensatory-injury-in-dogs/
Please let me know if you have any further questions. ?
I have 2 aging great danes with moderate heart disease (one scheduled to begin pimobenden soon), moderate arthritis, and the female is complicated with eosinophilic cystitis for which I’m awaiting a treatment proposal. Is there potential for using this for my pups?
Hello Meghann, Absolutely! I would recommend it! 🙂
I’m happy to give this a go, but am wondering how quickly results are seen. Would a month likely do it? Thanks
Hello Gibby, great question! The general answer is that results are not instant with joint supplements. For ANY joint supplement, I tell people to plan for a one month trial. However, I do have many clients (maybe half) who tell me they noticed a marked improvement within the first week of administration. So a month is definitely long enough to decide–which is one bottle for a large breed dog. 🙂
Are there any prescriptions that are contra-indicated for use with the Encore Mobility supplement? My 15 year old Blue Lacy is currently taking Gabapentin, Galliprant, Clonidine, and will likely go back on Anipryl.
Thanks!
Judith and Sammy
Hi Judith,
There are no medication contraindications. All the things you mention are fine to combine with the supplement. I hope you try it and report back to us with your results! Thanks so much!
Hi I have a 10 year old Lab that I am considering purchasing the supplement for. I wanted to ask about my one year old 7.8 lb Yorkshire Terrier. She has just been diagnosed with subluxing patella. We are treating it conservatively with rest and ant inflammatory medication currently. Would the supplement be an option for her?
Hello Tracy, Yes, for sure! The supplement is appropriate for both of those situations, regardless of age. It is routinely used in young dogs, starting as young as puppies, in Israel (where the formula originated). We elected to market the deer velvet primarily for senior dogs in the USA because that is who our company serves and focuses on. But definitely not a problem for younger dogs. And in a 7.8 pound dog, it would be very cost effective! You could do 1/2 tab a day and a bottle would last you for 6 mos. Please let us know how it goes if you decide to purchase. Thank you!
I haven’t tried your product but I have another lead for you to pursue. I’ve been taking Curcumin (active anti-inflammatory ingredient in the spice Tumeric) for several years for my joint pain. It works miracles. The company I purchase my curcumin from in here in Oklahoma City makes a product for dogs and cats https://ultrabotanica.com/collections/immune-system-and-inflammation-system-balancing-products/products/ultracanine
It has worked miracles on our 14yo boston terrier who has spinal degeneration. I don’t work for this company ultrabotanica.com but the product works so well for me and my dog that I thought you might want to look into it. I’m looking forward to receiving the paw grip for him. Thanks
Lynn Wagoner
Hi Lynn,
Yes, curcumin is a wonderful supplement! Even though it is not one of the ingredients in Encore Mobility, I still think it makes a great addition to the treatment options available for arthritis pain. I hope your senior pup loves the ToeGrips! Best wishes to you both.