Updated: August 9, 2021
In this guide we’ll take a look at the best dog food for joints.
We’ve compared quality of ingredients, nutritional information, and value for money
to give you our top recommendations below.
Breed Advisor only recommends products that we’ve tested, or significantly researched . This page contains affiliate links, that at no additional cost to you, may earn a small commission for the site. Find out more here.
If your dog is starting to slow down in their old age, or if they have an underlying health complaint or injury that makes them more prone to joint disease, then you may be wondering what you can do to help. There are things we can do nutritionally to help dogs with joint disease, this is what you should look out for.
If your dog is overweight, then you should look for a reduced-calorie diet to help shift those excess pounds. A lighter dog will be putting less pressure on their painful joints, which in turn will help improve mobility. Many owners notice a difference in their pet’s ailment by reducing their body weight. Speak to your vet for advice on your dog’s ideal weight.
Ingredients like glucosamine and chondroitin can be found in diets that are specially formulated for joint health. These antioxidants are derived from green-lipped muscles and can help maintain healthy cartilage, improving your dog’s mobility. An alternative would be to give supplements in tablet form but having them pre-mixed into the diet saves you from having to remember.
Look for ingredients like fish oil or linseed oil which are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These act as natural anti-inflammatories, which in the right concentration can help soothe painful and stiff joints. They will also help to improve your dog’s skin and coat condition too.
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26%
18%
3.8%
26%
16%
4%
24%
16%
5.5%
34%
16%
4%
22%
10%
4.25%
VICTOR Purpose Performance Formula Dry Dog Food is a premium quality diet that has been specifically designed to support the joint health of active dogs. A food that focuses heavily on protein, VICTOR Performance provides a powerhouse punch of nutrition and amino acids with its bedrock of beef, chicken meal, and pork meal.
Glucosamine and chondroitin have been enriched to provide additional support for the hips and joints of dogs that engage in regular activity. Essential fatty acids have been added to this diet to ensure dogs have the energy reserves they need and to encourage healthy coat and skin.
VICTOR Purpose Performance has earned high praise as one of the best dog foods for joints on the market today.
Now Fresh Grain-Free Adult Recipe is a food that families can feel confident feeding their dogs for its powerhouse store of nutrients. This diet lists turkey as its main ingredient, a premium meat that is included in its whole form for maximum nutritional impact. This protein is enriched with the addition of salmon and duck to ensure an ample supply of essential fatty acids to support joint health and fuel energy reserves for performance.
Now Fresh Grain-Free contains no by-product meals, grains, gluten, wheat, corn, or soy, making it free from common allergens for many dogs. Prebiotics and probiotics have been added to assist with the development of good digestion.
A diet considered to be one of the best dog foods for joints, Now Fresh Grain-Free is rich in antioxidant-dense ingredients such as blueberries, cranberries, carrots, pumpkin, and spinach to encourage a healthy immune system.
Dogswell Happy Hips Chicken & Oats Recipe Dry Dog Food is diet of exceptional quality that has been carefully cultivated to provide a vital support in preserving joint and hip health. Chicken is the main ingredient in this high octane food, a meat of good quality and that is rich in amino acids.
Dogswell Happy Hips includes generous servings of fruits and vegetables to enrich the diet’s antioxidant content. This ensures a vital support for the development of a thriving immune system.
Glucosamine and chondroitin are sprinkled liberally throughout this diet to promote healthy hips, elbows, and joints. This diet, one of the best dog foods for joints, contains no corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
For one of the best dog foods for joints, families can’t go wrong feeding their dogs Wellness CORE Grain-Free Original. It is a formulation that is rich in high quality proteins such as turkey, turkey meal, and chicken meal.
The powerhouse supplements glucosamine and chondroitin have been added to ensure a vital support for the maintenance of joint health. This diet has also been enriched with both flaxseed and salmon oil to boost the omega 3 and 6 fatty acid content to fuel the energy levels of active dogs and provide help for achieving excellent skin and coat quality.
Each piece of kibble is enrobed with a probiotic blend to encourage fluid digestive processes. Wellness CORE Grain-Free Original, rated as one of the best dog foods for joints, contains no by-products, wheat, corn, soy, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
For senior dogs in need of a little extra joint support, families will be delighted to discover Wellness Complete Health Senior Recipe Dry Dog Food. A diet that has been optimized to meet the unique requirements of senior dogs, Wellness Complete Health Senior contains ample amounts of deboned chicken, making this food nutrient dense and flavorful.
To ensure healthy joint functionality, glucosamine and chondroitin have been included in this food’s formulation. Taurine has been added to provide support for cardiac health in the elderly dog.
This food is free from wheat, corn, soy, meat by-products, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives
With so many nutritional benefits to its credit, it is not difficult to see why Wellness Complete Health Grain-Free Senior is among the best dog foods for joint health.
Preserving good joint health is very important to the quality of life of a dog. Though elderly dogs benefit the most from the best dog food for joints, it is an excellent decision to start a dog on a diet that provides support for healthy joints from the dog’s youth as it lays an excellent foundation for the future.
As dogs age, mobility can become an issue, and many dogs succumb to the effects of arthritis, a condition that can be very painful. In addition to this, dogs that carry too much weight place excess strain on their joints causing them to experience discomfort.
Problems with joints can begin at any age and encompass a wide range of degrees. Some dogs barely notice much change in their day to day functionality while others reach a point where any movement is nearly impossible. Thankfully, diet, supplements, and medications can help to offset the effects of arthritis and provide a vital help for joint health to improve a dog’s mobility.
Signs of poor joint health are easy for owners to detect. These include limping, stiffness, or the favoring of a limb. Some dogs with symptoms of arthritis exhibit difficulties rising from a seated or prone position and resort to doing more sleeping than what is normal for the dog.
As dogs age and stiffness becomes more pronounced, the dog’s gait may change to accommodate the paint the dog feels from movement. During this phase, many dogs will avoid using stairs and will need assistance getting on and off furniture.
But it is not just arthritis that can cause pain to joints. There are several inherited diseases that can affect a dog’s mobility including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, metabolic issues, cancers, accidents or injuries, and more. To best determine the root cause behind a dog’s joint pain, it is wise to make a visit to a veterinarian for a wellness exam.
A critical component of healthy joints is keeping the dog in a good body condition. Excess weight puts additional strain on a dog’s hips and joints which over time can cause deterioration of the cartilage connecting the bones.
For some dogs, a pain medication will become an important part of its daily regimen to help the dog enjoy mobility without experiencing soreness.
Since maintaining a proper body weight is extremely important to joint health, it is vital that owners determine precisely how much of the best food for joints to feed their dogs. The bag of food will offer serving suggestions which are a very helpful starting point. These can be adjusted with the dog’s weight and appetite serving as important guides.
As dogs age, less food will need to be fed since the dog’s activity level will be reduced. Free feeding is strongly discouraged as it can easily lead to weight gain.
Adult dogs require a high quality diet that contains a minimum of 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat while puppies do best on a food comprised of 22 percent protein and 8 percent fat.
The best dog foods for joints are properly balanced and fortified with powerhouse supplements to support good health in dogs. Limited ingredient diets are preferred if possible. The main priority in any ingredient in a top tier food is that it be of premium quality and easy for dogs to digest.
Artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives serve no beneficial purpose in dog food. These are best avoided as they can be common allergens for dogs and can lead to the development of food sensitivities.
Meat should be the first ingredient in any premium diet for dogs. Whole meats are preferred, but meat meals also provide all of the high quality nutrition dogs need. However, by-products and plant-based proteins such as soy, corn, and wheat should be avoided.
Carbohydrates form a lesser part of a diet to support joint health but are still an important aspect of any well-rounded canine diet. These can be derived from whole grains, fruits, or vegetables. In fruits and vegetables, those that are rich in antioxidants are preferred as they contribute to the development of a strong immune system.
Healthy fats lubricate joints and provide dogs with the energy they need to remain active. These are best obtained from animal sources and include such ingredients as chicken fat and oily fish.
One of the most important items to look for in a food to support joint health is the addition of the powerhouse supplements glucosamine and chondroitin. These may be added in powdered form but can also be present in a variety of different natural ingredients including the following:
Since most dog foods do not contain items such as chicken feet, pork tails, and knuckle bones, these can be obtained from a butcher or high quality pet retailer and served independently of the dog’s diet.
Though not necessarily linked to joint health, prebiotics and probiotics assist with proper digestion and are an excellent addition to any top quality food for dogs.
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best dog food for joints:
