Content Sponsored by Front of the Pack.
No one likes to get old, nor do we want to see our best friends struggle through old age. While scientists have yet to find the doggy fountain of youth, we have clinical research that shows certain supplements can help your dog stay healthier longer.
Many of the same supplements we take can also help our four-footed friends. Keep reading to learn more about the five supplements that can help boost your dog’s longevity and wellness.
Why You Should Add Supplements to Your Dog’s Diet
Adding nutritional supplements to your dog’s diet can improve their health and minimize the effects of aging. The American Kennel Club (AKC) believes that “the right food and supplements should be considered an essential building block of healthy aging” for all dogs. Supplementing your pet’s diet with antioxidants and probiotics helps reduce inflammation, limit chronic disease risk, and improve their digestion so they get the full benefit of nutrients in their food and supplements.
The Best Supplements for Your Dog’s Long-Term Wellness
Some of the more common disorders in senior dogs are joint pain and arthritis, obesity, digestive problems, cancer, cognitive decline, heart disease, and diabetes. While supplements can’t prevent or cure these conditions, they can help slow the aging process and keep your dog healthier for longer.
1. Curcumin
Derived from turmeric spice, curcumin naturally helps to reduce harmful joint inflammation in dogs with arthritis or other chronic health conditions. Curcumin works in a similar fashion to NSAIDs like Ibuprofen, but without the nasty side effects on the gut, liver, and kidneys. In fact, curcumin may help heal or prevent inflammatory conditions in the gut. Dogs can’t digest all commercially available curcumin or turmeric supplements, so make sure to choose one with proven absorption like the Meriva variety found in Front of the Pack’s The One supplement.
2. Chondroitin
A naturally-occurring sugar found in cartilage, chondroitin helps heal inflammation and protect joints from age-related damage. Supplements with high-quality (not generic) chondroitin, such as Front of the Pack’s The One, work to maintain your dog’s cartilage’s cushioning and spongy texture.
3. Glucosamine
Glucosamine is another sugar found naturally in young cartilage and connective tissue. It is an essential building block of joints, tendons, and cartilage. Research has shown that glucosamine supplementation can heal joint cartilage in dogs.
When choosing a glucosamine supplement, stick to those that contain either glucosamine hydrochloride (HCl) or glucosamine sulfate, since they provide the best joint pain relief for dogs (according to AKC) and arthritic joint pain relief in humans.
4. MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)
Made from natural sulfur found in fruits and vegetables, MSM has been shown to help reduce pain and inflammation in humans. It can also reduce allergic reactions, boost healthy immune cells, and support hair growth – all things that aging can take its toll on, whether you’re a human or a dog.
According to the vets at PetMD, dog’s MSM levels gradually decline as they age. MSM has the added benefit of helping your dog’s digestion so that they can better absorb other supplements, especially Chondroitin and Glucosamine. Make sure to choose an FDA-approved variety, like the one in Front of the Pack’s The One complete supplement.
5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The AKC includes two types of Omega-3 fatty acids in their list of supplements recommended for senior dog nutrition: eicosatetraenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Did you know that dogs are physically unable to make their own EPA and DHA? That is why supplementing their diets with these types of Omega-3 fatty acids can improve their coat and heart health, and relieve joint pain and allergy symptoms.
One of the richest sources of Omega 3s available in the world is actually from krill (not fish oil). Scientists recently discovered that the EPA and DHA in krill oil was absorbed faster, making it an even better source of Omega 3s. This is the precise reason that it’s one of the main ingredients in Front of the Pack’s The One.
Help Your Dog Live Their Best Life with the Right Supplement
Giving your dog high-quality, vet-recommended supplements can help them stay happy, healthy, and pain-free well into their golden years. Regularly adding the 5 supplements listed above to your dog’s diet will boost your dog’s immune system and help fight off illness, balance their gut, and provide the natural ingredients they need to decrease stress and inflammation. The AKC even recommends starting supplements as early as your dog’s first birthday.
However, choosing the right daily supplement for your dog can be a confusing process, especially when there are so many options out there. Just like with human supplements, there are many disreputable companies charging high prices for low-quality products. That’s why it’s important to choose a trustworthy product, and one of the best ways to do that is pick one that is vet recommended. Even better, pick one that also shows you all the testing that goes into their products, like Front of the Pack’s The One, which follows an 8-step testing framework in scientifically-accredited testing laboratories – and shows you the results on their website!
Make Your Life (and Your Dog’s) Easier with an All-In-One Supplement
If you are intimidated by the science of supplements or overwhelmed by the number of supplements available, all-in-one supplements can help simplify the process. Just like multivitamins for humans, Front of the Pack’s The One contains 12 ingredients (including the 5 listed above) – all clinically proven to safely and effectively keep your dog in good health.
Recommended by veterinarians, The One has been developed by a team of leading vets and a US biochemist to tackle the 8 most common health concerns likely to affect your dog as they age. Give your furry friend the gift of a long, healthy life with a scoop of The One daily supplement powder in their food bowl every day. They will thank you for years to come!
Remember: always check with your vet before adding any supplements to your dog’s diet and be sure to follow their instructions for dosage.
