Green lipped mussels in New Zealand
I've been trying everything to help my senior dog be able to do the things he thinks he can do. He has, like most older dogs, arthritis and hip dysplasia, and he's been taking a few different supplements, but none of them includes green lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus)!
My dogs and cats have gone through a lot of pet supplements over the years. I can't say they've tried every pet health supplement on the market, but they've dabbled in quite a few.
We've narrowed our Nukkles' current supplements down a lot as many of them contained over-lapping ingredients. He is currently taking CBD treats twice a day and CBD oil once a day, mixed with his dinner. The CBD, along with a great brain supplement for dogs and cats called Cholodin, have kept up my dog's cognitive skills at a pretty high level for his age (15 years!).
New Zealand mussel farm
On the muscle and joint front, my dog's been on Arthramine of late, and the strength of his back legs has improved. Salmon oil and local raw honey are also a must to keep his allergies at bay.
These few supplements work very well to keep him healthy. But he's not getting around as much as he desires. He's dreaming about having a puppy spurt, but he can't make his body achieve one. I've heard so much about green lipped mussel (GLM) for arthritis and other joint disease, that I decided to investigate their use.
- GLM is the one and only natural anti-inflammatory source of all these nutrients: Omega-3's, glycosamines, chondroitin sulfates, vitamins, and minerals. And, there's been considerable medical and veterinary research conducted1,2,3 that supports the benefits of New Zealand raised GLM's to arthritic people and pets.
- GLM are found solely in New Zealand. GLM farming is the most lucrative agua-culture business in New Zealand. If you like shellfish, GLM are the largest and tastiest mussels in the sea, but you have to eat them raw to get the benefits. If you don't like shellfish you can ingest GLM's awesome benefits in capsule or powder forms. So can your dogs and cats.
High-pressure processing (HPP) is a technique used in the food industry for non-thermal pasteurisation so you and your pets can get all the bioactives out of the GLM. (via)
- GLM is an anti-inflammatory that also aids in the reduction of allergy-related skin irritations.
- As for GLM dosages, they vary pretty widely, depending on the brand, but researchers have used relatively high dosages in their canine experiments and are not observing intolerant reactions. I am including below the highest dose products available that are intended for dogs.
- How the mussel is preserved for processing varies: some companies use high pressure (see image above), others freeze dry, still others use an air drying process, but the products below are all processed without any, or with a minimum of heat, as high heat destroys the nutrients in green lipped mussels. So if you are purchasing a GLM that is not listed here, make sure you check out how the it was processed, and make sure that the product includes at least 6 percent fatty acids, but the more the better.
Here are the top products sold on Amazon that contain only pure green lipped mussels, or contain carrier ingredients, such as a chew. Focusing on the pure GSM assures that you get the highest dosages available in a pet supplement without the duplication of other supplements your dog is already taking.
1. Super Snouts Joint Power
Super Snouts Joint Power
Super Snouts makes it easy to dose your dog or cat. It's in powder form and comes with a tiny scoop to serve the smallest of pets. Each scoop contains 300 mg (milligrams) of freeze dried GLM, just the amount recommended for a dog or cat up to 25 pounds. Add another 300 mg for each 25 pounds of dog and you're in recommended territory.
Joint Power is a particularly popular product considering it is early in the GLM craze. Pets don't seem to mind the fishy smell; actually most like it. So it gets sprinkled over their food and it's willingly eaten. There's lots of praise in customer reviews like this one from RJW: "Our dog Toby, a yellow lab, is 12 years old and doing great. We have taken him off all other anti-inflamatory products and now only has this added to his breakfast dish. He now loves to chase the ball again and take long walks."
Cats love it too!
2. Zesty Paws New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel Chewable Treats for Dogs
Zesty Paws New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel Chewable Treats for Dogs (and cats!)
Zesty Paws is a well-known and trusted brand and its New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel Chewable Treats for Dogs has great reviews, similar to Super Snouts above. These GLMs contain 500 mg per chew which is fine for small dogs. If you are skittish about giving a small dog this amount, you can start with half a chew and see how that works.
Though the GLM is mixed in with other natural ingredients in the treat (see below) the process of making the Bites uses low heat so as not to disrupt the integrity of the GLM.
I chose this brand for my dog. It doesn't smell bad and he loves it. I will let you know the results after a few weeks, but reading the current reviews will give you a big heads up on the Zesty Paws.
3. AZestFor Anti-Inflammatory Green Lipped Mussel for Dogs
AZestFor Anti-Inflammatory Green Lipped Mussel for Dogs
Though AZestFor is a more recent product than those above, its reviews are also excellent and I like the fact it is a single food - Green Lipped Mussel. In powder form, the GSM is dehydrated before grinding, so no heat is used in its production. This is also a well-priced product, serving approximately 150 full scoops.
For the first two weeks, the company recommends that you feed your dog double their usual doses, listed below:
01-25 lbs 1/2 scoop (250 mg)
26-50 lbs 1 scoop (500 mg)
51-75 lbs 1 1/2 scoops (750 mg)
76-100 lbs 2 scoops (1000 mg)
101-125 lbs 2 1/2 scoops (1250 mg)
(4) If it's not too much of a struggle to give your pup a supplement in pill form, you might want to try Fresh Nutrition's Green Lipped Mussel Capsules for people and dogs. The pills are pure GLM, manufactured in an FDA facility, and third party tested. Ninety pills are in a bottle, and 3 pills are the recommended dosage once a day. Three pills contain 500 mg of GLM.
That's the buzz for today!
Lady Bee
1Anti-cyclooxygenase effects of lipid extracts from the New Zealand green-lipped mussel, Perna canaliculus (Pubmed)
2Effect of a diet enriched with green-lipped mussel on pain behavior and functioning in dogs with clinical osteoarthritis (Pubmed)
3Evaluating Complementary Therapies for Canine Osteoarthritis Part I: Green-lipped Mussel (Perna canaliculus) (Pubmed)
additional sources: Journal of Nutrition, Science Learning Hub, PetMD, Designs For Health, ScienceLearn.org
related reads:
Don't Give Your Pets Calcium Supplements Without Checking With Your Vet
K9 Natural Cranberry/Herb Supplements Help Dogs With Kidney & Bladder Issues
