Did you know that 80% of dogs over the age of eight have arthritis? As a vet, I feel it’s my responsibility to address this with owners of senior pets. But it’s often difficult to make them understand that their healthy golden oldie might have something wrong with them.
As a result, I am usually met with resistance at the suggestion of medications but some openness towards starting supplements. There are so many supplements on the market, and I usually like to lay out the facts and let the owners decide on one, but today we are going to specifically look at Extend Joint Care for Dogs, and how it might help your dog.
Table Of Contents
Extend Joint Care for Dogs is a product produced by a company called Extend™ Pet Health. Initially established in 2012 by a group of pet owners, they have now developed into a trustworthy company, producing natural, quality pet nutritional products.
Extend Joint Care for Dogs was first formulated in 2014, with an extremely positive response from customers. It is now their main product that they sell.
Extend Joint Care for Dogs has been formulated to relieve joint pain and boost mobility for every age, size or breed of dog. ExtendTM Pet Health promises it will help your dog live a longer, happier life.
What We Like About It
- Contains the glucosamine hydrochloride salt, not the sulfate form
- GMP, NPA and NSF certified so you can ensure high quality
- All natural and safe ingredients
- Delicious beef flavor
- Veterinary recommended
What We Don't Like
- Markets itself as suitable for any size of dog, but gives vague dosage instructions if your dog is very small or very large
- 30-day money back guarantee may not be long enough to see a result as it will take a while to build up in the system
- Dubious claims that no loading period is needed
- Claims of results are based on case studies and not scientific data
Extend Joint Care for Dogs is a joint supplement formula containing glucosamine, MSM and ascorbic acid. It comes as a powder which you sprinkle over your dog’s food, for ease of administration. You can also mix it with some water to form a gravy.
The main ingredient is beef liver powder, which ensures it tastes delicious to its consumers. All the ingredients are 100% natural and safe for your dog, and the product is manufactured in a GMP, NPA and NSF certified, so you can ensure you are getting good quality.
Extend markets this joint supplement to support health joint function and connective tissue, as well as help with joint pain after diagnosis from a veterinarian.
Glucosamine Hydrochloride:
Glucosamine provides a precursor for components which make up cartilage itself. Therefore, it can aid towards building up cartilage itself, thereby improving the gliding motion and shock absorbing ability of the joint. This then leads to improved mobility, range of motion and comfort of the joint.
MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane):
MSM lacks many scientific studies proving its use, but the few which have been published have been extremely positive indeed. MSM can decrease inflammation, improve energy levels, boost immunity and combat stress.
It is naturally found in green vegetables. The active component of MSM is the sulfur, which not only contributes to the previously listed benefits, but also helps to boost collagen production; a vital component of joint cartilage. Sulfur has also been shown to help reduce fluid build-up, which can be present when there are areas of swelling.
Type II Chicken Collagen:
Ascorbic Acid:
- One size to fit all: This product is not specifically made for small, medium or large dogs, and therefore no matter what size your dog is, it will be suitable to use.
- No negative drug interactions: There have been no recorded negative interactions with other medications, which is good as many dogs which need joint supplements will also be taking NSAID pain relief. In fact, it is often the case that by adding in a supplement, pain relief medications can be decreased.
- No loading dose necessary: Extend claims that no loading dose is needed which means that it is much more affordable at the beginning compared to other products which need loading doses.
- Only proven ingredients included: Whilst there have been no scientific studies looking at the effect of Extend Joint Care for Dogs specifically, there have been scientific studies looking at the efficacy of each individual ingredient.
- Money back guarantee: A full money back guarantee is provided within 30 days, regardless of how much of the product you have used if you are not 100% happy with it.
- Locally manufactured: Extend Joint Care for Dogs is manufactured in facilities in the USA which are registered with the FDA and USDA which adhere to strict quality assurance standards. After manufacture, each batch is then sent to an ISO accredited laboratory to be tested, which allows for a certificate of analysis to be produced for every batch.
- Loss of joint cartilage: Throughout time, no matter how healthy a dog is, the joints will begin to degrade and the joint cartilage will become compromised. For some, this will just be a microscopic change, but for many, it will progress to active inflammation and osteoarthritis.
- Developmental disorders: Dysplasia of the hip and elbow are the most common and the instability of the joint can lead to major discomfort. As discussed earlier, dysplasia can also lead to osteoarthritis if not addressed.
- Injuries: If a bone becomes injured, it can cause an imbalance within the nearby joint which adds additional stress when that joint is loaded. Injuries to tendons and ligaments, such as a torn cruciate ligament, also lead to abnormal loading of joints, as the dog will be shifting the normal load of his weight away from the area which hurts.
- Other causes of joint pain: Conditions such as hormone conditions, cancer, Lyme disease, and spinal disorders can indirectly afflict joints.
What's the best way to give it to my dog?
Zesty Paws are chewable bites for dogs in chicken or peanut butter flavor. They are packed full of vitamins, minerals and nutrients to help the skin, coat, joints, digestive system and heart.
The ingredients include Cod Liver Fish Oil, vitamin E/C/A, OptiMSM, glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate, digestive enzymes and CoQ10. As a result, it is a comprehensive health supplement for dogs.
Extend Joint Care Vs. Zesty Paws
- Zesty Paws has more ingredients to benefit the overall health of the dog and not just the joints.
- Extend Joint Care has more natural ingredients.
- Zesty Paws comes in the form of a tasty treat rather than a powder.
K9 Care is a product specific for joint issues, which is new and improved. It comes in the form of a palatable bacon flavored tablet; which dogs eat like treats. It is made in the USA in an FDA approved facility.
The main ingredients are glucosamine, chondroitin and vitamin C to improve both joint health and boost the immune system.
Extend Joint Care Vs. K9 Care Labs
- K9 Care contains glucosamine sulfate, whereas Extend contains the more superior glucosamine hydrochloride.
- Extend Joint Care contains more natural ingredients.
- K9 Care requires a double dose as a loading dose for 4-6 weeks, which will increase the initial price.
Terramax is a veterinarian recommended joint supplement, which comes as a liquid that can be poured over your dog’s food. It contains glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate and OptiMSM for increased mobility.
The manufacturers are so positive about this product that they offer a money back guarantee if you are not 100% satisfied. It is manufactured in the USE with pure and safe ingredients.
Extend Joint Care VS. TerraMax Pro
- TerraMax comes in the form of a liquid rather than a powder.
- TerraMax contains OptiMSM which is over 1000 times more effective than regular MSM, which Extend contains.
- A double dose loading dose is recommended for TerraMax for the first four weeks.
Why would you buy a joint supplement?
Joint supplements are wonderful additives into your dog’s diet for many different reasons. As the name suggests, these joint supplements help care for your dog’s joints. But why would your dog need added extra help to keep their joints healthy? In the next section, we will look at when dogs require joint supplements, and these are usually cases when the joints are either being put through increased stress or the joint cartilage has become damaged.
The joint is made up of several components; the most important of which are the joint capsule, which contains the blood vessels which provide nutrients to the joint, the articular cartilage, the subchondral bone underneath the cartilage, and the synovial joint fluid. When a joint is sore or inflamed, the joint capsule doesn’t deliver as many nutrients to the joint, the joint fluid becomes thin and no longer acts as a good lubricant, and the cartilage and subchondral bone lose their ability to deal with concussive forces.
Therefore, if your dog either has joint problems, or is at a higher risk for joint problems, then a joint supplement will help maintain healthy joints through providing precursors for cartilage production, decreasing inflammation and improving the viscosity of the joint fluid.
When Do Dogs Require Joint Supplements?
Arthritis
Arthritis, also known as osteoarthritis, is a whole joint disease. It is when the joint begins to degenerate, and becomes extremely sore. The cartilage breaks down, and no longer provides a smooth gliding surface, and the joint fluid becomes thin and low in volume. As a result, the joint grates as it moves, causing considerable pain.
Arthritis does not simply happen in a healthy joint. The joint must either be unhealthy due to a poor conformation, dysplasia or trauma, or it must be subjected to repeat abnormal forces, for example sporting dogs. Therefore, there are lots of opportunities to act early to improve the health of the joint, if you know that your dog is at an increased risk of arthritis.
Once your dog has arthritis, joint supplements will help rebuild some of the damaged cartilage, and stop it degrading further, as well as improve the quality of the joint fluid. That way, the joint will glide more smoothly, which reduces pain and improves function.
Joint dysplasia
Hip and elbows are most commonly affected by joint dysplasia. When a dog has hip dysplasia, the head of the femur does not match the shape of the socket of the pelvis. As a result, the joint can become unstable and be subjected to abnormal forces. As earlier mentioned, this can then lead to arthritis.
Elbow dysplasia is a little different. When a dog has elbow dysplasia, it is usually because there is part of the joint which is meant to be stable has not fused properly. This means it moves around in the joint, and causes considerable pain and also leads to early onset arthritis if not surgically stabilized.
In both cases, joint supplements can slow down the progression of arthritis which otherwise will start early in life.
Large breed dog
Certain pure breed dogs
Some pure breed dogs are more likely to develop hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, a luxating patella or osteoarthritis. All of these eventually lead to joint degradation. As we’ve already mentioned, large breed dogs are more prone to joint dysplasia. In particular, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Great Danes and Staffordshire Bull Terriers are most prone to joint dysplasia and subsequent osteoarthritis.
On the other hand, small terrier breeds, such as Jack Russells, Yorkshire Terriers and Miniature Schnauzers are more likely to develop luxating patellae, which can lead to osteoarthritis of the stifle.
Injuries
Certain medical conditions
- Type of Glucosamine : There are two types of glucosamine; glucosamine hydrochloride and glucosamine sulfate. The hydrochloride salt is slightly more expensive; however, it has been shown to have more bioavailability in dogs. This is really important because the higher the bioavailability, the more is absorbed, and therefore the better it works.
- Ingredients: Most joint supplements are not simply just glucosamine. Common other ingredients are MSM, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid, omega oils and green lipped mussel. There is scientific evidence, albeit fairly weak, promoting the use of all of these in the management of joint issues, and therefore, looking for a product which contains multiple products may yield better results.
- Reviews: Always check the reviews. It’s all well and good if a company says that it works, but they need results to back it up. Reading first hand reviews about how the product has helped real life pets, will help you choose one which truly works.
- Price: The price of a supplement will directly reflect the quality of the ingredients. To ensure that you choose the one which contains ingredients which are both effective and ethically sourced, you should not look for the cheapest product on the market. The cheaper products may not contain pure ingredients, which risks exposing your dog to contaminants, or they may not contain any of the ingredients which they have stated at all!
- Scientific studies: Joint supplements are not regulated, which means they do not have to prove that they work or conduct any research prior to putting them on the market. Some supplement companies, however, have gone above what is required of them and invested in proving the efficacy of their product. These supplements should not be overlooked, as they will be far superior to others on the market.
- Loading dose :Many joint supplements will require a loading dose of double, or even triple, the normal dose to get it established in the system. This might be the required dose for anywhere between two and six weeks. The longer and higher the loading dose required; the more initial expense.
- Certification :Joint supplements do not have to be certified with any organization, nor are they FDA regulated. But those which have sought additional certification, such as GMP certification or organic certification, can be more trusted for avoiding any unnecessary or harmful additional ingredients.
- Guarantee :Not all products offer a money back guarantee, but many do. It is nice to know when a company is confident in their product that they will provide a guarantee if you don’t see a difference.
- How it’s administered :Supplements can come in many different forms; capsules, tablets, treats, powder, syrup etc. Only you know which your dog will prefer the most, and so it is worth shopping around to find one which you can easily administer to your dog.
- Who’s selling it? :Most joint supplements will be sold online, but by doing a bit of research, you may be able to find out whether reputable pet stores or veterinarians are also stocking and selling it. Those which are backed by professionals are more likely to be of a higher quality.
Conclusion
Now that you have learnt all about using joint supplements for joint issues, and specifically Extend Joint Care for Dogs, I’m sure you’re starting to contemplate starting your furry friend on something. Well, if he’s suffering from arthritis, joint dysplasia, an injury, or is simply a large or active dog, you have nothing to lose by trying out this supplement.
Extend Joint Care for Dogs is a great fit to solve your dog’s joint problems because it is highly regarded, has excellent quality ingredients, and according to thousands of consumers, it works!
Would this supplement help with reoccurring iliopsoas strain? Also an old biceps tendon injury. She is hard on her body!
Hello I just received my Extend today and I was wondering if its safe for a dog with wheat allergy. My vet is on holidays for a month it contains Silica and Maltpdextron which is a corn wheat starch and she has a wheat allergy.
She’s also on ZD dog food for her skin and allergies. Thank you
My email is
Hi Darlene,
Maltodextrin is produced from a range of products including corn, rice and wheat. The parent grain/vegetable undergoes extensive processing to produce this carbohydrate and in the case of wheat the gluten is removed.
The FDA has approved the use of maltodextrin in dog food and supplements.
Maltodextrin is classified as a GRAS (generally regarded as safe) product. Your vet is best placed to advise about your pet’s specific allergy and this response shouldn’t be construed as directly specific veterinary advice.
Good Morning Thank you so much for getting back to me. I really appreciate it also it contains .flavor like in energy drinks a sugar (maltodextrix) I dont like that is this a natural sugar. And what about Silica is a sweetner.
But I do thank you for replying.
Is power all extend comes in
Hi Jerry,
We didn’t understand your question…