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At what age can I start giving my dog glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for her hips and joints? Since she is a German shepherd and the breed is predisposed to hip and joint issues? Or would feeding a food with glucosamine and chindroitin in it help to postpone the supplements for later on?

At what age can I start giving my dog glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for her hips and joints? Since she is a German shepherd and the breed is predisposed to hip and joint issues? Or would feeding a food with glucosamine and chindroitin in it help to postpone the supplements for later on?

Updated On August 24th, 2017

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | spayed | 1 year and 6 months old | 55 lbs

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Answered By Lauren Celestin, DVM

Veterinarian, Veterinary Dentistry Resident

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Hello and thank you for choosing PetCoach! Since glucosamine and chondroitin fall under the category of medications we refer to as nutraceuticals (fancy word for supplements) there is no specific age that is recommended. Generally, we start recommend using these types of medications when pets reach the senior stage (7+ years of age). Since Bella is still young, I would recommend feeding a quality food that is formulated specifically for large breed dogs as it will include all of the beneficial joint health additives. I am personally a fan of Purina foods, but any of the other brands (Hills, Royal Canin, etc) are all excellent foods. This way you don't have to worry about trying to remember giving Bella pills everyday and nothing in her routine has to change. The supplements may be needed further down the road. Hope this helps a bit. Best of luck to you and Bella!

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