For Pets | Pain and Inflammation Tablets (30)

DESPITE their strong appearance, joints can gradually become sensitive with age, affecting a cat or dog’s mobility, activity and wellbeing.

Joint issues are common in pets and it is sometimes difficult for owners to notice the small changes in mobility when they occur. Although joint issues can occur in animals of any age, they are more common in middle-aged and geriatric dogs, affecting at least one in four dogs in total.

All sizes of dog are at risk of mobility problems; however, large breed dogs are more commonly affected when compared to small and medium breed dogs. 

Joint issues in cats have traditionally been considered rare, but awareness of these is now increasing due to improved methods of diagnosis. As with dogs, joint issues are more commonly seen in middle-aged and geriatric cats.

Maintaining a pet’s ideal weight and feeding a suitable diet may help to keep joints healthy for longer. In addition to providing nutrients to help support the structure of the joints, specific nutrients may help to modulate healthy soft tissue responses and minimize the effects of free radicals on the joints.

Green-lipped mussels are known to contain a number of nutrients that may be beneficial in supporting pets with joint issues.

Most importantly, green-lipped mussel has been shown to contain omega-3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and a unique omega-3 fatty acid – eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA) – which interacts in the body with both the cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase pathways.

Green-lipped mussel also contains glycosaminoglycans (chondroitin sulphate), glutamine (a glycosaminoglycan precursor), vitamins C and E and antioxidant micronutrients (including zinc, copper and selenium) that can be beneficial in helping to maintain joint health. It is thought that these nutrients act synergistically to help support pets with mobility issues.