How amazing is MSM for dogs? MSM, or Methylsulfonylmethane, is a vital building block for healthy bones and joints, but also is a dynamic booster for the dog’s immune system. Studies have shown that MSM has an important effect on improving your dog’s joint pain, especially to help as a supplement for arthritis in dogs.
MSM is a natural nutrient found in very small amounts in many foods and in much larger quantity in the oceans. However, most dietary supplements containing MSM will usually have it synthesized.
MSM is rarely taken alone. Most immune system and joint supplements combine it with other joint health molecules, such as glucosamine and chondroitin. When combined with glucosamine, trials have shown that MSM becomes even more potent and effective in fighting joint pain caused by hip dysplasia and arthritis.
What Are The Benefits Of MSM For Dogs?
Preventive — MSM can be given preventively in order to help your dog strengthen its joints and bone structure. Especially for large and giant dog breeds, or those especially affected by hip dysplasia and arthritis, it will help your bone stay strong for longer and slow progress of the progress of osteoarthritis.
Synergist — as a potentiator, MSM improves the cellular uptake of vitamins and nutrients, such as all B-vitamins, vitamins A, C, D and E, Coenzyme Q10, selenium, amino acids, calcium, magnesium, and many others, and prolongs their lives and potency.
Allergies — caused by its properties binding to the mucosa and presenting a natural blocking interface between allergens and hosts, MSM alleviates many discomforting symptoms from food and contact allergies, inhalation allergies, and other common allergic reactions.
Chronic Pain — MSM, by stimulating the activity of cortisol (natural anti-inflammatory hormone dogs produce), blocks the transfer of electrical pain impulses through the nerve fibers. MSM is known as a natural and extremely efficient analgesic.
Immune System Booster — The sulfur that is present within the Methylsulfonylmethane is what helps your dog’s body with enhanced production of immunoglobulins, the molecule boosting the immune system in the dog (and the human, too.)
Joint Pain — When your dog’s situation is already problematic and painful, MSM, when given with Glucosamine, provides quality joint health management. MSM is known to have efficient anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Is MSM Safe For Dogs?
The toxicity of MSM is far from being a worrying issue as it is indeed comparable to the one of water. A very high dose of MSM is safe for your dogs in the short-term. If you prolong the treatment and keep the dosage high, your dog might be affected by some gastrointestinal discomfort and an upset stomach.
Long-term effects of MSM for dogs and humans have not yet been established, and so far everything seems to be fine for both humans and dogs. Regardless of the treatment’s duration with such supplementation, monitor your dog’s stools, behavioral changes, and overall health and report to your vet, just in case anything changes too much to be normal.
Just like any molecule destined for the supplementation market, you’ve got a lot of:
- cheap joint supplements with bad nutritional values and badly synthesized MSM
- pricier joint support supplements of poor quality but with better marketing and packaging
From experience and after trying many MSM supplements for dogs, the winner is Nutramax Dasuquin with MSM, reviewed below.
Dosage of MSM for Dogs
Vets and professionals agree that the recommended dosage of MSM for dogs is around 40 to 100 mg per 10 pounds of body weight.
For dogs fed a raw diet, MSM supplements are very much recommended since most dogs are not getting MSM in sufficient quantities in their meals.
Best Combo: Dasuquin, MSM and Glucosamine
Pricier than other MSM joint support supplements, Dasuquin with MSM is to be the healthiest and best joint supplement for dogs. It combines all the molecules your dog’s bones require to become stronger faster along with an intense anti-inflammatory effect to soothe hip and joints pains caused, caused by arthritis for example.
Nutramax Dasuquin goes the extra mile with this new kind of joint health supplement. It comes as a box containing flavored chewable tablets that are yummy enough for your dog to eat them up without frowning.
Now, for the actual combination of molecules, it is a winning team that is made of:
- chondroitin — low molecular weight chondroitin sulfate is given to help soothe severe osteoarthritis
- glucosamine hydrochloride — purer and provides more available glucosamine per unit weight compared to the often used glucosamine sulfate
- premium methylsulfonylmethane — a vital building block of cartilage, joints, hair, and nails in dogs
- ASU — made from avocado and soybean unsaponifiables and famous for slowing the progression of osteoarthritis
- green tea fortifiers — polyphenols found in green tea boost the immune system and fight joint inflammation
Since there are no side-effects known to Nutramax Dasuquin With MSM, most vets recommend a great amount at first and then decrease gradually once the dog’s joint health gets visibly better. Obviously, your old large dog won’t turn into a puppy overnight, but you will see the difference rapidly, especially with dogs having difficulties with stairs and little jumps.
To maximize the positive impact, I would recommend using Dasuquin with MSM along with buying your pooch an orthopedic dog bed. These offer out-of-this-world support for a fragile or elderly dog’s structure, joints, and hips thanks to a multi-layered mattress. Sure, it’s not your $30 dog bed, but if you want your baby to feel better, it is worth the cost.
MSM for dogs sounds like it is a magic supplement but it is not. People with osteoarthritis have been using it for decades in Europe and the United States. Since available over the counter, MSM tablets have helped hundreds of thousands of dogs worldwide. Definitely worth the investment as long as you get a quality MSM supplement for your dog.
4 comments on “MSM For Dogs — The Best Joint & Arthritis Supplement?”
Dasuquin is truly an outstanding product for senior dogs with mobility issues. I have witnessed first hand several dogs who were on the border of being put down given new life by using joint supplements (some of those dogs received additional pain killers, but these can be harmful to the liver). I’ve also heard that TRP-Tri-COX® has had great success as well.
Will have a look at TRP-Tri-COX! Thanks! So many supplements out there these days, it’s a massive business and it attracts a lot of bullshitters unfortunately.
I use the Cosequin DS for both my Great Pyrenees adult dog’s. My younger one is 2 and the oldest is 4. It’s work’s terrific on both, plus it’s not as expensive as Dasuquin. We have used both products and got the same results, while using the same dosage require for reaching maximum benefits for our pups.
Good to know! Thanks a lot for the input Kathy, hugs to the pooches!