Collagen Supplements for Our Dogs
As our dogs age their body begins to breakdown so we give them supplements to help with joint issues. I have been giving my dogs glucosamine with MSM supplements for years to help with their joints. After Lucy became diabetic she got diabetic neuropathy and thankfully Methyl B12 helped with that. Methyl B12 helped her so much with hind end weakness that I started giving it to my little Chihuahua Bella who had arthritis and it helped her out tremendously. Now my nondiabetic Frank has also been given Methyl B12 and glucosamine with MSM for years to help him out but the past couple months he has had more issues with his hind end so I started researching more and found that collagen supplements could possibly help his joints a bit more. I started making dog gummies with beef gelatin some time ago as a guilt free treat option for diabetic dogs and then read more and more about collagen and the possible benefits it may have.
Today I want to talk about collagen and just how much the body needs it, so grab a cup of your favorite caffeinated beverage and let’s get to it!
Collagen is a protein and makes up 30% of a dog’s body. Collagen is found in connective tissue of animals: bones, skin, muscles and cartilage are made up of collagen. There are many different types of collagens but the most common are:
Type 1 collagen – found in all connective tissue. This type is the most common and makes up approximately 90% of the body’s collagen. Connective tissues: bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerve tissue.
Type 2 collagen – found in joints, cartilage and interverbal discs. Interverbal discs are cushions that are located between vertebrae.
Type 3 collagen – found in skin, blood vessels and reticular fibers. Reticular fibers form a fine meshwork that supports soft tissue for organs, bone marrow and the lymphatic system.
As you can see collagen is vital to support the body. Unfortunately as dogs age they produce less collagen and break down of body parts begin. In humans collagen supplements have been shown in studies to reduce wrinkles, strengthen and increase hydration in skin. There are also studies that have shown that collagen supplementation has improved joint pain and osteoarthritis, increases muscle mass, may help with the heart’s arteries, increases good cholesterol and may help with gut health.
It can take three months before you see the benefits of giving collagen to your dog. Since collagen is broken down by digestive enzymes into amino acids and peptides it may be more beneficial to purchase supplements that are listed as collagen peptides. Collagen is hydrolyzed or broken down into collagen peptides and are more easily absorbed into the blood stream.
I started adding beef gelatin about six weeks ago to our dogs’ meals and saw improvement in their stools quickly and am waiting to see if Frank has any improvement with his hind leg issues. Yesterday x-rays confirmed bone deformity, chronic CCL tears and fluid build-up. Unfortunately the surgery is extremely invasive due to his bone structure so surgery is not an option. Cold laser therapy, hind leg braces, pain medication and joint supplements are all going to be part of Frank’s therapy. I have also ordered canine collagen peptides for him and will share the link here; I’ve gone over ingredients and this product is safe for diabetic dogs.
Brightway K9 Collagen Peptide Complex with Biotin - https://brightwaypets.com/k9-collagen-peptide-complex-w-biotin-hip-joint-supplement-for-dogs/
I want to share my aspic recipe with you all, as stated above I have been making this for six weeks and Frank and Hannah love it so much they won’t eat unless they get their aspic topper! You can use this as a topper or incorporate the gelatin into their homemade meals easily. I bought silicone baking cupcake liners and the aspic slides out so easily!
Please note that there are different types of gelatins: bovine (beef), porcine (pork) and marine (fish). Bovine and porcine gelatin contain type I, type II and type III collagens while marine gelatin contains type I and type II.
(click on recipe to open in new window as printable jpg)
Until next week stay comfy and caffeinated!
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For a printable version of this blog click here.