Glucosamine is one of the typical components of supplements for joint pathologies in dogs, one of the best known, studied, and used: in fact, to date, there is a large bibliography of effectiveness, and it is very common that in less serious cases of joint degeneration (when the use of anti-inflammatory or painkillers is not required) the Veterinary Doctor recommends this type of supplementation.

But how does glucosamine work? Is it useful in every condition of joint pathology? Can it prevent degenerative diseases such as dysplasia? And why is it almost always supplied together with Contraidin Sulphate?

Below, we try to better understand its functioning and its use in osteoarticular pathologies in dogs.

Glucosamine

First, let’s try to understand what it is. Glucosamine is an aminomonosaccharide, that is, a molecule similar to a monosaccharide (a sugar) which however also includes an amino component, therefore nitrogen.

Although it is similar to a sugar, the presence of nitrogen causes it to have a completely different metabolism and function: the body does not use it, in fact, for energy purposes, but in joint metabolism, as we will see shortly.

Where does glucosamine come from?

Since it is a very simple molecule, it is widely present in nature; it is found mainly in the wall structure of fungi, in the exoskeleton of insects and in the carapace of crustaceans; it is in fact the basic unit that forms chitin, the hard structure that we all experience as the “shell” of shrimp.

And since crustaceans contain a lot of it, they represent the main source of industrial extraction.

However, it would not be possible to directly provide the dog with crustacean shells left over from our table, for a very simple reason:  he would not digest them.  Chitin is a very hard structure and the dog does not have the enzymes capable of denaturing it; thus providing shrimp shells, they would end up as is in the feces without the glucosamine being absorbed.

For this reason, industrial treatment processes of the carapaces are necessary, capable of separating the individual units of glucosamine and therefore making them available for absorption by the dog’s body.

Thus separated, the units are simple to absorb and, with the blood circulation, arrive at the points where they will have their activity: specifically, glucosamine stimulates the growth of chondrocytes, the cells that produce (and constitute) cartilage.

How does osteoarthritis work??

The dog’s joints are made up not of bones, but of cartilaginous structures; two contiguous bones slide over each other (think of the humerus and the radius in the elbow joint) and in this way joint contraction occurs.

Under normal conditions, the two parts of the joint are complementary to each other and therefore slide well on each other.

However, in the presence of joint degeneration (which in medical terms is called arthrosis) the two parts of the joint  are no longer completely complementary  to each other: one (or both) of the two parts has an abrasion, or the two bones they move apart slightly, or don’t press on each other as they should. The result is that the cartilage becomes increasingly thinner, and this causes inflammation (joint inflammation is called arthritis) and even pain in the dog.

When does glucosamine help?

Here, glucosamine becomes helpful:  if the two bones that make up the joint are no longer contiguous to each other, stimulating the regeneration of the cartilage brings the bones closer together again, improving the functioning of the joint and, at the same time, reducing pain.

The regeneration capacity of the cartilage is poor, and the effectiveness of glucosamine depends on the state of compromise of the joint; in most cases there is not a complete recovery, but an improvement in the symptoms, and above all a reduction in the pain that the dog feels.

Glucosamine is therefore useful both in dysplasias, i.e., in degenerations of genetic origin, those which have already occurred at birth (hip dysplasia or elbow dysplasia in dogs are examples) and in acquired ones, arthrosis generally due to ‘old age.

Glucosamine supplementation can be, in general, useful for:

  • Older dogs showing signs of arthritis or joint stiffness may benefit from glucosamine, thus improving their joint mobility.
  • Dogs with previous joint injuries, which can compromise the future fragility of the joint.
  • Large breed dogs prone to joint problems may benefit from a joint supplement.
  • Dogs showing early signs of dysplasia, for genetic reasons.

Of course, it is essential to consult a veterinarian before starting supplementation; although glucosamine is a safe supplement with no adverse effects, it is still necessary to understand whether it is actually useful, compared to other supplements, in your dog’s condition.

Is glucosamine useful as a prevention of joint diseases?

Although glucosamine is a very useful component in joint pathologies, it has not shown a preventive effect in the currently existing literature.

Its action is in fact a stimulant of cartilage regeneration, but the stimulation of regeneration is useful only when there has been a previous degeneration; in other words,  the problem must already be there for glucosamine to have a therapeutic effect, but providing glucosamine to a healthy dog, even a puppy, will not reduce the likelihood that he will have problems, such as hip dysplasia, in the future.

However, it is particularly useful in the early stages of the pathology (for example, when puppies are given x-rays at six months of age and the first signs of hip dysplasia are identified, which will probably, for genetic reasons, occur in the future) to avoid the worsening.

Why is glucosamine often found together with chondroitin sulfate?

The most common association of glucosamine is with chondroitin sulfate or counteritin sulfate. It is a molecule that is part of the glucosaminoglycans, and it is also small but different from glucosamine.

Its effect is complementary to that of glucosamine: counteritin sulphate, in fact, has a stimulating activity on the synthesis of hyaluronic acid in the joint, as well as reducing proteolytic activity. In the joint, as a rule, cartilage is continuously destroyed and produced again: it is not a static tissue, but a dynamic one.

Chondroitin sulfate is able to reduce cartilage catabolism, i.e. its destruction; if the destruction of “old” cartilage is limited by chondroitin sulfate and the production of “new” cartilage is stimulated by glucosamine,  the joint will gain in terms of absolute cartilage growth.

The effect of the two molecules is complementary, they enhance each other and this is why the two products are practically always associated with each other.

Are there other supplements that can be useful to combine with glucosamine?

In supporting joint pathologies, it may also be useful to combine other supplements, in particular those with an anti-inflammatory effect; neither of the two molecules considered so far has anti-inflammatory activity, but we have seen how inflammation is an always present component in conditions of joint degeneration.

For this reason, combining anti-inflammatory supplements is useful: the probably most frequent one is Omega-3 , in particular Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA), capable of reducing joint inflammation; other alternative integrations, of plant origin, are the extracts of  Boswelia serrata  or  Arpagophytum procumbens,  both with anti-inflammatory activity but with a mechanism of action different from that of Omega-3; It is therefore advisable to evaluate on a case-by-case basis, in agreement with your veterinary surgeon, which are the best supplements to combine with glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate during joint pathologies.

Sources:

D’Altilio M et al.,  Therapeutic Efficacy and Safety of Undenatured Type II Collagen Singly or in Combination with Glucosamine and Chondroitin in Arthritic Dogs . Toxicol Mech Methods. 2007;17(4):189-96.

Benavente, Martha et al., (2015).  Production of Glucosamine Hydrochloride from Crustacean Shell . Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 3. 20-26. 10.17265/2328-2150/2015.01.003.

Dott. Valerio Guiggi
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