Collagen for Dogs

You may have seen collagen chews and treats popping up as you’re shopping for your pup. It’s usually said to have all sorts of benefits for your dog’s mobility and joint health, especially if you have an older adult or senior dog. 

But is it just another pet health trend? Can collagen help restore some of your dog’s youthful peppiness?

Let’s take a look at what collagen actually is, where it comes from, what types you can find as supplements, and whether it has any useful benefits for dogs.

What is collagen for dogs?

Your body, as well as your dog’s body, is made up of tons of connective tissues like tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Collagen is a protein that helps build connective tissues and keep them strong and healthy. 

These connective tissues are very important in helping your dog get around because they connect muscles to bones and bones to other bones, or they protect bones and joints from wear and tear.

What are the benefits of collagen for dogs?

As with many things, when your dog ages, their bodies don’t produce as much collagen as they did before. And this is why many vets recommend supplements to maintain senior dogs’ joint health.

You’ve probably heard a lot about supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin, but what about collagen for dogs? 

Since collagen is the most prevalent protein in a dog’s body, it makes sense to keep it healthy, especially in older dogs. Here are some of the benefits of collagen for dogs:

• Helping prevent injuries such as tearing of the cruciate ligament (in the knee), elbow and hip dysplasia, and luxating patella (loose kneecap) 
• Keeping joints and bones strong and healthy, which will help reduce joint strain and pain
• Providing amino acids that can help aid in digestion
• Supporting strong nails and healthy skin and fur

You may be thinking that collagen is only for older dogs or large dogs that usually have joint issues, but it can also be just as helpful for younger pups.

Sources of collagen for dogs

Where exactly does collagen come from? Like vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, collagen occurs naturally in many animal food sources. Beef, chicken, fish, eggs, bone broth, and organ meat are all excellent sources of animal collagen. 

You can also find many plant-based ingredients that will help the body produce collagen, like leafy greens, bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, nuts, whole grains, beans, and tropical fruits.

But that doesn’t mean that your dog will get a lot of collagen in their dog food just because it has ingredients with collagen in them. It can definitely help if the dog food is less processed, like Sundays air-dried recipes, but you may also want to find a concentrated source of collagen such as a supplement.

Collagen supplements for dogs

When you start looking for collagen for dogs, you’ll see that it’s available in every form imaginable. 

You can get it as a topper that you can mix in with your dog’s regular food, such as a powder or in a liquid dropper. It also comes in many different tasty chews that are disguised as treats as far as a dog is concerned. There are also hard chews that will last a while and give your dog something to keep them occupied for a while. 

It all depends on what works best for your dog. If one type doesn’t work, try another. Some collagen supplements include multiple sources of collagen, and some add other ingredients that help with joint health.

Make sure that you get a collagen supplement that was made for dogs and not humans, and be sure to check in with your vet about whether collagen would be a good idea for your pup.