Matthew Stewart – September 01, 2022
4 Things to Consider Before Giving Your Dog Collagen
A guide on collagen supplementation for dogs.
Much like in humans, collagen is the most abundant protein within a dog’s body. Providing strength and structure, collagen is a vital component of connective tissue and plays an essential role in binding together the cells found in your furry friend’s body. Making up almost one-third of the protein in a dog’s body, it seems clear that one should be supplementing their dog’s food with collagen. But, how much is too much, and should you start supplementation from an early age? Read on to discover the answers to your important questions.
- Why is Collagen Important?
- When to Start Supplementing Collagen?
- Are All Collagen Supplements the Same?
- 3 Important Benefits of Collagen
- In closing
Why is Collagen Important?
Collagen is a protein made up of amino acids. Specifically, Glycine, Proline, Hydroxyproline, and Arginine.
This type of protein is found in your dog’s tendons, fur, bones, skin, cartilage, blood vessels, and more!
Man’s (and woman’s) best friends’ natural production of collagen slows down with age, which leads to common complications such as irregular digestion, a dulling coat, and stiff and aching joints. Therefore, the supplementation of collagen into your pet’s diet is aimed at boosting collagen to its natural level.
When to Start Supplementing Collagen?
If your dog shows signs of some of the complications listed above, it may be a good time to begin feeding them collagen.
Unfortunately, the circle of life includes aging, which means depleting collagen levels. Thankfully, all hope is not lost and with proper supplementation, these levels can be restored. As a rule of thumb, the earlier you start including collagen in your pet’s diet, the more likely you are to delay this process.
Here is a general recommendation for your pet’s daily collagen dosage (in grams):
- Your dog’s daily collagen dose = dogs body weight (in pounds) x 0.33
- Your dog’s daily collagen dose = dogs body weight (in kilograms) x 0.72
Please remember to always consult your Veterinary Practitioner before self-diagnosing/medicating your beloved pet.
Are All Collagen Supplements the Same?
Short answer, no! There are many types of collagen supplements out there, and not all of them are appropriate for animal consumption. You should look at avoiding all types of flavoured variations, as well as collagen supplements that are mixed with other ingredients.
When looking for a collagen supplement for your pet, be on the lookout for “grass-fed” collagen. This would be the healthiest and most ideal option.
3 Important Benefits of Collagen
Now that we’ve established the critical role collagen supplementation plays in your furry companion’s health, let’s discuss the 3 areas collagen can improve…
1.Improving Your Dogs Gut Health
By regenerating the protective lining in your dog’s gut, collagen improves digestion. This is achieved by supporting the quality of the connective tissues within the intestinal lining. Glycine, an amino acid found in collagen, has been linked with the enhancement of the intestinal mucosal barrier (a dense layer of mucus vital in the uptake of nutrients and immune sensing), thus supporting your dog’s digestive system.
2.Bringing the Shine Back to Your Dogs Skin and Coat
Although dogs possess no vanity, it is safe to assume that if given the choice, they’d not only want to feel like a puppy, but they’d like to look the part too! The natural decline in your pet’s collagen levels means that their skin and coats lose their luscious sheen over time. Given that your dog’s skin consists of around 70% collagen, the right supplementation can neutralise this process and other contributing factors, leaving your dog looking and feeling like a puppy again.
3. Improving Your Dogs Bone and Joint Health
By now, we can assume that your pets’ bones and joints are also amongst the list of victims of decreasing collagen production, which means… Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Essentially, it is a degenerative joint disease that is extremely inflammatory and promotes the breaking down of the cartilage within a joint, causing the underlying bone to change. Once again, collagen is here to try and save the day. Studies have shown that dogs that have been fed collagen peptides show a substantial decrease in tenderness and pain.
In Closing
It goes without saying that supplementing your fur babies’ diet with collagen is essential, and even more so when they start to show signs of aging. Reducing your dog’s aches and pains can be achieved by supplementing collagen correctly and with the guidance of your Vet. Most importantly, feeding your pet a great quality, grass-fed collagen which isn’t sweetened or flavoured, and doesn’t contain any other ingredients is the last consideration that you will have to make.