Blog

Oct 18, 2024

10 Best Foods for Dogs With Arthritis in 2024 - Reviews & Top Picks – Dogster

VET APPROVED WRITTEN BY Dr. Kim Podlecki DVM (Veterinarian) The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Arthritis and mobility problems in our canine

VET APPROVED

WRITTEN BY

Dr. Kim Podlecki

DVM (Veterinarian)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

Arthritis and mobility problems in our canine companions are a huge part of the pet industry. One look online and the average person will be overwhelmed with supplements, treats, foods and products all claiming to be “the best” for your dog. But when it comes to food, what should you be looking for and/or feeding your dog if they are suffering from arthritis? In this article I’ll tell you my top 10 picks for the best dog foods out there for arthritis along with the characteristics of these foods.

Disclaimer: The foods reviewed here were chosen because they have certain characteristics that might help with some of the causes or consequences of this medical condition. However, they are not a medical treatment or a substitute for medical treatment. Keep in mind that each medical case is different and what works for some pets may not work for others. Your veterinarian is the right person to advise you on the best diet for your pet’s individual case.

Click to Skip Ahead

The best overall food for dogs with arthritis is one that tailors to their personal needs while maintaining a balanced diet. Spot & Tango enables you to customize the meals that you receive to your dog’s requirements, ensuring that your arthritic pooch gets the support that they need.

Both the kibble and wet food are made with natural ingredients and avoid everything artificial. Each recipe is formulated by veterinary nutritionists to ensure that all your dog’s nutritional requirements are met.

The meals are pre-portioned to save you time with meal prep. Spot & Tango’s delivery service regularly ships the meals to your door so that you can forego the weekly trip to the pet store.

This dog food is only available from the Spot & Tango website as part of their subscription service. Purchasing their food and benefiting from their delivery requires signing up.

One option to save you from emergency trips to the grocery store when you run out of dog food is Nom Nom. It offers pre-portioned meals delivered straight to your door, with an option to automatically rotate between all four recipes—beef, chicken, pork, and turkey—so your dog doesn’t get bored.

As the best food for dogs with arthritis for the money, Nom Nom’s recipes have natural ingredients, and the company offers a 2-week free trial. It also offers free samples so you can make sure your dog enjoys the meals before buying a full meal. All four recipes are created by veterinarians to ensure that they meet the nutritional requirements of dogs while avoiding fillers and artificial preservatives.

Nom Nom is a subscription-based service, and the meals are only available through its website. You’ll have to sign up before you can purchase the meals.

Hill’s Prescription Diet j/d is another good pick due to the tried and true science and research Hill’s Science Diet has done to not only formulate this food, but continue to improve it throughout the years. This food contains fish oil (total Omega-3 and Omega-6), Glucosamine, Chondroitin, L-carnitine and multiple supplements in a balanced diet to promore joint healt. It also comes in small bites and canned for different sized dogs.This recipe contains S+Oxshield for a healthy lower urinary tract, decreasing the risk of developing certain urinary crystals. However, chicken may be an allergy source for some dogs and the cost of this food for larger dogs may be prohibitive for some families.

Purina also has a great reputation for making prescription dog foods that are not only trusted but tasty. I like the Purina ProPlan Prescription OM Metabolic Response & Joint Mobility formula over just their joint mobility formula as it helps your dog to safely lose weight while supporting their joint health. The high protein content of joint mobility formulas should be discussed with your veterinarian prior to feeding as this may be concerning for certain dogs. However, this food has low fat content for overweight dogs and/or dogs with underlying conditions such as chronic pancreatitis. This formula also doesn’t contain chondroitin like other formulas.

Hill’s Prescription Metabolic Weight + j/d has done wonders for overweight dogs that need to lose weight, not only for their joints but also for overall health. This is a great option for overweight dogs to lose weight with many benefits of the original j/d recipe. It provides Omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine, chondroitin, L-carnitine, and multiple other vitamins and supplements. However, you must make sure to adhere to a strict diet plan with this food to help your dog maintain a healthy weight. And like the other Hill’s recipe, this food may be cost prohibitive if you have a large dog.

Rounding out my prescription diet choices is one from Royal Canin. Trusted by the veterinary community for decades, Royal Canin has worked hard to make their diets more palatable over the years while continuing to provide multiple different prescription options. This formula contains fish oil, collagen and turmeric for healthy joints and comes in kibble and canned to give a consistent formula. It is also designed to be palatable and easily digestible for picky dogs. However, as with the others, the main protein source is chicken which may not be an option for some dogs with allergies.

Back ordered products for Royal Canin also seem to occur more frequently than other companies, making it difficult to get products sometimes.

Iams provides great food options, especially for those families who may not be able to afford prescription diets. Their mobility support contains many of the same ingredients as the top prescription diets in a tasty formula you can buy almost anywhere pet food is sold. Like other prescription recipes, this recipe contains sources of glucosamine, chondroitin, Omega-3, Omega-6, L-carnitine, and even Bacillus subtilis (probiotics) for gut health. Chicken is the first ingredient, providing a great source of protein but making this food unsuitable for dogs with a chicken allergy. It also does not come in any other formulas and there is no small kibble option for small breeds.

The Purine One line of products is a great option for families who love Purina, but may not be able to afford their prescription diets. For dogs who love Purina, and for families who have trusted this brand for decades, this is a great option that is widely available in stores. This food also has chicken as the first ingredient, and the food contains fish oil and glucosamine but not chondroitin or L-carnitine. It also only comes in one flavor kibble option and there are no canned options for this food.

This non-prescription Royal Canin Joint Care recipe provides a good option for families who love this company. Even better is that they have both kibble and canned food of the same flavor so that your dog never has to stray from their preferred diet. Unlike some of the other non-prescription options, this food also contains L-carnitine and chondroitin for healthy joints. However, chicken is still the main protein source and it doesn’t come in other flavors, and it’s also pricier than other non-prescription options which can be especially pricey if you have a larger dog.

My final pick is the Eukanuba Fit Weight Body Control, another long-time trusted company in the pet food industry. This non-prescription formula comes in three different sized kibbles, making it easy to choose which one is best for your dog. The low-fat content may make weight loss easier for your dog as well, and also helps with dogs who may have chronic conditions such as pancreatitis. This is a great over-the-counter option found in many different stores. However, it does not come in a canned option, there aren’t as many flavor options, and the chicken and egg protein may be problematic for some dogs with allergies to these protein sources.

If your dog suffers from arthritis, first and foremost it is best to consult with your veterinarian before changing their diet. Your vet can determine how severe your dog’s arthritis is and can offer suggestions on the best diet to help them. For example, dogs that are overweight may require a more specialized food than dogs that are at a healthy weight. However, our buyer’s guide can give you some of the important aspects of dog food recipes designed for dogs with arthritis.

Keep in mind that if your dog is suffering from arthritis, then you should be following not only feeding recommendations from your veterinarian, but an entire healthcare program that likely includes appropriate pain medications, activity, and supplemental care.

Dog foods designed for arthritis and joint health usually have several ingredients in common that support the joints in some way. While not all dog foods have all of these ingredients, ideally you should look for a food that contains as many of these ingredients as possible.

Here are some of the common ingredients found in dog food for arthritis and joint health and what they do:

Presciption diets are likely to be the best option for your dog, especially if the arthritis is severe. They contain most, if not all, of the ingredients listed above. However, prescription diets can be pricey, making them unaffordable for many families that have larger dogs, since larger dogs need to consume more food.

Veterinarians understand that prescription diets may not be suitable for everyone, but there are many non-presciption options that contain many of the same ingredients as prescription food. They may be missing some ingredients like chondroitin, but your vet may suggest supplementing chondrotin in another way.

This is why it is so important to work with your veterinarian to choose food for your dog with arthritis.

Some dogs with arthritis may benefit from healthy weight recipes, as being overweight can worsen arthritis by putting additional pressure on the joints. Healthy weight recipes generally contain less fat or fewer calories, as well as additional ingredients that can help boost metabolism. There are some food options out there that benefit both healthy weight and joints.

However, with healthy weight foods, it is important to follow a strict diet regimen including feeding the proper portions and avoiding table scraps and excess treats. Your vet can help you formulate a diet plan to ensure your dog with arthritis loses weight or maintains a healthy weight.

The American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) set guidelines for what makes dog food nutritionally complete and balanced for dogs. At the time of writing this article, all of my picks also follow AAFCO guidelines. While AAFCO does not recommend any one brand or any one type of pet food, they help consumers select the food that may be best for them, while providing guidelines and standards for pet food companies to follow. If you are interested in giving your dog a food that is not on my list, at minimum I recommend you look at their label to see if they follow AAFCO standards, and read through this to best make your selection.

Dog food is a booming industry, with countless options on the shelf today. Just trying to find a reliable food for arthritis in your dog can be daunting. For the best overall dog food for arthritis, my top pick is Spot & Tango as it enables you to customize the meals that you receive to your arthritic dog’s requirements, ensuring they get exactly what they need. For a more affordable prescription option, Nom Nom is a great choice as they have a 2-week free trial and use natural ingredients in all of their recipes.

Veterinarians around the world create prescription diets that have not only been rigorously studied and developed, but are also palatable to your dog. Unfortunately, all of these products come at a price, which may not be attainable for many families. My picks for foods 5-8 are all great options in a non-prescription formula. This makes these foods much more accessible to families not only due to being more affordable, but also being easier to obtain. As with any food, please follow-up with your regular veterinarian about what may be best, and what may not be best, for your dog with arthritis.

Featured Image Credit: Iryna Imago, Shutterstock

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate (you can leave written feedback after clicking submit)

Help us improve Dogster for pet parents!

Your feedback really matters.

What did you like about this post? Also how can we improve it?