Green Lipped Mussels (GLMs) are a natural joint health supplement for dogs. These types of mussels can only be found off the coast of New Zealand and can be fed raw, dehydrated, air-dried, or even as a powder. I tend to feed them mostly raw to my dogs but will do dehydrated as well to give offer them as treats for my dogs.
Although my dogs don’t have joint issues, my oldest two dogs are both 4 years old and my youngest is a year old, I still feel they can benefit from these mussels. I source them raw from Raw Feeding Miami or order them dehydrated from K9KandyBoxes. I order lots of the treats for my dogs from K9KandyBoxes as I don’t have a dehydrator myself.
What are Green Lipped Mussels?
As mentioned above, Green Lipped Mussels are native to New Zealand. They have a bright green stripe on its shell and the distinctive green lip on the inside of the shell.
Green lipped mussels have always been used by the Maori, a Polynesian people in New Zealand. Scientists soon noticed that the Maori people living on the coast had much lower rates of arthritis compared to inland Maori people.
Benefits of GLMs for Dogs
These GLMs are valuable on a nutritious level for your dog. They are a natural source of:
- Omega Fatty Acids
- Glucosamine
- Chondroitin
- Vitamins
- Minerals
All of these make them a great anti-inflammatory food that alleviates joint pain, promotes skin & coat health, as well as brain function.
How Much Green Lipped Mussel Should Dogs Get?
Researchers have established a safe and effective dosage in dogs. Generally speaking, you want to give your dog 20-49 mg/kg/day of green lipped mussel.
The dose of green lipped mussel by weight is:
- 0-10 lbs: 200mg
- 11-25 lbs: 400mg
- 26-50 lbs: 800mg
- 51-75 lbs: 1,200mg
- 76+ lbs: 2,400mg
Remember, you’ll also want to see a nutritional analysis of your dog’s green lipped mussels … because you want to see at least 6% fat content. Anything less and your dog likely won’t get much benefit. So green lipped mussels are a great way to both prevent and manage arthritis in dogs.
It’s up to you whether you want to feed a whole dehydrated mussel as a treat or top your pup’s food with one or two (depending on your dog’s size). Dogs over 50 lbs can have 1 mussel per day. Those weighing less are fine with half a mussel or a smaller one.
A word of caution – don’t feed your dog GLMs if he or she is allergic to shellfish.
You can find out which food sources your dog does poorly on by taking a simple test. Your vet might offer one, and there are also several different tests available online.
What is your dog’s favorite way to eat a green lipped mussel? Let me know in the comments below.
Wanting to make your dog their own healthy treats? Check out this Chicken & Strawberry Treat.
