How much glucosamine should I give my dog?
A 50 lb dog needs about 330 mg of glucosamine a day, and Cosequin Chewable Tablets with MSM gives 600 mg for $0.26 a day ($0.53 a day for the first 6 weeks).1 For the lowest cost with the NASC seal, PetNC Natural Care Hip & Joint Soft Chews gives 500 mg for $0.19 a day ($0.38 for the first 4 to 6 weeks).
Best for most dogs
Cosequin Chewable Tablets with MSM
600 mg glucosamine a day1 tablet a day for a 50 lb dog$0.26 a dayfirst 6 weeks: 2 tablets, $0.53 a day2
Lowest cost at the guide dose, with the NASC seal
PetNC Natural Care Hip & Joint Soft Chews
500 mg glucosamine a day2 chews a day for a 50 lb dog$0.19 a dayfirst 4 to 6 weeks: 4 chews, $0.38 a dayNASC seal3
Most glucosamine for the money
Yuma's Glucosamine Hip & Joint Chews, 240 ct
750 mg glucosamine a day3 chews a day for a 50 lb dog$0.27 a day4
Why these three: Cosequin Chewable Tablets with MSM gives 600 mg of glucosamine (180% of the 330 mg guide) with 300 mg of chondroitin in 1 tablet a day, the lowest cost of the chews that give 600 mg or more. PetNC Natural Care Hip & Joint Soft Chews is the lowest cost of the sealed chews that reach the guide. Yuma's Glucosamine Hip & Joint Chews, 240 ct gives the most glucosamine per dollar: 2,779 mg for each $1 a day. Prices on Amazon, October 28, 2026.1, 5, 6
Glucosamine a day, by weight
500 mg per 75 lb, scaled
Glucosamine guide: Matt Brunke, DVM, via dvm360 (2017). Labels read October 2026.
Glucosamine dose by weight
For glucosamine hydrochloride, Matt Brunke, DVM, gives 500 to 1,000 mg a day for a 75 lb dog, about 15 mg per kg at the low end, and twice that for the first 4 to 6 weeks.1 The math: 500 mg ÷ 75 lb = 6.7 mg per pound, so a 50 lb dog gets 500 × 50 ÷ 75 = 330 mg. A second veterinary page, DogCancer.com, gives 15 to 30 mg per kg a day for the first month or so, then 7.5 to 15 mg per kg.7 At 50 lb (23 kg) that is 340 mg to 680 mg to start and 170 mg to 340 mg after. The two sources split it differently: DogCancer.com's starting dose is the same as Brunke's daily dose, and its later dose is half of it.
Read the glucosamine line on the label, not the total weight of the chew or the "joint blend". Chondroitin is dosed the same as glucosamine.1 The best chews for each size are on our pages for best joint supplements for dogs: large dogs, small dogs and senior dogs. For fish oil, see how much fish oil to give a dog.
Each day = 500 to 1,000 mg for a 75 lb dog (Brunke, dvm360), scaled by weight, rounded. First 4 to 6 weeks = twice that. DogCancer.com = 15 to 30 mg per kg a day to start, then 7.5 to 15 mg per kg. Cheapest = the lowest cost a day among chews whose label dose for that weight reaches the low end, at the Amazon price read October 28, 2026.
| Dog's weight | Each day | First 4 to 6 weeks | DogCancer.com | Cheapest at the low end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 lb (5 kg) | 70 mg to 130 mg | 130 mg to 270 mg | 70 mg to 140 mg, then 30 mg to 70 mg | PetNC Natural Care Hip & Joint Soft Chews: 125 mg, $0.05 a day |
| 25 lb (11 kg) | 170 mg to 330 mg | 330 mg to 670 mg | 170 mg to 340 mg, then 90 mg to 170 mg | PetNC Natural Care Hip & Joint Soft Chews: 250 mg, $0.09 a day |
| 50 lb (23 kg) | 330 mg to 670 mg | 670 mg to 1,330 mg | 340 mg to 680 mg, then 170 mg to 340 mg | PetNC Natural Care Hip & Joint Soft Chews: 500 mg, $0.19 a day |
| 75 lb (34 kg) | 500 mg to 1,000 mg | 1,000 mg to 2,000 mg | 510 mg to 1,020 mg, then 260 mg to 510 mg | PetNC Natural Care Hip & Joint Soft Chews: 500 mg, $0.19 a day |
| 100 lb (45 kg) | 670 mg to 1,330 mg | 1,330 mg to 2,670 mg | 680 mg to 1,360 mg, then 340 mg to 680 mg | PetNC Natural Care Hip & Joint Soft Chews: 750 mg, $0.28 a day |
Glucosamine calculator
Type your dog's weight. You get the daily amount, then every product made for a dog that size with its own label dose and what that costs a day.
Every glucosamine chew: what a 50 lb dog gets
The glucosamine in each serving, how many servings reach 330 mg a day, what the label gives a 50 lb dog, and what that costs. Cheapest first. 8 of the 20 reach it in one serving; the other 12 take two or more. 10 more are made only for smaller or larger dogs; the calculator above shows them at the weight they are made for.
Label gives a day = the servings the label says to give a 50 lb dog, times the glucosamine in each; where a label starts higher for 4 to 6 weeks, this is the dose after that. At the start = the label's starting dose for the first weeks, where it has one. Cost = the label dose after the start, at the Amazon price read October 28, 2026.
| Product | Glucosamine per serving | To reach 330 mg | Label gives a day | At the start | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PetNC Natural Care Hip & Joint Soft Chews (NASC seal) | 250 mg per chew | 1.3 chews | 500 mg (150% of the guide) | 4 chews, $0.38 a day | $0.19 a day |
| Cosequin Chewable Tablets with MSM | 600 mg per tablet | 1 tablet or less | 600 mg (180% of the guide) | 2 tablets, $0.53 a day | $0.26 a day |
| Yuma's Glucosamine Hip & Joint Chews, 240 ct | 250 mg per chew | 1.3 chews | 750 mg (225% of the guide) | same | $0.27 a day |
| Vet Promise Hip & Joint Glucosamine Chews | 250 mg per chew | 1.3 chews | 750 mg (225% of the guide) | same | $0.28 a day |
| Petsology Glucosamine Hip + Joint Soft Chews | 250 mg per chew | 1.3 chews | 750 mg (225% of the guide) | same | $0.29 a day |
| Chew + Heal Essential Hip + Joint Soft Chews | 250 mg per chew | 1.3 chews | 500 mg (150% of the guide) | same | $0.30 a day |
| Yuma's Glucosamine Hip & Joint Chews, 170 ct | 250 mg per chew | 1.3 chews | 750 mg (225% of the guide) | same | $0.33 a day |
| Cosequin Skin & Coat Soft Chews | 600 mg per chew | 1 chew or less | 600 mg (180% of the guide) | 2 chews, $0.67 a day | $0.33 a day |
| TTLXRL Hip + Joint Chews, Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM (Chicken), 200 ct | 300 mg per chew | 1.1 chews | 900 mg (270% of the guide) | same | $0.39 a day |
| Dasuquin with MSM Chewable Tablets, Small/Medium Dogs | 600 mg per tablet | 1 tablet or less | 600 mg (180% of the guide) | 2 tablets, $0.87 a day | $0.43 a day |
| StrellaLab Advanced Glucosamine Hip & Joint Chews | 250 mg per chew | 1.3 chews | 750 mg (225% of the guide) | same | $0.45 a day |
| Cosequin Senior Soft Chews | 600 mg per chew | 1 chew or less | 600 mg (180% of the guide) | 2 chews, $0.90 a day | $0.45 a day |
| Amazon Basics Hip & Joint Chews | 100 mg per chew | 3.3 chews | 200 mg (60% of the guide) | 4 chews, $1.00 a day | $0.50 a day |
| Dasuquin with MSM Soft Chews, Small/Medium Dogs | 600 mg per chew | 1 chew or less | 600 mg (180% of the guide) | 2 chews, $1.19 a day | $0.60 a day |
| Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements Joint Care, Medium/Large Dogs (NASC seal) | 245 mg per chew | 1.4 chews | 245 mg (74% of the guide) | same | $0.67 a day |
| NaturVet Glucosamine DS Plus Level 2 Soft Chews (NASC seal) | 250 mg per chew | 1.3 chews | 750 mg (225% of the guide) | 6 chews, $1.43 a day | $0.72 a day |
| Pet Honesty Hemp Hip + Joint Health Senior Soft Chews (Chicken) (NASC seal) | 400 mg per chew | 1 chew or less | 800 mg (240% of the guide) | same | $0.96 a day |
| Greenies Supplements Hip & Joint Soft Chews, Chicken Flavor (NASC seal) | 500 mg per chew | 1 chew or less | 1,000 mg (300% of the guide) | same | $1.13 a day |
| PetLab Co. Joint Care Chews (NASC seal) | 600 mg per chew | 1 chew or less | 600 mg (180% of the guide) | same | $1.20 a day |
| Chew + Heal Senior Hip + Joint Advanced Soft Chews | 200 mg per chew | 1.7 chews | 600 mg (180% of the guide) | 6 chews, $2.50 a day | $1.25 a day |
Source: Each brand's label; Amazon prices read October 28, 20261, 5
What the research says
One trial of 35 dogs with hip or elbow osteoarthritis found that glucosamine plus chondroitin improved pain scores, severity and weight-bearing by day 70.1 A 2022 review of arthritis trials in dogs and cats counted 9 trials of glucosamine and chondroitin products, 8 with no effect and one with improvement, and 20 omega-3 trials, with only 2 finding no benefit.8 For the omega-3 dose, see how much fish oil to give a dog.
Questions people ask
- How much glucosamine should I give my dog by weight?
- One vet's guide is 500 to 1,000 mg a day for a 75 lb dog. Using the low end and scaling by weight, that is about 170 mg for 25 lb, 330 mg for 50 lb, 500 mg for 75 lb and 670 mg for 100 lb, with twice that for the first 4 to 6 weeks.
- How much glucosamine for dogs per pound?
- About 6.7 mg per pound a day at the low end of the guide (13.3 mg per pound at the top), and twice that for the first 4 to 6 weeks.
- How much glucosamine per kg for dogs?
- The vet guide works out to about 15 mg per kg a day at the low end. DogCancer.com gives 15 to 30 mg per kg a day for the first month or so, then 7.5 to 15 mg per kg.
- How much glucosamine for a small dog?
- A 10 lb dog gets about 70 mg to 130 mg a day. See our page on small dogs.
- How much glucosamine for a large dog?
- A 100 lb dog gets about 670 mg to 1,330 mg a day. See our page on large dogs.
- How much glucosamine and chondroitin for dogs?
- Chondroitin is dosed the same as glucosamine, so a 50 lb dog gets about 330 mg of each a day. Cosequin Chewable Tablets with MSM gives 600 mg of glucosamine and 300 mg of chondroitin for $0.26 a day.
Notes and sources
- Glucosamine per serving and the dose by weight come from each brand's label, read October 2026. See how we do the math.
- The glucosamine amounts are for glucosamine hydrochloride, which is what the vet guide covers; labels that print sulfate or another form are shown as printed.
- How we pick: Cosequin Chewable Tablets with MSM is the lowest cost of the chews that give 600 mg or more of glucosamine a day (the same rule as our joint supplement page); PetNC Natural Care Hip & Joint Soft Chews is the cheapest chew from a maker with the NASC Quality Seal that reaches the 330 mg guide; Yuma's Glucosamine Hip & Joint Chews, 240 ct gives the most glucosamine a day per dollar.
- The NASC Quality Seal is from NASC's own member list.
- Product photos come from Amazon.
- Prices checked on Amazon October 28, 2026. Published .
Sources
- Wooten SJ (DVM), "Joint supplements for dogs: The helpful vs. the hype," dvm360, June 16, 2017 (from Matt Brunke, DVM: glucosamine hydrochloride maintenance 500 to 1,000 mg for a 75 lb dog, "about 15 mg/kg", and twice that for the first 4 to 6 weeks; a 35-dog glucosamine and chondroitin trial that improved by day 70), read October 28, 2026.
- Nutramax label: Cosequin Joint, Chewable Tablets, read October 2026.
- PetNC Natural Care label: Hip & Joint Soft Chews (Liver Flavor), read October 2026.
- Yuma's label: Glucosamine Hip & Joint Chews, read October 2026.
- Prices: Amazon product data, read October 28, 2026. Cost per serving = listing price divided by the servings in the container.
- National Animal Supplement Council, member list, read October 28, 2026.
- Carmine C (DVM), Miceli R (PhD), reviewed by Talesnick L (DVM) and Britton B (DVM, DACVIM), "Glucosamine for Dogs," DogCancer.com, January 24, 2024 (15 to 30 mg per kg a day to start, 7.5 to 15 mg per kg after about a month), read October 28, 2026.
- Barbeau-Grégoire M, Otis C, Cournoyer A, Moreau M, Lussier B, Troncy E, "A 2022 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Enriched Therapeutic Diets and Nutraceuticals in Canine and Feline Osteoarthritis," International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022 (Université de Montréal), read October 28, 2026.
Labels for the products in the tables
- Amazon Basics: Dog Hip & Joint Daily Supplement Chews with Glucosamine, MSM and Green-Lipped Mussel (Duck flavor).
- Chew + Heal Labs: + Heal Essential Hip + Joint Mobility Soft Chews (Chicken Flavor), + Heal Senior Hip + Joint Advanced Formula Soft Chews (Chicken).
- Greenies: Supplements Hip & Joint Soft Chews, Chicken Flavor.
- NaturVet: Glucosamine DS Plus Level 2 Moderate Care Soft Chews (dogs and cats).
- Nutramax: Cosequin Joint Supplement for Senior Dogs, Soft Chews, Cosequin Joint, Chewable Tablets, Cosequin Joint, Skin & Coat, Soft Chews, Dasuquin with MSM Joint Health Supplement for Small to Medium Dogs under 60 lbs, Chewable Tablets, Dasuquin with MSM Soft Chews for Small/Medium Dogs.
- Pet Honesty: Hemp Hip + Joint Health Senior Soft Chews (Chicken).
- PetLab Co.: Joint Care Chews (Pork).
- PetNC Natural Care: Hip & Joint Soft Chews (Liver Flavor).
- Petsology: Glucosamine Hip + Joint Soft Chews.
- Purina Pro Plan: Veterinary Supplements Joint Care, Medium/Large dogs, soft chews.
- StrellaLab: Advanced Glucosamine Hip & Joint (Omega-3, Chondroitin, MSM).
- TTLXRL: Hip + Joint Chews, Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM (Chicken), 200 ct.
- Vet Promise: Hip & Joint Glucosamine with Chondroitin, Turmeric, Green Lipped Mussel (Beef).
- Yuma's: Glucosamine Hip & Joint Chews, Glucosamine Hip & Joint Chews, Chicken, 170 ct (2-pack listing).