Human glucosamine tablets for dogs — do they work?

Human glucosamine tablets for dogs is something I see fairly often — the instinct makes sense, but there are a few reasons it typically doesn't work the way you'd hope. Did the human tablets contain glucosamine alone, or glucosamine and chondroitin together? And were they the standard dose tablets?

Your vet is right on both counts. For a 30–35kg Lab, the therapeutic daily dose of glucosamine is 750–1000mg, so one 500mg tablet is already low. More importantly, human glucosamine supplements often contain additives — sweeteners, particularly xylitol, which is toxic to dogs, and magnesium stearate fillers that dogs don't process as well. The formulation also typically lacks chondroitin and hyaluronic acid, which are important co-factors in canine joint supplements. Switch to YuMOVE Senior — it's the right species, right dose, right combination. The difference in response should be clear.