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If your dog has started taking the stairs a little more carefully, or your cat has stopped making the jump onto the windowsill in one go, you have probably begun reading up on joint supplements. Green lipped mussel, rose hip, MSM – there is a lot to take in. This one is about collagen: what it actually is, why it matters more as they get older, and exactly how much to give.
What is collagen, and what does it do?
Collagen is a structural protein, and it is the material your pet's body uses to build the parts that take the strain. It is found in joints, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and bones, and it is in skin, coat and nails too. Think of it as the scaffolding: it is what holds the whole frame together and lets it move smoothly.
The body makes its own collagen, and for a young, growing animal it makes plenty. That is the bit that changes with age.
Why it matters more as they get older
As dogs grow older they produce less collagen than they used to, which can leave them more susceptible to joint and bone problems. Nothing dramatic happens overnight – it is the slow, familiar picture of a dog who takes a moment longer to get up, or who would rather be lifted into the car than jump.
Feeding collagen is simply a way of topping up what the body is no longer making in the same quantity. Our Collagen Powder gives your pet the amino acids that support the collagen already in their cartilage, tendons, joints and ligaments, and used daily it offers nutritional support where age or diet has left a gap. It is also useful for young and growing animals, whose bodies are building that scaffolding in the first place.
Where ours comes from
Ours is marine collagen, not collagen from grazing animals, and we chose that deliberately – fish collagen is easier for your pet's body to process.
It is made exclusively from deep-sea cod skin (Gadus morhua), harvested from the North Atlantic and from sustainable wild catch only. Nothing else goes in: only the skin of the sea fish is processed, so there are no further additives, no fillers and no grain. The powder is almost tasteless, which is why even fussy pets tend to accept it, and it dissolves easily into food.
How much does your dog or cat need?
Every tub comes with a dosing spoon, and one level spoon holds 2 g. Here is the daily amount, straight from the feeding guide on the pack.
| Dogs | Cats | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily amount | 2 g per 10 kg of body weight | 1 g daily, for cats up to 5 kg |
| In dosing spoons | 1 level spoon per 10 kg | Half a level spoon |
| How to give it | Mixed into the daily food | Mixed into the daily food |
| How long a 250 g tub lasts | About 125 days for a 10 kg dog, about 62 days for a 20 kg dog | About 250 days for a 5 kg cat |
The amount can be increased as needed. Store the tub somewhere cool and dry, out of direct light.
What is actually in the tub?
One ingredient, and nothing else: sea fish collagen powder from controlled wild catch. These are its analytical constituents.
| Crude protein | 97.0% |
|---|---|
| Crude fat | 0.1% |
| Crude fibre | 0.0% |
| Crude ash | 1.0% |
97% crude protein is the short version of "this is collagen and very little else".
Can you feed it alongside your other joint supplements?
Yes. Collagen Powder is made to sit alongside the rest of the joint range rather than replace any of it, and we particularly recommend pairing it with Rose Hip Powder, which can also help joints. Handily, rose hip is fed at the same 2 g per 10 kg a day for dogs, so the routine is easy – one spoon of each into the same bowl.
If you are still working out which supplement does what, we have written about how green lipped mussel works for ageing dogs and about green lipped mussel and rose hip together, and there is a side-by-side joint products overview table if you would rather see the whole range at once.
Still not sure if it is the right one?
Honestly, you cannot go far wrong here – these are supplements that work in different ways rather than better and worse ones. If what you want is to support the structure itself, the cartilage and tendons and ligaments, collagen is the one that does that job directly. If you would rather start somewhere broader, green lipped mussel is the one most owners begin with. And if your dog or cat is already on something and getting on well with it, adding collagen alongside is a perfectly reasonable next step rather than a swap.
If your pet is showing signs of real discomfort rather than ordinary stiffness, speak to your vet first. A supplement is there to support a healthy routine, not to replace a proper look at what is going on.
Shop the joint range
Collagen Powder 250 g – £27.99
Pure sea fish collagen from sustainable wild catch, 97% crude protein, dosing spoon included.
Rose Hip Powder – 250 g £12.99, 500 g £21.99
The one we recommend pairing with collagen. Same 2 g per 10 kg a day for dogs, measuring spoon included.
Green Lipped Mussel Powder – 100 g £18.99, 250 g £31.99, 500 g £47.99, 1 kg £84.99
Where most owners start with joint support, and it comes in four sizes.
Whichever you choose, the thing that makes the difference is doing it every day. Pop the spoon in the tub, the tub somewhere you will see it, and let it become part of dinner.
AniForte® – natural pet care since 2013.
