Green lipped mussel powder for dogs, anyone?
Or…have you ever not been able to see the forest for the trees? I have, and just recently, too. Except in my case, I wasn’t able to see the powder for the mussels…let me explain.
I came across the superfood Green Lipped Mussels earlier this year when hearing about Boo Boo’s Best. They’re a company who sell them in dehydrated dog treat form.
I purchased a bag of their Mighty Mussels and was stoked to see that the pups enjoyed their seafood treat!
Disclaimer: This blog post was originally published in 2016 and has been updated in 2023. It contains affiliate links I may earn compensation through at no additional cost to you.
Green Lipped Mussels for Dogs Benefits
First things first – Green Lipped Mussels are naturally rich in glucosamine and chondroitin which provide anti-inflammatory and lubricating joint health support.
Green Lipped Mussels also contain Omega-3, 6 & 9 fatty acids as well as vitamins and minerals such as B Vitamins and zinc, iodine and selenium.
They contribute to a healthy skin, coat, brain- & cardiovascular health, making them a superfood which boosts the K9 immune system.
The same goes for our human immune system, by the way.
They are only found in the pristine waters of New Zealand.
That’s where they’re farmed without the use of growth hormones and/or pesticides.
I’ve mentioned them before in my blog post about healing treats:
Arthritis? Joint Pain? Lend Your Dog’s Joints A Hand With These Healing Treats
However, I also kept hearing about using green lipped mussel powder for dogs as a supplement in my pups’ food.
That’s why I became more and more interested in finding a good green lipped mussel powder as a food topper for their raw dog food.
Update 2023: It used to be hard to find green lipped mussel powders for dogs. However, there are a few great ones nowadays. I mention these alternatives towards the end of this blog post, so stay tuned!
So while I kept looking for a green lipped mussel powder for dogs, it suddenly struck me the other day when looking at my mortar and pestle.
Why not crush the dehydrated green lipped mussels I stocked up on during Boo Boo’s Best’s end of summer sale?!
I figured it’d be worth a shot and have to say that I’m pleased with the end result.
While I had fed one bag of the mussels as treats, I ended up crushing the remaining 8 ounces of green lipped mussels in the mortar and pestle.
Next, I transferred them over into my food processor for a finer grind and chose an empty glass jar to store the green lipped mussel powder in.
How Much Green Lipped Mussel Powder for Dogs?
According to Dogs Naturally Magazine founder Dana Scott, dogs can have the following daily amount of green lipped mussels/green lipped mussel powder:
- 0-10 pounds: 200mg (0.007oz)
- 11-25 pounds: 400mg (0.014oz)
- 26-50 pounds: 800mg (0.02oz)
- 51-75 pounds: 1,200mg (0.04oz)
- 76+ pounds: 2,400mg (0.08oz)
That translates into 0.02 oz for Missy who weighs 50lb, which is just about 1/4 of a 1/4 teaspoon, and 0.04 oz for Buzz who weighs 70lb.
I did the math by multiplying the pups’ respective body weight by 15 mg, and then converted the result into ounces using an online conversion tool.
Don’t Feed Green Lipped Mussels If Your Dog Is Allergic To Shellfish
This would be the only con.
If you know that your dog is allergic to shellfish, don’t feed them any Green Lipped Mussels.
Neither in treat form nor as a powder!
Update 2023: My pup Wally can’t have any because he has a shellfish allergy.
Green Lipped Mussels As An Overall Health Booster for Dogs
While neither Missy nor Buzz suffer from joint problems, I feed the mighty mussels as an overall health booster along with their raw dog food diet.
But also as a preventative to keep their joints lubricated and arthritis as far away as possible!
The mussels can either be fed as a treat or crushed/ground as a dog food topper.
I will continue my search of a commercial green lipped mussel powder – in the meantime I’m using my homemade powder that’s stored in my pretty glass jar.
Update 2023: Store-Bought Green Lipped Mussel Powder for Dogs
I ended up finding a Green Lipped Mussel Powder on Amazon by Super Snouts. It’s around $43 for 150 grams = 5.3 oz. The daily serving suggestion is the following:
- 0-25 pounds: 1 scoop (300mg=0.01oz)
- 26-50 pounds: 2 scoops (600mg=0.02oz)
- 51-76 pounds: 3 scoops (900mg=0.03oz)
- 76+ pounds: 4 scoops (1200mg=0.04oz)
Raw Paws Pet Food also carries a Green Lipped Mussel Powder that’s mixed with Turmeric, Pumpkin, Cinnamon and Ginger! It’s around $36 for 10oz. The daily serving suggestion is 1/2 teaspoon per 25lb of body weight.
-> Tip: Save 15% with my affiliate code K9Savings.
Leave your comments or questions below in the comment section!
6 comments
Very creative! I wonder if you could skip the mortar & pestle and just use the food processor? This sounds like something that would be great for my crew with all of their joint issues; but since I’m allergic to shellfish myself I’m a little paranoid about handling it. 🙁
Thanks Jan! Yes, if your food processor is powerful enough, I’m sure you could bypass the mortar & pestle. Mine isn’t the most powerful one, so I wanted to crush the mussels up a little before putting them into the machine – their consistency is pretty tough. I do understand your handling precaution – maybe if you wore gloves you could try the mussels with your pups?
Great idea!!!
I only have the problem, that this kind of mussels are hard to get over here in Germany *lol*, but maybe I can order them. Seems like a healthy DIY ;-)…
Kisses Danni
Hi Danni 🙂 Thank you! HA, look what I found for you:
https://www.zoobedarf-hitzegrad.de/Hund/Nahrungsergaenzung/Gruenlippmuschelmehl/
**Bussis & Schwanzwedeln von der anderen Seite des großen Teiches**
How long can you store them? Those might be a great treat for my senior dogs.
The dehydrated Mussels last up to one year as long as you store them in a dry, cool place, but definitely avoid areas that are subject to temperature change such as the garage. That could cause moisture buildup and spoil them. I keep them in an airtight storage container in my pantry.