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AniForte Green Lipped Mussel Powder 100g tub, freeze-dried joint supplement for dogs and cats

AniForte Green Lipped Mussel Powder for Dogs and Cats

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Green lipped mussel is the joint supplement most people land on eventually, usually around the time a dog starts taking the stairs one at a time. The catch is that not all of it is the same, and the differences aren't obvious from the front of the tub.

This one is whole mussel. AniForte source it from a licensed marine farm in New Zealand and freeze-dry the mussel entire, gently, which they say preserves almost all of the original nutrients. Nothing is extracted out of it afterwards. That's why it runs at 8% fat, and AniForte are clear that they treat the fat as a quality marker rather than something to strip away, because the fat is where the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids live. Plenty of powders in this category are de-fatted. This isn't.

What that leaves you with is 3.3% glycosaminoglycans, 3.2% omega-3 and 0.63% omega-6, at 66% crude protein. GAGs are the building blocks the body uses in and around the joints, and animals often can't produce them in the quantities they need on their own, so supplementing supports joints and tendons over the long term. There's also ETA, a fatty acid in green lipped mussel that reduces the production of cyclooxygenase, the enzyme behind inflammation, meaning less pain, less inflammation and improved mobility. It's also a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin, vitamins C and E, antioxidants and the minerals copper, zinc and selenium. AniForte reference a peer-reviewed paper on green-lipped mussel in canine osteoarthritis on their own product page, which is more than most brands in this category put their name to.

Dosing is small and the powder mixes straight into food. Half a gram per 10kg of dog daily, so a 20kg dog is on 1g, and there's a 2g scoop in the tub. AniForte say the amount can be doubled if needed, and suggest starting at half the dose for the first three to five days to let your dog get used to it. At that rate a 100g tub covers a 20kg dog for around three months.

It suits dogs and cats of any age. AniForte position it as something for young animals as well as seniors, on the grounds that joints are easier to look after before there's a problem than after.

Why We Love It

  • Whole mussel, gently freeze-dried, with nothing extracted back out of it
  • Full fat at 8%, which AniForte treat as a quality marker because it's where the omega-3 and omega-6 sit
  • 3.3% glycosaminoglycans, 3.2% omega-3, 0.63% omega-6 and 66% crude protein
  • Sourced from a licensed marine farm in New Zealand
  • A natural source of glucosamine, chondroitin, vitamins C and E, copper, zinc and selenium
  • No artificial additives, fillers or cereals
  • Tiny daily dose, so a tub lasts months. Dosing scoop included
  • Suits dogs and cats of any age, young ones as well as old ones
  • AniForte cite a peer-reviewed study on their own product page

How much to give, and how long a tub lasts

Half a gram per 10kg of bodyweight, daily. Cats have 0.5g. One level scoop is 2g. Stir it straight into food.

AniForte suggest starting at half the daily amount for the first three to five days so your dog gets used to it, and say the dose can be doubled if needed.

Your dog Daily amount 100g tub lasts 250g tub lasts Cost per day (250g tub)
Cat, or dog up to 10kg 0.5g About 6 months Over a year About 6p
20kg 1g About 3 months About 8 months About 13p
30kg 1.5g About 9 weeks About 5 months About 19p
40kg 2g (1 scoop) About 7 weeks About 4 months About 26p
50kg 2.5g About 6 weeks About 3 months About 32p

Which size? The 250g works out about a third cheaper per gram than the 100g, so for anything much over 20kg it's the sensible buy and it'll still last months. The 100g is the better starting point for a cat, a small dog, or if you want to try it before committing. AniForte make the same point themselves, recommending the smaller sizes for cats and smaller dogs simply because of how little they get through.

A note on the powder: some clumping is normal. AniForte say it doesn't affect quality, and a fork breaks it up.

How to tell a good green lipped mussel powder from a cheap one

Prices in this category range enormously, and the reason usually comes down to four things. Worth knowing what you're comparing.

Whole mussel or an extract? Some powders are made from extracted fractions rather than the mussel itself. AniForte process the mussel as a whole and don't extract anything back out of it.

Full fat or de-fatted? De-fatting extends shelf life and cuts cost, but the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are in the fat. AniForte's runs at 8% and they treat that number as a selling point rather than something to keep quiet about.

Freeze-dried or heat-dried? Heat is quicker and cheaper. AniForte freeze-dry gently, which they say preserves almost all of the original nutrients.

Where is it from, and is the GAG content published? AniForte's comes from a licensed marine farm in New Zealand, and they publish the figures: 3.3% glycosaminoglycans, 3.2% omega-3, 0.63% omega-6.

If a tub doesn't tell you these things, that's usually the answer to why it's cheaper.

Composition & specification

Composition: Green-lipped mussel powder (3.3% glycosaminoglycans, 3.2% omega-3 fatty acids, 0.63% omega-6 fatty acids)

Analytical constituents: Crude protein 66.0%, crude fibre less than 0.5%, crude ash 6.9%, crude fat 8.0%

Source: Licensed marine farm, New Zealand (Perna canaliculus)

Processing: Whole mussel, gently freeze-dried, not de-fatted, no extracts

Free from: Artificial additives, fillers, cereals

Sizes stocked: 100g and 250g

Includes: Dosing spoon (1 level scoop = 2g)

Suitable for: Dogs and cats of any age

Feeding: 0.5g per 10kg of bodyweight daily for dogs. Cats 0.5g daily. Can be increased to double if needed. Start at 50% of the daily dose for three to five days to acclimatise. Mixes easily into food.

Storage: Store in a cool, dry, light-protected place. Some clumping of the powder may occur. This does not affect quality, simply break up any clumps with a fork before use.

AniForte Green Lipped Mussel Powder FAQ's

Yes, and unusually for this category AniForte cite a peer-reviewed paper on green-lipped mussel in canine osteoarthritis on their own product page rather than simply asserting it. The mechanism works two ways. Green lipped mussel supplies glycosaminoglycans, which animals often can't produce in the quantities they need, and which support the joints and tendons over time. It also contains ETA, a fatty acid that reduces production of cyclooxygenase, the enzyme behind inflammation, meaning less pain, less inflammation and improved mobility. The effects tend to show up fairly quickly.

Four things, and they explain most of the price differences in this category. Whether it's whole mussel or an extract. Whether it's full fat or de-fatted, since the omega-3 and omega-6 are in the fat. Whether it's freeze-dried or heat-dried. And whether the source and the glycosaminoglycan content are actually published. This one is whole mussel, full fat at 8%, gently freeze-dried, from a licensed New Zealand marine farm, at 3.3% GAGs.
Because that's where the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are. Removing the fat makes a powder cheaper to produce and gives it a longer shelf life, but takes the fatty acids with it. AniForte don't de-fat theirs, which is why it sits at 8%, and they treat that as a quality feature.
Half a gram per 10kg of bodyweight daily. So 0.5g for a 10kg dog, 1g for a 20kg dog, 2g for a 40kg dog. Cats have 0.5g. There's a 2g scoop in the tub. AniForte say the amount can be doubled if needed, and recommend starting at half the dose for the first three to five days.
Longer than people expect, because the dose is small. A 20kg dog gets around three months from the 100g and about eight months from the 250g. There's a full table above including cost per day.
The 250g works out roughly a third cheaper per gram, so for a dog over about 20kg it's the better buy and will still last months. For a cat, a small dog, or a first try, the 100g makes more sense. AniForte recommend the smaller sizes for cats and smaller dogs for exactly that reason.
It's a natural food supplement rather than a medicine, and AniForte's product is 100% green lipped mussel with no artificial additives, fillers or cereals. Green lipped mussel is shellfish, so it isn't the one to choose if your dog has a known shellfish allergy. AniForte suggest introducing it at half the dose for the first few days, which is sensible with any new supplement. If your dog is on medication, particularly anything for pain or inflammation, have a word with your vet before adding it.
Yes to cats, at 0.5g daily, and AniForte state the powder is suitable for dogs, cats and horses of any age. For cats the 100g tub is much the more sensible size.
Both. AniForte say it can benefit young animals as well as seniors, on the basis that it's long-term support and maintenance rather than something you start only once there's a problem.
That's normal for a freeze-dried natural powder and AniForte flag it on the pack. It doesn't affect quality. Break the clumps up with a fork.
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