Quick answer: the tails.com joint supplement is a soft chew made mostly of chickpea flour (23.27%), yeast (19%) and glycerine (15%), with glucosamine (8.33%), green-lipped mussel (6%), turmeric (3.3%) and hyaluronic acid (0.17%) as its joint ingredients, plus flaxseed, vegetable oils, bacon flavouring and black pepper extract. That's three of the six key joint actives: there's no chondroitin, MSM or Boswellia. tails.com doesn't publish the chew weight, so there are no amounts per chew. If you want a broader formula with the amounts on the label, we'd recommend MedPaw Hip & Joint Chews instead: all six key joint actives in a soft chew, with the main amounts per chew printed.
Transparency note: this page is written by MedPaw, which makes a competing joint supplement. tails.com's ingredients come from its own shop page and help centre, linked so you can check them. Everything was checked on 8 October 2026.
The tails.com joint supplement's active ingredients
tails.com Joint Support: joint actives as listed
| Active | Share of the chew | Per chew |
|---|---|---|
| Glucosamine | 8.33% | Not published |
| Green-lipped mussel (New Zealand) | 6% | Not published |
| Flaxseed | 4% | Not published |
| Turmeric | 3.3% (curcumin content not published) | Not published |
| Hyaluronic acid | 0.17% | Not published |
| Black pepper extract | 0.03% | Not published |
| Chondroitin | None listed | |
| MSM | None listed | |
| Boswellia | None listed |
Source: tails.com shop and tails.com help centre, checked 8 October 2026.
Without the weight of a chew, the percentages can't be turned into milligrams. They do show the shape of the formula: the three biggest ingredients (chickpea flour, yeast and glycerine) make up more than half the chew, and there's about 50 times more glucosamine than hyaluronic acid.
Full composition and additives
The shop page lists: chickpea flour 23.27%, yeast 19%, glycerine 15%, glucosamine 8.33%, starch (potato, tapioca) 6.5%, green-lipped mussel 6%, refined vegetable oils 6%, flaxseed 4%, vegetable palatant 4%, turmeric 3.3%, sunflower lecithin powder 2.3%, natural bacon flavouring 1%, antioxidant 1%, vitamin E 0.05%, rosemary extract oil 0.05%, hyaluronic acid 0.17% and black pepper extract 0.03%.
Additives, per kilo: natural preservatives (citric acid, buffered white vinegar) 10,000mg, tocopherol extracts 500mg, rosemary extract 500mg, bacon flavouring 10,000mg and black pepper extract 333mg.
Analytical constituents: protein 20%, fat 11%, fibre 8%, ash 4%, moisture 14%. tails.com says the chews are "Produced in the UK", "Approved by our head vet" and "Made without grain, in a site that handles grain." They're suitable from 14 weeks old.
Allergens
The shop page says: "Contains gluten and molluscs". tails.com's supplement suitability article lists the joint chew's sensitive ingredients as green-lipped mussel, brewer's yeast (which contains gluten) and pea protein. Pea protein isn't on the shop's ingredient list, which names chickpea flour instead, so if your dog has a legume allergy, check the pack you receive. The source of the glucosamine isn't stated. For what tails.com says about which dogs shouldn't have it, see tails.com joint supplement side effects.
What the evidence says about each active
A 2022 meta-analysis of 72 trials by Barbeau-Grégoire et al. (International Journal of Molecular Sciences) looked at supplements for arthritis pain in dogs and cats:
- Glucosamine: the review found glucosamine and chondroitin didn't relieve pain and said they should no longer be recommended for pain management. That applies to every product built on them, MedPaw included. They're widely used to support cartilage, but don't expect them to relieve pain.
- Omega-3: the strongest evidence of any supplement for arthritis pain. The tails.com chew's omega-3 comes from green-lipped mussel and flaxseed; how much your dog gets isn't published.
- Turmeric (curcumin): five studies with mixed results: one negative, two unclear and two positive. tails.com doesn't publish the curcumin content.
- Hyaluronic acid, MSM and Boswellia: too few studies to judge on their own. The tails.com chew has hyaluronic acid but no MSM or Boswellia.
What's missing compared with MedPaw
The tails.com chew has no chondroitin, MSM or Boswellia, all of which MedPaw contains, and no published amounts for the actives it does share. MedPaw has no turmeric, flaxseed or black pepper extract.
Why tails.com customers switch to MedPaw
tails.com Joint Support vs MedPaw: what's in each
| The issue | tails.com (per chew) | MedPaw (per chew) |
|---|---|---|
| Key joint actives | 3 of 6: glucosamine, green-lipped mussel, hyaluronic acid; no amounts published | All 6: glucosamine 170mg, chondroitin 70mg, MSM 185mg, green-lipped mussel 70mg, Boswellia 30mg, plus hyaluronic acid |
| Extras | Turmeric, flaxseed, black pepper extract, vitamin E | Vitamin C 33mg, vitamin E 24 IU, zinc 3mg |
| Allergens | Gluten and molluscs | Mollusc and gluten (brewer's yeast) |
| If it doesn't suit | No money-back guarantee we could find | 60-day money-back guarantee, nothing to send back |
Our recommendation: if you've read the tails.com label and want chondroitin, MSM and Boswellia too, with the main amounts per chew printed, choose MedPaw, unless your dog has a shellfish or gluten allergy. Swap rather than stack, give it six to eight weeks, and if you're not happy, email bark@medpaw.co.uk within 60 days of delivery for a refund. Try MedPaw Hip & Joint Chews.
If nothing has worked so far
If your dog is still stiff or sore after a fair trial of any supplement, see your vet. They may suggest pain relief, weight loss or an omega-3 fish oil at a proper dose, which has the strongest evidence for dogs with arthritis. Read what you can safely give a dog for joint pain and the best fish oil for dogs' joints.
More on tails.com: our tails.com joint supplement reviews and MedPaw vs tails.com. On the actives: hyaluronic acid for dogs and turmeric for dogs.
What is in the tails.com joint supplement?
Chickpea flour, yeast, glycerine, glucosamine (8.33%), potato and tapioca starch, green-lipped mussel (6%), vegetable oils, flaxseed, vegetable palatant, turmeric (3.3%), sunflower lecithin, bacon flavouring, antioxidants, vitamin E, rosemary extract, hyaluronic acid (0.17%) and black pepper extract.
How much glucosamine is in a tails.com joint chew?
It isn't published. Glucosamine makes up 8.33% of the chew, but tails.com doesn't give the chew weight, so you can't work out the milligrams.
Does the tails.com joint supplement contain chondroitin?
No. Chondroitin isn't on the ingredient list, and neither are MSM or Boswellia. MedPaw contains all three.
Is the tails.com joint supplement grain free?
tails.com says it's made without grain, in a site that handles grain, but it also says it contains gluten. It contains molluscs (green-lipped mussel) too.
Is the tails.com chew or MedPaw stronger?
We can't say for the actives they share, because tails.com doesn't publish amounts per chew. MedPaw has the broader formula, with chondroitin, MSM and Boswellia, and lists the main amounts per chew.
Can I switch from the tails.com joint supplement to MedPaw straight away?
Yes. Stop the tails.com chews and start MedPaw the next day. There's no need for a gap, and you shouldn't give both. Check with your vet first if your dog takes any medication.
