Hip Dysplasia is a common condition in many  larger breeds of dogs. This condition greatly exacerbates the normal wear on the smooth cartilage in the joints between the bones. When this cartilage wears away there is a bone to bone contact, which creates the pain seen with arthritis. Even dogs that do not have hip dysplasia may experience a decrease in this cartilage as they age, and may show signs of arthritis. Aging dogs may develop arthritis in their knees, elbows, and / or shoulders caused by cartilage loss or damage that responds to glucosamine and chondroitin.

Glucosamine and chondroitin do not prevent the development of hip dysplasia, however many animals that have the condition benefit from being on glucosamine and chondroitin because it helps heal the cartilage and reduce the pain involved with this disease.