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 green lipped mussels…let me explain.
I first came across the superfood Green Lipped Mussels when I heard about a brand called Boo Boo’s Best way back in 2016. They’re a company who used to sell dehydrated GLMs for dog joint health.
When I purchased a bag of their Mighty Mussels, I was stoked to see that the pups enjoyed their seafood treat!
Green Lipped Mussels (GLMs) 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, which makes them a superfood that boosts the doggie immune system.
The same goes for our human immune system, by the way.
GLMs 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 dog treats.
However, I also kept hearing about using green lipped mussel powder for dogs as a supplement in my pups’ raw dog 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.
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By the way, 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 one day when I looked 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?
Dogs can have the following daily amount of 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!
My pup Wally couldn’t have any for quite some time because of his 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: 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 $45 for 5.29oz. 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.
Leave your comments or questions below in the comment section!
Related Reading
- Where to buy raw green lipped mussels for dogs
- How to feed raw fish for dogs
- Phytoplankton for dogs
- Benefit of kelp for dogs
Barbara Rivers is the founder of K9sOverCoffee and a raw feeding educator with over a decade of hands-on experience.
She has fed raw in the US and Europe since 2015, after her Boxer mix Missy’s cancer diagnosis led her to move away from processed kibble and commit to species-appropriate nutrition.
As a former professional dog walker, she developed deep insight into canine behavior, conditioning, and the essential link between proper exercise and long-term health.
Barbara completed online training with veterinarian Dr. Marion Smart and Labrador breeder Dana Scott and works for one of Germany’s leading raw dog food brands, BARFER’S.
In 2026–2027, she is completing a year-long raw nutrition certification for dogs and cats at THP School, founded by raw feeding pioneer Swanie Simon.
Through her blog and weekly newsletter, she provides clear, experience-based guidance to help dog owners feed raw safely and confidently.
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.
Hello. could I use this powder and mix in my homemade dog treats? Its fine to be cooked in with the homemade dog treats?
Hi Amber, yes, absolutely! I think that’s a great idea that’ll enhance any dog treats (as long as your pup doesn’t have a shellfish allergy, like my pup Wally)!
Hi, I work at Healthy Pets – a specialty pet shop in Salt Lake City! We have a couple different options for sale re Green Lipped Mussels. So it’s definitely commercially available :)
1. Super Snouts JOINT POWER (100% powdered GLM)
2. Northwest Naturals GLM (bulk option, whole freeze-dried mussels sold by the quarter pound) … Personally, this is what I go with. I purchase mine in bulk from the shop and powder it myself at home as this seems to be the most cost-effective option.
(posted Feb 2025)