Quick takeaway: Boswellia serrata is a plant extract featured in many modern joint health formulas — including PetLabCo.’s Joint Care Advanced Chew. Boswellia serrata is known for its potential to help maintain joint comfort, flexibility, and a normal inflammatory response. Boswellia serrata: What Pet Parents Need To Know If you’re exploring ways to support your […]
Boswellia for Dogs: 7 Key Benefits
Published by
Nov 11, 2025
Updated Nov 07, 2025
8 min read·Updated: Nov 07, 2025
Quick takeaway: Boswellia serrata is a plant extract featured in many modern joint health formulas — including PetLabCo.’s Joint Care Advanced Chew. Boswellia serrata is known for its potential to help maintain joint comfort, flexibility, and a normal inflammatory response.
Boswellia serrata: What Pet Parents Need To Know
If you’re exploring ways to support your dog’s mobility and comfort, you may have come across Boswellia — a plant extract that’s becoming a popular ingredient in many canine joint supplements. But what exactly is Boswellia, and how can it support your dog’s flexibility, comfort, and overall movement?
Known for its long history of use in traditional wellness practices, Boswellia serrata is now featured in modern joint health formulas — including PetLabCo.’s Joint Care Advanced Chew — thanks to its potential to help maintain joint comfort, flexibility, and a normal inflammatory response. As pet parents continue to look for suitable, science-backed ways to support their dogs’ wellbeing, Boswellia stands out as a promising addition to a proactive joint care routine.
In this article, we’ll explore what Boswellia is, how it works, and seven key ways it may help support your dog’s mobility as part of a balanced, daily wellness plan.
What Is Boswellia?
The Boswellia serrata tree, native to India, produces a resin sometimes referred to as Indian frankincense. For centuries, this resin has been traditionally used to support joint and digestive health.
The resin contains compounds known as boswellic acids, which have been studied for their potential to support a normal inflammatory response in both humans and animals. Modern research continues to explore how these compounds may help maintain comfort and mobility when included as part of a daily joint health routine.
When it comes to dogs, Boswellia is now a key ingredient in many multi-nutrient joint supplements, including PetLabCo.’s Joint Care Chew Advanced. A growing body of research suggests that Boswellia may help support joint flexibility, mobility, and overall comfort when used consistently.
“Boswellia serrata is increasingly used in joint supplements for dogs because it can support joint comfort in a different way than traditional joint ingredients,” says Darah Wooten, DVM, CVJ. “Rather than focusing solely on cartilage structure, Boswellia adds an inflammatory-modulation element — making it a logical addition to multi-ingredient joint health formulas.”
7 Potential Benefits of Boswellia for Dogs
Scientific and veterinary research suggests that Boswellia may offer a range of supportive benefits for canine joint health. Here are seven potential ways it contributes to a well-rounded mobility routine:
1. Supports a Normal Inflammatory Response
Boswellic acids in Boswellia interact with key pathways that influence the body’s inflammatory processes. By helping maintain a balanced inflammatory response, Boswellia may contribute to greater comfort and ease of movement in dogs showing signs of occasional stiffness.
“Instead of working like traditional NSAIDs, Boswellia acts through a different pathway,” explains Dr. Wooten. “Its unique mechanism, combined with good tolerability and compatibility with other joint-health nutrients, explains its growing use in canine supplements.”
This complementary mode of action, good tolerability and compatibility with other joint-health nutrients help explain its rising use in canine supplements, she adds.
2. Helps Maintain Joint Comfort During Daily Activity
In studies where Boswellia was included as part of a daily routine, researchers observed positive changes in comfort and mobility over several weeks of use. While every dog is different, many pet parents find that Boswellia-containing supplements help their pups move more freely during walks, play, and rest.
Dr. Wooten adds, “Boswellia can help ‘dial down’ the signals that contribute to occasional joint stiffness, allowing for easier, more natural movement.”
3. Supports Dogs Experiencing Occasional Joint Stiffness
As dogs age or lead active lifestyles, additional joint support can help them continue to move with ease. Research suggests Boswellia may help support comfortable movement and joint tissue health when used regularly as part of a proactive wellness plan.
In Dr. Wooten’s words, “Boswellia helps the joint environment ‘calm down,’ so that normal maintenance processes like lubrication and tissue support can function optimally.”
4. Promotes Mobility in Aging and Active Dogs
Whether your pup is slowing down with age or loves high-energy play, Boswellia may help support smooth, flexible movement. By promoting a balanced inflammatory response, it can contribute to comfort and flexibility in dogs of all ages and activity levels.
5. Supports Joint Lubrication and Comfort
Boswellia’s benefits may extend to joint metabolism and synovial fluid balance — the lubrication that cushions bones and supports smooth motion. By helping maintain this natural process, Boswellia contributes to overall joint comfort and mobility.
6. Helps Maintain Mobility in Energetic Breeds
Active and working breeds put extra stress on their joints. Boswellia’s support for joint comfort and flexibility makes it a valuable ingredient for energetic dogs who engage in frequent activity or training.
7. Works Synergistically with Other Joint-Health Ingredients
Boswellia is most beneficial when paired with other science-backed joint-support ingredients such as glucosamine, green lipped mussel, and omega-3 fatty acids.
According to Dr. Wooten:
“Each ingredient plays a unique role. Glucosamine and green lipped mussel provide structural support for cartilage, omega-3s encourage balanced inflammatory signaling, and Boswellia helps modulate irritation — creating a complementary effect that supports daily mobility.”
This combination helps dogs maintain flexibility, comfort, and strength through all stages of life.
PetLabCo.’s Joint Care Advanced – Featuring Boswellia and More
For dog parents looking for an easy, beneficial way to support mobility, PetLabCo.’s Joint Care Chew Advanced offers a vet-reviewed formulation that brings together multiple ingredients to support joint comfort, flexibility, and overall mobility.
Each salmon-flavored soft chew combines:
- Boswellia serrata extract – to support joint comfort and flexibility.
- Glucosamine HCl – helps maintain healthy cartilage and joint lubrication.
- Green-lipped mussel – a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids that support normal inflammatory responses.
- PetLab Co.’s proprietary GLMK-418 Omega Blend™ – provides omega fatty acids to nourish joints and help support daily comfort.
Suitable for dogs aged 12 weeks and older, the soft chews are easy to give and designed to fit seamlessly into your dog’s daily routine.
When used consistently, most pet parents notice positive signs of ease of movement and activity levels over several weeks, though results can vary by dog.
“Boswellia isn’t a cure for joint degeneration,” emphasizes Dr. Wooten, “but it can help improve comfort and quality of movement when used consistently as part of a broader wellness plan.”
FAQs About Boswellia and Joint Support in Dogs
Is Boswellia suitable for dogs?
Yes. Boswellia is a commonly used ingredient in high-quality dog joint supplements. Always consult your veterinarian before adding new supplements to your dog’s diet.
How long does it take to see results?
Dogs typically show signs of improved comfort and flexibility within 4–8 weeks of consistent daily use, though individual results vary.
Can I give Boswellia alone or as part of a supplement?
Boswellia is most often given as part of a multi-ingredient formula, like PetLab Co.’s Joint Care Advanced, which supports multiple aspects of joint health.
What dogs may benefit from joint support?
Dogs showing signs of slower movement, occasional stiffness, or hesitation for walks and play may benefit from a joint supplement that supports comfort and flexibility.
Final Word on Boswellia for Dogs
Boswellia for dogs offers an easy-to-give and well-tolerated way to support joint comfort and mobility as part of a proactive daily care routine. Whether your dog is entering their senior years or simply leads an active lifestyle, supplements containing Boswellia can be a valuable addition to help maintain ease of movement and overall wellbeing.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your veterinarian before introducing new supplements or making changes to your dog’s wellness routine.
WWritten by
Wendy Toth
Wendy is an entrepreneurial writer, editor, and mom of two humans, one cat, one dog, and two fish. For the last 15 years she has held positions at Parents Magazine, NBC, PetSmart, GreatPetCare and most recently co-founded DoGoodHQ. Because she loves her work so much, she’s obsessed with helping others find career fulfillment, and covers it regularly at PowerSuiting.Stay up to date
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