Cosequin Class Action Lawsuit
Nutramax misled California dog owners by marketing Cosequin's joint-health benefits using claims unsupported by clinical science.
What happens next with the Cosequin settlement
The claim deadline passed on July 20, 2026. New claims for this settlement are no longer being accepted.
The court held its approval hearing on August 13, 2026. That is the hearing where a judge decides whether to approve the settlement, which a settlement calls its final approval hearing. Nothing is paid out until that approval is final.
Payments come after approval, and after any appeals. Anyone who objected to the settlement can ask a higher court to look at it again — an appeal — and that has to finish first. Eligible payments are sent once approval is final, and the stretch from a claim deadline to money in hand often runs a year or more. It varies from one settlement to the next.
Filed this claim with Chimo? The status of your claim is on the claims page in your account.
Settlements you can still claim in October, 2026
Tyson, Clemens, Seaboard, Hormel & Triumph
$30
Total Vision (California Residents Only)
$1,000
Flo Period Tracker
$700
Cosequin Class Action Lawsuit
A class action lawsuit has been filed against Nutramax Laboratories due to allegations that the company misrepresented the joint-health benefits of its Cosequin-branded canine supplements. Plaintiffs Justin Lytle and Christine Musthaler filed the case on behalf of California consumers, alleging that Nutramax's advertising and packaging — including claims that Cosequin enhances joint flexibility, mobility, and helps dogs "climb stairs, rise, and jump" — was not supported by reliable science, and that the active ingredients glucosamine and chondroitin had been refuted by peer-reviewed, randomized controlled clinical trials. The Cosequin lawsuit details list two causes of action: violations of California's Consumers Legal Remedies Act (CLRA, Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1750 et seq.) and violations of other state consumer protection laws. The case was filed in October 2019 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Case No. 5:19-CV-00835-FMO-SP). The court certified a Rule 23(b)(3) California class on May 6, 2022; the Ninth Circuit affirmed certification in 2024 (Lytle v. Nutramax Laboratories, Inc., 114 F.4th 1011), and the U.S. Supreme Court denied Nutramax's cert petition. Class Counsel are Adam A. Edwards of Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, PLLC and Matthew D. Schultz of Levin Papantonio Rafferty. The parties reached agreement after a mediation on April 10, 2025, ending nearly six years of litigation.
Cosequin Class Action Settlement - $11,500,000
Nutramax Laboratories has agreed to an $11.5 million non-reversionary settlement fund to resolve the Cosequin lawsuit.
According to the latest Cosequin settlement update, the fund equals 67.2% of the $17.1 million in estimated damages calculated by plaintiffs' expert (based on a 30% price-premium analysis). Eligible for Cosequin settlement coverage are all California residents who purchased any of seven specified canine Cosequin products for personal household use between May 3, 2016 and May 6, 2022: Cosequin DS Maximum Strength Chewable Tablets; Cosequin DS Maximum Strength Plus MSM Chewable Tablets; Cosequin Maximum Strength Plus MSM Chewable Tablets; Cosequin with MSM Chewable Tablets; Cosequin DS Maximum Strength Plus MSM Soft Chews; Cosequin Maximum Strength Plus MSM Soft Chews; and Cosequin with MSM Soft Chews.
As part of the Cosequin lawsuit settlement amount, Nutramax also agreed to injunctive relief: removing three claims from future packaging — "Mobility, Cartilage and Joint Health Support," "Supports Mobility for a Healthy Lifestyle," and "Use Cosequin to help your pet Climb stairs, Rise and Jump!" The fund pays claimants, $7,500 service awards to each named plaintiff, and up to 33.33% in attorneys' fees and costs. The claim deadline is July 21, 2026.
Claims closed: July 20, 2026
Dog Supplements Class Action Payout: $25 per unit (up to 6)
The Cosequin settlement amount per person is up to $25 per unit of qualifying Cosequin product purchased between May 3, 2016 and May 6, 2022, capped at $150 (six units) per household — and importantly, no proof of purchase is required.
Each household (defined as all persons at the same physical address) may submit only one Claim Form. If total valid claims exceed the net fund after fees and service awards, payments will be reduced on a pro rata basis automatically, with no re-submission needed. Class members electing digital payment can be paid via Zelle (email or phone number) or ACH bank transfer (routing + account); those who prefer mail can choose a physical check.
How much you will get from the Cosequin lawsuit depends on units claimed and total claim volume — a single-unit claimant gets up to $25; a six-unit claimant gets up to $150. The Cosequin settlement payout date depends on the final approval hearing on August 13, 2026; payments are issued only after the settlement becomes final and any appeals conclude. If you do not receive your payment, contact the Settlement Administrator at 1-888-899-7783.
Supplement False Advertising Class Action Settlements
Dog Supplements Class Action Eligibility
Qualifying Products
Product
Covered
Cosequin DS Maximum Strength Chewable Tablets
✓
Cosequin DS Maximum Strength Plus MSM Chewable Tablets
✓
Cosequin Maximum Strength Plus MSM Chewable Tablets
✓
Cosequin with MSM Chewable Tablets
✓
Cosequin DS Maximum Strength Plus MSM Soft Chews
✓
Cosequin Maximum Strength Plus MSM Soft Chews
✓
Cosequin with MSM Soft Chews
✓
The class is California-only. Even though Nutramax sells Cosequin nationwide, residents of every other state are excluded from this settlement — the case was certified under California's Consumers Legal Remedies Act, so non-California purchasers cannot file.
Nutramax Laboratories is paying $11.5 million to settle claims that it misrepresented the joint-health benefits of its Cosequin canine supplements. Cosequin class action claimants must meet all of the following Cosequin class action eligibility conditions:
FAQ
The case was certified as a Rule 23(b)(3) class under California's Consumers Legal Remedies Act (CLRA). Plaintiffs litigated only California claims through certification and an affirmed Ninth Circuit appeal, so residents of other states are not covered by this settlement.
Plaintiffs allege that peer-reviewed, randomized controlled clinical trials refute the claim that glucosamine/chondroitin meaningfully supports canine joint flexibility, mobility, or cartilage. Both named plaintiffs reported their dogs showed no improvement after using Cosequin.
No. There is no proof-of-purchase requirement. You self-certify on the Claim Form that you purchased qualifying Cosequin products in California during the class period. The Settlement Administrator reserves the right to verify claims.
Nutramax must remove three specific phrases from future packaging: "Mobility, Cartilage and Joint Health Support," "Supports Mobility for a Healthy Lifestyle," and "Use Cosequin to help your pet Climb stairs, Rise and Jump!" The company may still use the phrase "Joint Health Supplement."
Class Counsel (Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman and Levin Papantonio Rafferty) will request up to 33.33% of the $11.5 million fund — roughly $3.83 million — for fees and costs. The Court may award less.
Each named plaintiff may receive up to $7,500 in service awards for more than six years of active participation, including depositions, document production, and ongoing involvement with counsel.
You can elect Zelle (via email or phone) or direct ACH bank transfer for faster digital delivery, or request a physical check. Digital payments are typically faster; the Administrator is not responsible for mail delays.
Plaintiffs' damages expert calculated total California damages at $17,112,007 using a 30% price premium based on conjoint analysis. The $11.5 million fund represents 67.2% of that figure — well above the typical 7–30% range courts have approved in consumer class actions.
Possibly. If total valid claims exceed the fund (after fees and service awards), every claimant's payment is reduced pro rata. The adjustment is automatic — you do not need to refile. The settlement is non-reversionary, so unclaimed money is redistributed, not returned to Nutramax.
You are still eligible to claim. The Court has not made any determination of wrongdoing; Nutramax denies the allegations. Eligibility turns on whether you purchased a qualifying product in California during the class period — not on whether the product worked for your pet.