Let’s Talk: Supplements and Nutraceuticals

Mar 9

4 min read

Veterinary Supplements and Nutraceuticals image for Creekside Vet

Supplements, just the words brings so thoughts to my mind and memories of the overwhelm I see and hear out in the physical and especially social media world. Creekside Veterinary Clinic is a firm believer in the benefit of supplements and nutraceuticals and I’d like to take a few minutes to help you learn some information about them and how to select a quality product:

A few facts to start with:

Animal Supplements are not currently regulated by the FDA, USDA, or any other regulatory agency. This means they currently undergo even less regulatory oversight than human dietary supplements. This puts the entire quality control process on the manufacture of the product. If you’d like to read more on this please see this article for an in depth review of animal supplement oversight. (1) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7802882/
Not all human supplements are safe for our cats and dogs, so we recommend against using human supplements unless specifically prescribed for your pet.
The way dogs and cats absorb nutrients is different than the ways human absorb nutrients. For example; flax seeds or flax seed oil is often added to veterinary foods and supplements as a source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. However the Omega 3 in flax seed is presented to the body as ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). This ALA must then be converted to DHA and EPA within the body in order to be utilized. While humans can do this, the process is very inefficient in our pets, so although labeled for a certain dose of DHA and EPA in the flax seed, if the body cannot make use of it, essentially this has zero benefit to the pet.
When tested by third party labs it is often found that what the company states on the label is not actually in the product. Nutramax Labs did a great study of this and found that in joint supplements containing chondroitin sulfate, that 85% of the products tested were was inappropriately labeled. (2)
Where the ingredients used to create the supplements come from matter a great deal. Some of these herbs or food products used in supplements are what we call “bioaccumulators”, which means any chemical, pesticides, or toxins found in the soil are amplified in the plant. For this reason it is critical that the manufacture tests for this products and has good quality control system.

So how can you find a quality and trustworthy product or company?

This is hard, and new companies and new products seem to be popping up all the time. Creekside has our known and trusted brands (see below), but when that new ad pops up for a supplement that sounds so amazing here are some questions to consider to help you determine if it’s worth trying out:

Who formulates the product?
What expertise do they have?
Who can you call if you have questions regarding the product, need advice or to report a pet who is experiencing an adverse reaction?
How long has the company been selling pet supplements?
What testing standards and quality control does the company have?
Is the supplement tested by an independent lab?
Does the product label have a lot number and expiration date? If not, how can it be traced if an adverse reaction occurs?
Is the manufacturer willing to disclose the point of origin of the product’s ingredients?

Creekside’s Trusted Sources and Options

The good news is that at Creekside Veterinary Clinic, we’ve done the hard work for you. The only supplements or nutraceuticals we sell pass all the above tests, and are companies that we personal relationships with.

(Please note we realize these products are sold online, but please know the below companies sell their products as a prescription only supplement so that they are in complete control of the quality they are sending out and can trace where all products go. It is known that a high percentage (up to 90%) of the products for sale on Amazon are fraudulent and being sold illegally)

Our primary companies we utilize supplements or nutraceuticals from are:

Nutramax: This company is during continual research and always using their game for nutraceuticals to assist your pets. We use a lot of their Proviable line for gastrointestinal health and Dasaquin line for joint health. They also have some liver health and skin health supplements.

Nutramax

Standard Process: This is a great company right here in Wisconsin, who makes very high quality supplements. They are committed to quality control from seed to supplement and the process starts by them growing all the whole food products used in their supplement right on site on their own organic farms outside Palmyra, WI. They have extensive in house and third party quality control. Dr. Hoffman has also been to this farm and plant for tours twice and it is exceptionally impressive. We utilize their products to benefit the health of many animals. We can improve allergies, joints, muscles, skin, heart, liver, stress, renal/kidney function, and many other health concerns with their products. They are also doing continual research to bring new products to market and guarantee us the quality in their long standing products.

Standard Process

Herbsmith Rx: This is Chinese herbal company who makes their products in Hartland, WI. Dr. Hoffman has taken continuing education from their founder and has been impressed with their effective products and high level of quality control. We have herbs that can assist with most medical conditions and overall health support.

Herbsmith Rx

Veterinary Recommended Solutions: This is also a research heavy supplement company who does extensive studies into their products to prove effectiveness and quality control. We use a lot of their Omega Fatty Acid supplement, urinary products, and plaque prevention probiotics.

VRS