5 Things to Know About Pet Supplements

Six out of every 10 Americans consume vitamins or supplements  on a daily basis, and spend anywhere from $11 billion to $20 billion annually. Vitamins are big business, and you may be surprised to learn that according to the APPA’s 2011-2012 National Pet Owners Survey, Americans also spend more than $600 million a year on vitamins and supplements for their four-legged family members.

Many of our pets’ diets may be lacking in essential nutrients—usually a result of the negative impact pesticides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers, hormones, over-processing, etc. have on their food supply. Nutritional deficiencies can often be remedied by adding vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and probiotics into your companion animal’s regimen. Supplement labels can be confusing and overwhelming to read, but if you know what to look for, they don’t have to be.

Read and Understand Labels

Vitamin packages contain nutritional panels on the backs of their boxes or bottles that list the percentages of each ingredient contained in that tablet or capsule. Some list these percentages per single tablet while others calculate the percentage for the whole recommended daily dosage, which could be multiple tablets. Some even list the active ingredients for the whole package, making it extremely difficult to determine what’s in a single serving. Make sure you are clear on what the dosage is before giving any supplement to your pet.

Check the Ingredients

Look for natural or organic designations. You would be amazed to learn what manufacturers can legally put into supplements in terms of additives and fillers, without having to list them on the label. Many of them utilize raw materials containing lactose, sodium benzoate, BHA, BHT, or hydrogenated oils as fillers and preservatives. Also, be aware that some tablets contain binders and glues, which may contain artificial coloring agents. These additives can cause allergic reactions, and may even impair your pet’s health.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Aino M.

1:07PM PDT on Jun 14, 2013

Thanks!
If the pet is healthy and gets raw meat, you can give twice a year dried kelp (seaweed) or brewer's yeast (within 14-21 days).

June 14
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Marge M.

7:23AM PDT on Jun 13, 2013

Thanks for the important info!

June 13
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Melinda K.

6:11PM PDT on Jun 12, 2013

Thanks for the tips, its a relatively new area. I prefer food based supplements versus synthetically made.

June 12
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Veer S.

11:48PM PDT on Jun 11, 2013

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We provide huge range of healthcare products like homecare, personal care, baby care, elderly care, and supplements with lowest price in India. For more details visit at www.healthgenie.in or http://www.healthgenie.in/brands-1/nutrition/ultimate-nutrition.html
Thanks

June 11
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B J.

10:54AM PDT on Jun 11, 2013

The dishonesty in almost all labeling is wrong. Adding (dangerous) fillers for profit is worse than immoral.

Patricia H.

10:33AM PDT on Jun 11, 2013

thanks for sharing

Fred H.

7:20PM PDT on Jun 10, 2013

Thank you TAILS, for Sharing this!

June 10
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Virginia B.

6:00PM PDT on Jun 10, 2013

tyvm...

Mafalda F.

12:26PM PDT on May 28, 2013

Thanks for the useful information but my last two cats lived until 17 and 18 with no extra supplements and I have to admit I let them have some sweets sometimes...