Why Supplements?
It is well known that pets, like people, often find their
everyday diet lacking important, vital nutrients. That's
because the quality of ingredients in the popular pet foods on the
market today is lacking, as most food today is loaded with
chemicals, preservatives and fillers. It's no coincidence that
incidences of cancer, skin conditions and general malnutrition are
now widespread and only continuing to rise. Related to
malnutrition and toxic overload, pet obesity is on the increase as
well, exacerbated by pet owners' tendencies to provide too many
calories to their pets as well as occasionally throw scraps of
"nutrient dead" human food onto their pets' eating dishes.
In the human world, people can combat nutrient deficiency by
carefully watching their daily diet and using a regimen of vitamins
or supplements. Similarly, pets greatly benefit from the same
focus on diet and on using supplements to fill the nutrient void and
help maintain optimal health.
Choosing the Right Supplements
Although choosing the right supplements for your pet at first
can seem like a daunting task, thanks to new simple-to-use tools and
emerging research and standards in the marketplace, it no longer
needs to be. There are two main things I always look for when
recommending products to my patients:
When I'm making recommendations to my patients, I need to
first know that the product is appropriate for whatever specific
condition the pet is dealing with. A thorough body of research
from respected medical and veterinarian sources is what matters most
here. Having it organized in a clear-cut, easy-to-understand
index is an added benefit.
Then, I look to certifications of ingredients and recognized
symbols of quality to help understand what exactly a supplement has
to offer and how it is superior to other products in the
marketplace. With the pet supplement industry today in some
ways being like the "wild-wild west," with many companies
dumping whatever they want into products, I look to products that
meet or exceed stricter human standards for manufacturing, such as
those that adhere to the latest FDA Good Manufacturing Process
guidelines. I also ask myself these four key questions and see
how openly and transparently they can be answered from product
documentation:
-
Where did the ingredients come from?
-
Where is the documentation proving that what a company says is
in the bottle is actually in the bottle?
-
How does the quality of the product relate to the efficacy
of the product?
-
Are you really getting what you pay for?
Products that pass these simple tests are the only ones that
I, in turn, recommend to my patients for their pets.
Some Final Words
Always consult your veterinarian before trying
pet supplements. Once your pet starts using supplements,
monitor him or her very closely, paying attention to any sudden or
drastic changes in health, behavior or appearance that may indicate
your pet needs immediate medical attention. Like with any
health-related product, no professional or company can guarantee
results. However, by making careful, informed choices when it
comes to the health of your pet, you may find that supplements are
the "missing ingredient" in helping to enhance the health
and life of your pet.
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* These statements have not been evaluated by
the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to
diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
