Which Supplements are Best for Dogs & Horses?
Taking the Guesswork Out of Choosing Effective Supplements
As pet parents or horse owners, we love our four-legged friends, and we will do just about anything to facilitate a happy and healthy life for them. The exciting world of supplements is a huge part of that journey. We hear amazing stories all the time from our friends, family, and our vets about the remarkable improvements seen in animals with the competent use of supplements. We gladly go all out and spare no effort or expense to support our cherished dogs and horses in every stage of their lives, yet sometimes we wonder how we know that a supplement will deliver what it promises and that it will meet our expectations? That is truly a legitimate concern, especially with the mushrooming supplement market.
In this blog article, we will walk you through the process of evaluating and choosing supplements step by step, and we will make it easy. We will give you all the tools you need to make informed and wise decisions. From choosing a supplement supplier you can trust to understanding the information provided on labels, we will empower you to feel confident about supplementing your horses’ and dogs’ diets.
This blog will help you select supplements that give you the results you are looking for. We help you choose products that work by showing you the importance of looking for a manufacturer that bases its creations on solid scientific research. Those studies should demonstrate that a product has been proven to work effectively for a specific condition and prove that two ingredients in a compound product will work synergistically together.
All this can be understandably overwhelming and seem complicated, but not to worry, this blog will also equip you with effortless solutions to simplify the process of selecting and administering supplements.
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Do Dogs & Horses Need Supplements?
Undoubtedly, remarkable benefits arise from the skillful use of innovative therapeutic supplements. They are essential to keeping your horses and pets happy and healthy. They save a lot of time, money in vet bills, and heartache down the road. There are countless success stories of horses and dogs that have been given a new lease on life chemical-free, with the best quality and the correct combination of supplements.
Ideally, feeding a balanced diet would be enough to keep our beloved dogs and horses healthy, but the reality is a bit more complex. Even with the best kibble and feed on the market, your dog or horse can't always eat enough to meet the required amount of daily nutrients. Most dog foods are balanced to include the required minimum amounts of vitamins and minerals, but if your dog is on the raw food diet, he may not get enough vitamins and minerals to sustain a healthy life, and dogs don't break down veggies as we do. Enzyme potential decreases with age or illness, making it harder to absorb micronutrients from food, and fruits and vegetables contain less nutrients than they did decades ago. Reasons for that are soil depletion, longer supply chains, and farming practices.
There are also many breed-specific conditions, like bone health in large breed dogs, that can benefit from the right support. How much time does your dog spend in the sun? If you check your dog's vitamin D levels, you may find that they are not where they should be. Or you may be dealing with allergies that have Fido constantly scratching or licking his paws to excess, and those allergies are easily resolved with the appropriate supplements.
How do you know that your horse gets the recommended and needed nutrients? Many factors determine their needs such as, age, environment and activity level. Older horses, for example, may be dealing with systemic inflammation and weakened immune function, and a performance horse may need amino acids to build muscle. Supplementation may be as simple as balancing a diet or becoming proactive about their health.
We’ve seen the statistics on ulcers in horses, and if you have recurring problems with ulcers, supplements, especially those that promote gut health, have shown excellent results. An estimated 90% of racehorses, 70% of endurance horses, and 60% of show horses will be affected by equine gastric ulcer syndrome at some point in their life. Optimal gut health is of vital importance, not just for the gut but as the essential foundation for overall health and good immunity. Without a healthy gut, your horse won’t be able to absorb supplements like a joint compound,
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How to Evaluate Supplements & Choose Those you Can Trust
Now that you appreciate the exceptional benefits supplements have for your horses and dogs, let's explore in more detail how to choose supplements that will work for Rover and buy from a company you can trust. With a rapidly growing supplement market, it is more important than ever that you are equipped with the knowledge you need to choose supplements you can trust.
EXAMINE THE COMPANY'S CREDENTIALS: Start by examining the reputation and credentials of the company you are considering. Reputable supplement manufacturers have experienced and competent veterinarians, naturopaths, and nutritionists on their development team, and they have significant experience in the industry. They base their products on the latest scientific evidence and constantly analyze the most current reports to ensure that their active ingredients and doses are based on the latest, most thorough research. The formulas should be tested by a compounding veterinarian to ensure that the ratios are balanced and that there are no contraindications. Compounding vets also make sure that the ingredients work in harmony and that levels are not toxic. This way, their products are proven to deliver results. It guarantees that the ingredients don't break down or oxidize when combined and are protected on their path through the digestive tract so they can be absorbed to their full potential and do maximum good for your dog or horse.
CHECK FOR LOT NUMBERS & EXPIRATION DATES: Reputable manufacturers of supplements follow the law, and the law requires that lot numbers and expiration dates are displayed on the products. You may not always find them on the label, they will most likely be imprinted on the side or the bottom of the container.
ADEQUATE CONTACT INFORMATION: A trustworthy company can be easily contacted if something goes wrong. There should be more than just a contact form. Look for a street address and a phone number so you can rest assured that you can quickly reach out if you have a question or an issue with the product.
INNOVATIVE INGREDIENTS WITH THERAPEUTIC DOSES: Often, less reputable manufacturers merely sprinkle a dash of a popular active ingredient into a supplement mix because advertising that component on the label improves sales. However, the dosage is not high enough to achieve the desired results, so it is not a therapeutic dose. This practice is called fairy dusting and is a main reason why so many consumers have lost trust in their supplements. They have chosen the suitable ingredient but haven't bought a supplement that contains it in the adequate dosage.
ARE THE SUPPLEMENTS EASY TO ABSORB?: If a supplement is not engineered to be easily absorbed, you're just wasting a lot of money on making expensive poop. Supplements should be enzymatically activated and formulated for maximum absorption so that your horse and dog will gain the most benefit from every last morsel of the powerful substances that make supplements work. Enzymes play an important role in this process. They break down the nutrients and help the body absorb them. Age and illness can impact the body's ability to absorb nutrients, not just from supplements but also from food. So make sure the supplements you give to your dog or horse are enzymatically optimized to enhance nutrient absorption and cell delivery.
LOOK FOR ORGANIC INGREDIENTS: The basic building blocks of supplements are the raw ingredients, and those come from sources like fruits, herbs, plants, and vegetables. Look for a high percentage of organic ingredients; ideally, 80% USDA Certified Organic and non-GMO. This reduces the number and amounts of pesticides that were used in the growing of the ingredients and ensures that you administer a healthy product to your beloved pet or horse. The ingredients should be soy and gluten-free, non-GMO, and contain no fillers, no chemicals, and no artificial flavors.
POTENCY OF INGREDIENTS: Did you know that some parts of a plant have more potency than others? When researching to find supplement manufacturers you can trust, look for that knowledge and find a company that takes that into consideration when they source their raw active ingredients. In addition, optimal soil and climate conditions are essential for potency, and so is when and how the vegetable or herb is harvested because it affects its quality and efficacy. A supplement manufacturer who cares about going to such length to provide a quality product will surely elaborate on that on their website. Make sure they don't use fillers, sugar, or additives that could be harmful.
FRESHNESS: In addition to paying attention to expiration dates, look for information about freshness. If the supplements are produced in small batches in state-of-the-art GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) facilities, you are more likely to end up with nutrient-dense fresh products that are easily absorbed and bring the highest benefit to your horse and dog.
STANDARDIZED INGREDIENTS: Selecting supplements with standardized ingredients is important because it is a critical quality control process. Standardization ensures that consistent concentrations of active ingredients are in every batch used to make your supplements. This guarantees that they are equally potent and effective, so you can rest assured that you can depend on each batch giving you the same results.
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Overwhelmed Yet?
Doing right by your beloved companion and choosing and combining supplements, can be overwhelming and is time-consuming, but as dedicated pet parents, horse owners, and barn managers, you want to make sure you do everything you can for your best friend to unlock their full potential and keep them as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
That is where ScoopRX is your best friend's best friend. We have taken the complicated out of supplements and have simplified all the goodness of nature into one simple scoop. We have created a comprehensive line of premium compound solutions that do the work of multiple supplements and have therapeutic levels of very potent active ingredients. We also ensure that when you are giving multiple supplements in a compound solution, the active ingredients work harmoniously together and don't work against each other. Our products like the 'Daily Scoop Allergy' or the 'Athlete & Master', give you everything you need in one single simple scoop full of the highest potency active ingredients from a company of expert veterinarians, nutritionists, horse and dog lovers you can trust.
All you need is one simple scoop.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you may have.
