What's In Your Vitamin Pill?

I am sure you are just as guilty of it as I am--adding supplements to your pet's diet. Glucosamine, in particular, is always on the menu chez Feldman in the form of treats loaded with it and vitamin supplements that all the dogs receive.

Trouble is that not all supplements are created equal. According to a recent article in the Inquirer, in a recent study by the National Animal Supplement Council, 28% of the 87 brands it tested did not contain what was claimed. In addition, "four of the six joint supplements for animals tested by ConsumerLabs.com lacked the amounts of glucosamine or chondroitin promised on their labels, or had other flaws such as lead." Yikes!

Human and animal supplements are not regulated by the FDA so there have always been discrepancies in brands. And animals, of course, cannot tell you if the supplements are working, like humans claim they are. Some vets will prescribe certain brands because they know they contain the amounts of ingredients they feel are safe, but not everyone agrees on what is indeed considered safe.

Currently, according to the article, up to one third of the dogs and cats in the U. S. are given supplements, most likely operating from the premise that if it is safe for mommy and daddy, it is safe for their pets. Sales of pet supplements, in fact, have almost doubled since 2003, according to the Nutrition Business Journal and now account for near $1 billion a year.

So what's the bottom line? Supplements may indeed work for some animals just like the may work for some people, but there is no hard core scientific evidence to prove their efficacy. In other words, glucosamine is not hip replacement in a bottle.

As for me, well I am going to continue because it does not seem to be doing any harm and I might at well use up the bottles I have! Let me know what supplements you use and whether or not they seem to be working.