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Chewable Supplements vs Liquid Supplements for Dogs

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 17:40:01 GMT

Chewable Supplements vs Liquid Supplements for Dogs

The time has come to pick out a supplement for your dog. As you browse the pet food aisle, an overwhelming number of options sit before you. Dozens of supplements share the same ingredients and potential health benefits. With so many options out there, it’s hard to know which one is right for your pup.

The main difference between these supplements is the format: chewable or liquid form. At first glance, you might not think the difference matters very much. But the type of pet health supplement actually matters a great deal, especially if you’re concerned about the supplement’s potency or how difficult it is to administer it to your dog.Here’s a breakdown of chewable and liquid supplements to help you decide which is better for your pup.

The taste of each supplement

Chewable supplements aren’t just good for your dog’s health. They can serve as a healthy treat your pup looks forward to every day. Chewable supplements can replace highly processed treats that are packed with fillers, carbohydrates and artificial preservatives. Every piece is infused with natural flavors your dog will love, such as salmon, chicken and peanut butter. They taste so good, your dog won’t be able to tell the difference!

Liquid supplements are equally palatable to dogs. You can mix them into your dog’s food or feed the supplements all on their own as a treat. Liquid formulas usually contain natural bacon, chicken or beef flavors to enhance their smell and taste. Some liquids even use plant-based sweeteners to cut out processed sugars.

Feeding supplements to your pet

Chewable and liquid supplements differ in the way pet parents administer them to their dogs. Despite the enticing flavors, chewable supplements might not be the best option for picky eaters or those who simply don’t like trying new things. Your dog might try to spit out a chewable supplement, even if it’s hidden in meat, peanut butter or mashed bananas. If you bury the supplement in their kibble, your dog could easily eat around it. That being said, food-motivated dogs who love new treats should have no problem gobbling up a chewable supplement.

Liquid supplements are sometimes easier to administer because they mix well with water, kibble and canned food. Chances are, your dog won’t even notice you added something extra to their food bowl. The formula gets absorbed into their food, so it’s impossible for your dog to spit out or eat around the liquid supplement. This makes liquid supplements ideal for picky eaters and dogs that are sensitive to new textures.

Also consider where the supplements need to be administered. Liquids are sometimes less portable than their chewable counterparts because they require a dropper, syringe or measuring spoon. This can make it trickier to administer a liquid supplement while you’re on the go. If you travel a lot, a small pouch of treat-like chewables may be easier.

Absorption rate of the supplements

Chewable supplements tend to have a slower absorption rate. They’re often made with an outer shell designed to hold the ingredients. The digestive tract has to break down this outer shell before absorbing the nutrients held inside it. However, this doesn’t mean chewable supplements are any less effective than liquid ones! It just takes a bit more time for the nutrients to enter your dog’s system.

Liquid supplements absorb much faster because the digestive tract doesn’t have to work as hard to break down its components. They don’t need any extra ingredients to hold the contents together. Once your dog ingests the liquid formula, they can absorb the nutrients directly into their bloodstream. Because of this, you might notice liquid supplements take effect faster than chewable ones.

The supplements’ nutritional content

Chewable supplements are a great source of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. They can support many elements of your dog’s health, including the heart, brain, liver, skin and more. Since the ingredients are packaged into solid, bite-sized pieces, chewable supplements also contain outer shells and binding agents that hold the ingredients together. This means chewable supplements tend to be slightly less potent than liquid formulas. Regardless, chewable supplements are still very nutritious for dogs.

Liquid supplements are usually more potent because every ingredient contributes to your dog’s health. They don’t contain extra substances like outer shells or binding agents. Your dog’s digestive system is able to absorb and make good use of everything in a liquid supplement.

Chewable and liquid supplements are both excellent choices for achieving a well-balanced diet. It all comes down to which one your dog likes the most. Preferences vary for each dog, so try both types of supplements to determine the best fit. Remember to ask your vet about dosage and reputable brands before administering a supplement to your pup.

Animal hospital analyzes pet packaging Chicago pet hospital co-founder weighs in on veterinary packaging, saying ease of use is most important.

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 01:28:34 GMT

Patients and caregivers alike appreciate medications with packaging that is easy to open and use. Ease of use is also considered the cat's meow for veterinary packaging.

Obvious as that sounds, it's not always the case. The packaging for a popular liquid flea-and-tick treatment for pets serves as a good example, according to Dr. Rae Ann Van Pelt, DVM and co-founder of 21-year-old Family Pet Animal Hospital in Chicago. “First, you have to open and remove an application tube out of a blister pack,” she explains. “Then there's a rigid, triangular plastic tube that is only hard on one side. You can't peel the softer portion of the tube off because you have to pour the medication onto the dog through a little spout once you've broken a little perforation on the applicator tip. The liquid tends to get all over your hands, and the treatment itself is a chemical that you don't want on your hands. You have to make sure you get the full dosage printed on the package. Most pet owners are wary about therapeutic-type chemicals, and they get upset when they get it on their hands.”

Family Pet typically receives pet treats in blister packs, and liquid meds and capsules in traditional brown vials. Most require no refrigeration.

Similar to the flea-and-tick treatment mentioned above, Van Pelt is often frustrated by packaging such as the glass vial used for one particular brand of morphine derivative. “It's a human product that requires you to break off the top of the glass vial. Then we have to draw out the whole drug product at one time. In veterinary use, we usually don't need all of it, so we're taking a syringe and withdrawing just the amount of cc's we need. The problem is that it's a controlled substance, and while the DEA does give you some fudge room because they know that you can't be perfect, it's a frustrating situation.

“If [the product manufacturer] put the liquid in a vaccine-like vial with a rubberized stopper on top we would have a much easier time dispensing it.” Van Pelt recalls that at one point, the product was filled into a vial that made usage much easier. “We were thrilled when it came in the other packaging, but then they went back to the glass vial.”

Further packaging thoughts

Van Pelt also offered the following packaging insights:

More packaging is beginning to come boxed and sized for dosing by weights where you sell things by the box. For example, Frontline typically comes in a pack with six treatments.

Anti-vomiting drug Ceremia is a tablet and is typically administered for five days in a row followed by two days of rest. These treatments follow an injection at the office. “Prepackaging of the drug means we don't have to have somebody in our pharmacy counting out pills, and we don't need to purchase a vial,” she says.

Another drug, Panacur, used as a deworming medication used to be sold as a powder within a large container. “We had little measuring spoons and had to measure it out and put it in little packets because the powder gets sprinkled on food daily for three to five days, depending on the dosing,” Van Pelt explains. “It was very labor-intensive. Now it comes in premeasured packets for weight. That has made life a lot easier. It also makes pricing a lot easier because with the original Panacur, it was difficult to judge how many dosages we would get out of the big container.”

Proven medication adherence through luminous labels.

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 01:06:28 GMT

Proven medication adherence through luminous labels.

labels are clinically proven to help patients avoid mistakes while taking medicine. Visible light-up warnings and guidance directly on the label for various of scenarios.

Warnings

Expiry Date

Take With Food

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Chewable Supplements vs Liquid Supplements for Dogs

Chewable Supplements vs Liquid Supplements for Dogs

The taste of each supplement

Feeding supplements to your pet

Absorption rate of the supplements

The supplements’ nutritional content

Animal hospital analyzes pet packaging Chicago pet hospital co-founder weighs in on veterinary packaging, saying ease of use is most important.

Patients and caregivers alike appreciate medications with packaging that is easy to open and use. Ease of use is also considered the cat's meow for veterinary packaging.

Proven medication adherence through luminous labels.

Proven medication adherence through luminous labels.

Designed for every aspect in the life of a medical product.

Designed for every aspect in
the life of a medical product.