Golden retriever resting calmly on a warm wooden floor

ANIMAL HEALTH & PET SUPPLEMENTS

Animal products follow different rules.

Animal products follow different rules.

Animal products follow different rules.

A joint chew for a dog is not a human supplement in a different shape. It sits under separate regulations, uses a separate list of permitted ingredients, carries separate claim limits, and has a customer who cannot tell you the flavour is wrong. We develop animal products from the formula through to the regulatory pathway, for companion animals and beyond.

A joint chew for a dog is not a human supplement in a different shape. It sits under separate regulations, uses a separate list of permitted ingredients, carries separate claim limits, and has a customer who cannot tell you the flavour is wrong. We develop animal products from the formula through to the regulatory pathway, for companion animals and beyond.

Section Image Animal Health

THE PATHWAY QUESTION

Supplement, feed, or drug?

Supplement, feed, or drug?

In Canada, many low-risk animal products are handled through a notification route for veterinary health products, with their own permitted substances and claim limits, while products fed as part of the diet can fall under feed rules and anything claiming to treat a condition is a drug. In the United States there is no animal equivalent of the human supplement framework, so products are assessed as food or drug, with state feed rules applying to many. The same formula can land in a different category depending on the species, how it is given and what the label says.

WHERE ANIMAL PRODUCTS GO WRONG

Four problems we see.

Four problems we see.

01

Human ingredients, animal toxicity

Ingredients that are routine in human products can be harmful to certain species. Sweeteners, some botanicals, essential oils and flavour ingredients all need species-specific screening before they reach a formula.

02

Dose by body weight

A dog can weigh two kilograms or sixty. A fixed serving that suits one end of the range is wrong for the other, so dosing, serving format and label directions have to be designed around weight.

03

Palatability decides compliance

If the animal refuses it, the product fails regardless of what is in it. Palatants, texture and odour carry as much weight as the actives.

04

Claims that drift into treatment

Supporting joint health is one thing. Relieving arthritis, reducing inflammation or treating anxiety is a drug claim, and it is the most common reason animal products run into trouble.

WHAT WE DO

From formula to pathway.

From formula to pathway.

Species-specific ingredient screening and safety review.

Regulatory classification in each target market.

Formulation for palatability, texture and dose delivery, including chews, toppers, powders and liquids.

Dosing and label directions designed around body weight.

Permitted ingredient and claim assessment.

Stability, preservation and packaging planning.

Manufacturer identification and qualification for animal products.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Before you launch an animal product.

Can I use the same formula as my human supplement?

Rarely without changes. Permitted ingredients, safe levels, dosing and palatability all differ, and some ingredients safe for people are harmful to animals.

Does a pet supplement need approval before it is sold?

What formats work best for pets?

Can you help with livestock and equine products?

Book a consultation.

Book a consultation.

Tell us the species, the format you have in mind and the markets you are targeting. We will set out the likely classification and what the formula has to satisfy before development starts.