Risks of Nutraceutical Pet Remedies

Just because a supplement is “natural” or “herbal,” that doesn’t mean it’s completely safe. Natural pet remedies are often just as dangerous as traditional medicines; remember that both contain the same chemicals. Some veterinarians advise against the use of natural pet supplements in the care of medical conditions. Here are some of the arguments against natural pet supplements:

• Not much is known about their overall safety or long-term side effects
• Evidence for their efficacy is anecdotal rather than scientific
• No guidelines exist for the regulation of safe dosages, and most owners don’t have the necessary training to recognize negative side effects or even positive results
• Natural pet remedies are complex; they contain more than one chemical, so their effects are hard to predict
• Different products contain different amounts of the active ingredient
• Owners might not realize which supplements are actually toxic to their pets