Question 1

What is NOW Pets?

Accepted Answer

NOW Pets is the dog and cat range from NOW Foods, an American family-owned producer of supplements since 1968. The formulas were developed with veterinarian Dr Barbara Royal and are made in the same facilities, under the same manufacturing standards, as the human products. The range covers joint, digestive, immune and cardiovascular formulas, omega-3 fish oil, and L-Lysine powder for cats. All of it is non-GMO, with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.

Question 2

Can I just give my pet the human NOW supplements instead?

Accepted Answer

Better not, and the pet labels say the products are not for human consumption for the same reason: the two ranges are dosed and formulated for different bodies. A human capsule can hold many times what a 5 kg cat needs, and human products may contain sweeteners or flavourings that do not belong in a pet bowl. Xylitol in particular is a problem for dogs. The pet versions use pet-appropriate amounts and flavours such as chicken bone broth.

Question 3

Which form should I choose for my dog or cat?

Accepted Answer

Choose the form your animal will actually take. A dose that ends up on the kitchen floor is worth nothing, so palatability is a practical question, not a detail.

Form	How you give it	Suits
Powder	Stirred into wet food	Cats, fussy dogs
Chewable tablet	By hand or in food, can be halved	Dogs, dosing by weight
Softgel	Whole, or pierced over food	Omega-3 for larger dogs
Mini softgel	Whole, smaller size	Cats and small dogs

If your pet has refused tablets before, start with a powder.

Question 4

How do I give it, and how long before I notice anything?

Accepted Answer

Give it during or right after a meal. NOW advises this because food lowers the chance of a mild stomach upset, and most animals accept a supplement more readily when it arrives with dinner. Doses are set by bodyweight, so weigh your pet first and remember the labels use pounds. Expect to give it consistently for two to four weeks before you judge daily formulas, and one to two months for joint products, where change is gradual.

Question 5

What does the NASC Quality Seal on the label mean?

Accepted Answer

NASC is the National Animal Supplement Council, a non-profit body that runs a voluntary quality programme for animal supplements. To carry the seal, a company must pass a third-party facility audit roughly every two years, keep written quality control procedures, follow strict labelling rules, run an adverse event reporting system, and submit to random independent lab testing that checks the label matches the contents. It is not proof that a product will work for your animal, but it does mean an outside party has verified the quality claims.

Question 6

Are pet supplements regulated in the UK?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but not as medicines. In the UK, supplements for dogs and cats are placed on the market as complementary feed, while licensed veterinary medicines sit under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. The practical consequence is that a feed product may not make medicinal claims about treating or preventing disease, and it has not gone through a medicine approval. That is why we describe what is in these products rather than promising outcomes.

Question 7

Can I give my own fish oil capsules to my dog instead?

Accepted Answer

You can, but the dose is the problem. Human capsules are sized for a 70 kg adult, so splitting them accurately for a 6 kg terrier or a cat is guesswork, and some human formulas add flavourings or sweeteners that are not intended for animals. The NOW Pets Omega-3 Support softgels and Mini Gels are dosed per weight band for pets. If you are buying for yourself, our omega and fish oil collection is the right place.

Question 8

Can cats take the products labelled for dogs and cats, and can dogs take the cat products?

Accepted Answer

Check the label per product, because the range is not uniform. Several formulas, such as Joint Support and Omega-3 Support, are labelled for dogs and cats with separate weight bands. Others are species-specific: L-Lysine powder is for cats only, and one UC-II Collagen joint variant is labelled for dogs only. A cat is not simply a small dog, so we would not extrapolate a dose across species. If a product does not list your animal, choose one that does.

Question 9

Is it safe to combine NOW Pets with veterinary medication, during pregnancy, or long term?

Accepted Answer

Ask your vet first in all three cases. NOW states that safe use in pregnant animals or animals intended for breeding has not been established, and recommends a veterinary examination before starting. The Immune Support label also advises caution in animals on steroid medication and notes that long-term use may contribute to water retention and other cortisone-like effects. Supplements can interact with prescribed treatment, so your vet needs the full picture, and if your animal deteriorates, stop and get it seen.

No results for "NOW Pet Health"

Knowledge base

We are moving to a bigger warehouse

BONO rebranding: the same service, new look

Popular NOW Pet Health pages

Articles

Achieve your health goals

We supplement your goals.

Knowledge base

We are moving to a bigger warehouse

BONO rebranding: the same service, new look

Popular NOW Pet Health pages

Articles