Who regulates dog vitamins and supplements?
A 2008 report from the National Research Council, a scientific research unit of the nonprofit National Academies, concluded there was little information on the safety of pet supplements. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has nominal oversight of animal supplements, but considers them a low enforcement priority unless concerns about animal or public health arise. The National Animal Supplement Council is addressing some of these concerns. The council sets labeling guidelines, requires adverse event reports for problems with supplements and tests some products to check whether they contain the amount of ingredients claimed on the label. The group is also requiring its members – about 90% of the industry – to adopt new standards for manufacturing by June 2010. But concerns remain among veterinarians. “Because there isn’t any regulation, the quality of these products is a major, major concern,” Boothe says.
