BANR Reports

Safety of Dietary Supplements for Horses, Dogs, and Cats (2008) Press Release Report in Brief Growing numbers of pet owners are giving their pets dietary supplements in hopes of supporting their health. This increased use of animal dietary supplements has raised concerns regarding the safety of specific supplements and the guidelines for determining safety of dietary supplements for horses, dogs, and cats. At the request of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Natural Research Council convened a committee of experts to assess the safety of supplements in general and to review three specific supplements (lutein, evening primrose oil, and garlic) offered for horses, dogs, and cats. This report concluded that because of inadequate data, an upper limit of safe use of lutein, evening primrose oil, and garlic could not be determined but could cite historical safe intakes (HIS) and estimate presumed safe intakes (PSI) based on available research findings. The report also stresses that clear and precise regulations need to be established. More...