Supplements

Many dogs experience digestive problems — from gassiness and loose stools to itching, bad breath, or inconsistent appetite. Often, the root cause isn’t the food itself, but how well your dog is digesting it. That’s where digestive enzymes can help.

Digestive enzymes are a simple, powerful way to support your dog’s gut health, and can make all the difference for some dogs.

What Are Digestive Enzymes?

Digestive enzymes are proteins that help break down food so the body can absorb nutrients properly. There are several key types:

• Protease – breaks down proteins into amino acids 
  
  
• Amylase – breaks down carbohydrates into sugars
  
  
• Lipase – breaks down fats into fatty acids
  
  
• Cellulase – helps break down plant fibres
  
  
• Invertase – breaks down sugars
  
  
• Ox bile – not technically an enzyme, but aids fat digestion by emulsifying fats so lipase can work more effectively
  

Note: You may also see 'pancreatin' referred to as a digestive enzyme — this is just the combination of lipase, amylase and protease

Whether your dog is your hiking buddy, an agility star, or just full of boundless energy, regular activity plays a big part in keeping them physically and mentally healthy. But just like us, dogs need proper recovery after intense exercise to help prevent injuries and keep them feeling their best.

Here are five natural and effective ways to support your dog’s recovery after a long walk, training session or weekend adventure.

1. Feed a Targeted Performance and Recovery Supplement

Summer adventures, sports training, and long hikes all increase your dog’s physical demands. A dedicated performance and recovery supplement can help sustain energy, build strength, and speed up post-exercise recovery.

Look for formulas that include amino acids, vitamins, joint support, and anti-inflammatory ingredients. These supplements are ideal for active and working dogs, supporting endurance, muscle repair, and resilience after a hard day’s work.

Some of our favourites include:

ProDog Revive Energy & Vitality

Some hints to help pets stay safe and well in Summertime

Following the miserable Winter we have had, it’s hard to remember that we do sometimes get hot summery weather in the UK, but we do and here are a few hints to help pets stay safe and well in Summertime.

• Check regularly for fleas and ticks on the skin, and look out for adders when walking in country areas.
• If you are leaving your pet at home for several hours, make sure there is a cool room or area available – leave a fan on if necessary, and also plenty of water.
• If you are leaving your pet outdoors for any length of time, ensure shade (and water) are available.
• Take a bottle of water and a drinking bowl with you if you are taking your dog out for long walks or on car journeys and offer water regularly.
• If you walk your dog regularly on pavements, check for sore pads in hot weather.
• Above all, don’t ever leave your dog in a car on a warm day, even if not in direct sunshine.

As the weather gets warmer there are several Diet’Dog

The Dental Hygiene formula for dogs by Hedgerow Hounds has been created to clean tartar and plaque from the teeth and to improve the overall health and hygiene of the mouth and gums. Although this blend’s main aim is to improve oral health there are so many benefits to feeding this supplement for improving all aspects of health and optimal wellbeing. 

The blend is made up of ingredients of the highest human-grade food quality.

Seaweed: The Seaweed used is a certified Organic Fucus vesiculosus Seaweed. It is traceable to the precise location of harvest, from remote areas of the British Isles and Nordic region, so you can thoroughly trust the purity and source. 

High quality, pollution-free seaweed is highly nutritious and offers your dog the following benefits: 

• An effective prebiotic, high in antioxidants
• High levels of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids, antioxidants & omega fatty acids
• Iodine for optimum thyroid function
• Improves skin, coat, and nail health and loss of

As the days are short and the nights are cold we know that winter is well and truly here. This time of year means that you have to be especially careful with older dogs with arthritis and other joint problems. How do you keep your dog active this winter?

Making the Most of Winter Walks 

For the older dog who is gradually getting stiff or has arthritis, has other joint problems or has  suffered a slip or a fall or injured joints; then consider a joint supplement or relieve the pain of bruising or pulled muscles and ligaments with a soothing herbal lotion.

At Healthful Pets we sell a range of  Joint Supplements which have been developed and approved by vets containing a wide range of anti-inflammatory ingredients and herbs including boswellia, turmeric, willow bark and Devil’s claw to help ease the symptoms of arthritis and of muscle and joint injuries. Other popular ingredients include glucosamine and chondroitin to provide the building blocks to manufacture collagen and proteoglycans

Have You Considered Using a Paw Balm for its Soothing and Protective Effects?

Paw Balm, if used regularly, will keep your pet’s pads in the best possible condition. It will also leave them less susceptible to damage from hard as well as cold and hot surfaces.

Healthy dogs have spongy and hydrated paws. In the summer the hot pavement can be incredibly hard on dogs’ paw pads and in the winter paws come into contact with elements such as ice, grit and salt, which can result in rough, irritated and cracked pads, causing possible discomfort.

At Healthful Pets we sell a range of Paw Balms to ensure your dog’s paws are kept in the best possible condition and less susceptible to damage. The paw balms that we sell are all made with natural ingredients and are perfectly safe for those dog’s who may lick their paws.

The Natural Dog Company have released a series of Paw Balms, that will leave your dogs pads strong and stable. PawTection by The Natural Dog Company is a vegan, organic, all-natural

A quick internet search for ‘can my dog eat garlic?’ can send you down a rabbit hole of conflicting information. There seems to be a general consensus that garlic is toxic to dogs and shouldn’t be consumed under any circumstances. But is that really the case?

Garlic, or Allium sativum, is a vegetable that has been used to both flavour food and cure ailments (human and animal) across various cultures for centuries. As part of the Allium family, garlic is related to onions, chives leeks and shallots – this is where much of the confusion regarding its toxicity stems from. Garlic is high in inulin, amino acids, sulphur, zinc, potassium and phosphorus. It also contains vitamins A, C and B-complex, calcium, magnesium, manganese, selenium and germanium. Perhaps most importantly, garlic also contains bioactive Allicin and Ajoene.

Without getting too deep into the science behind it all, alliin (a noted sulfoxide) combines with alliinase (an enzyme) when garlic is chopped, crushed, minced or chewed.

Give your furry friend the best chance at a long and healthy life with Proflax's range of organ-support supplements. Proflax specially formulated products are designed to target the liver, kidneys, and heart, ensuring comprehensive support for your dog's overall wellbeing.

British made, Vet approved, fast acting and 100% Natural.

Proflax Liver Love

Proflax Liver Love is a natural supplement blending flaxseed oil and herbs to support liver health in dogs. Ideal for those with liver or gallbladder issues or high ALT markers, it helps detoxify and cleanse the liver, enhances bile flow, and promotes better skin and digestion.

Herbal Ingredients are: 

Milk Thistle:  An adaptogenic herb that has powerful cleansing and anti-oxidant properties for detoxification of the liver. Stimulates cell regeneration and repairs and restores normal function of the liver. Reduces inflammation. Regulates metabolism. Has neuroprotective properties so supports a healthy nervous system and brain. Provides calcium,

With summer here and holidays planned with their pets, all too often motion sickness can make, even a short trip, stressful for both your pet and you. Find out what you can do to help.

What are the typical signs of travel sickness?

Some typical signs of dog travel sickness include; restlessness, panting, whining, excessive drooling, yawning, vomiting and listlessness. Generally dogs will outgrow motion sickness but some dogs won’t and may need assistance to make their journey less distressing.

Dog Travel Sickness - How to Stay Calm when Travelling

For those dogs and cats who find it is the motion of the car which upsets their tummies even though they are not anxious, Dorwest - Digestive supplement is ideal if given two hours before travelling to settle and soothe the stomach. This supplement, for dogs and cats, contains ginger and valerian to calm the digestive tract, rhubarb and peppermint to aid digestion and soothing and comforting slippery elm.

Travel Anxiety
Often a common cause