Reading the label: what to look for on the back of a supplement

Two boxes side by side on a shelf usually look much alike from the front. The difference starts at the back.

1. The amount of each active ingredient

An ingredient list without quantities beside it is just a list of materials. The difference between "contains silymarin" and "80 mg silymarin" is the first sign of how serious a product is. Check, too, whether amounts are given per daily dose or per 100 g — the two produce very different numbers.

2. What the product actually is

The label will carry the words "complementary feed" or an equivalent. That tells you the product is not a veterinary medicinal product and that it accompanies the daily diet. If a box promises something named after a disease, you have a good reason to put it back.

3. Dosage and duration

A good label states the daily amount by bodyweight and the recommended period of use. Those two lines are the clearest evidence that a real usage scenario was considered.

4. Which market it is labelled for

A label is written to the rules of the market where the product may be sold. VetUx London formulas are produced with three compliant labels — UK · EU · TR: one formula, written three times to three sets of regulations. It is a technical detail that decides where a product may legally be sold, and it takes more work than it looks like on the shelf.

What the front does not say

The front tells you what need a product was formulated for. The back tells you how concrete that formulation is. Reading both together is the shortest route to judging a complementary feed.

And one sentence holds in every case: complementary feeds do not replace veterinary examination, diagnosis or treatment. Speak to your vet before adding a product to the routine.