Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some general questions about the products we sell.

For questions about specific medical or behavior problems, please visit the informational pages listed on the left. We have product suggestions for many common disorders.

Also, click here to read questions submitted by other pet owners.

Can the Thorne products (capsules) be opened or do I need to have my pet swallow them? The capsules can be opened and the contents sprinkled or mixed into your pet's food. The capsules can also be swallowed whole.

I noticed on some of the Thorne product bottles, the dosage says "2 pills BID." What is BID? BID means twice a day, so you would give your pet 4 pills each day.

Why have some of the products from Thorne Research been discontinued? Are they unsafe? Thorne Research made a business decision to discontinue some of their products. All of Thorne's products are safe and highly effective, unfortunately some were costly to manufacture and so the decision was made to discontinue them.

Some of the PetAlive products are granules and it says to put the granules on the back of the pet's tongue. Can I put it on their food instead? Yes, you can put the granules on their food or mixed in your pet's water. Another option is to mix the herbs or granules with tuna water/oil from the can, fish oil supplement, or chicken broth. If you use a dairy product to disguise the taste, be aware that cats do not have lactase, which is the enzyme that breaks down lactose. Therefore it may cause a soft stool. Mixing herbs in plain fat free yogurt may work best because the probiotics breakdown lactase thus decreasing the chance of soft stool or diarrhea. The probiotics found in yogurt will also help older pets because it helps digestion and the immune system.

Is Grape Seed Extract safe? I thought grapes and raisins caused renal failure in pets? Scientists believe it is the flesh of the grape/raisin that contains the toxic component. The flavanoids in the seed are known to reduce inflammation, and support the immune system particularly with respiratory issues, allergies, and skin problems. Grape Seed Extract has been used in cats and dogs successfully without any reported problems. (For more information, see the Antioxidant section.