Reviews sharpen the case for functional ingredients in pet food

A new review in Veterinary Research Communications argues that “functional ingredients” in commercial pet food are moving from a marketing concept toward a more structured, evidence-based framework in companion animal nutrition. The paper defines and classifies functional ingredients, bioactive compounds, and dietary supplements for dogs and cats, and reviews evidence across 11 health areas, including digestive health, skin and coat, musculoskeletal support, cognition, obesity, immune regulation, cardiovascular health, and urinary and renal health. The ingredients discussed include probiotics, prebiotics, metabiotics, exogenous enzymes, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and plant extracts. A second recent review in Animals focuses specifically on plant-derived functional ingredients, highlighting polyphenols, plant extracts, microalgae, omega-3 sources, and cannabinoids as emerging tools in canine and feline diets. (eurekamag.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the takeaway is that the science around functional nutrition in pets is broadening, but the evidence base is uneven. Reviews and supporting studies suggest some ingredients, especially certain fiber-prebiotic-probiotic combinations and omega-3-enriched diets, may improve stool quality, microbiome profiles, immune markers, or mobility outcomes in some dogs and cats. At the same time, experts reviewing botanicals and other bioactives caution that enthusiasm still outpaces high-quality clinical validation in many categories, and product quality, formulation stability, dose, and species-specific safety remain practical concerns in commercial diets. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

What to watch: Expect more scrutiny on which functional claims are backed by controlled canine and feline trials, and which remain promising but not yet practice-ready. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)