Royal Canin® is a billion-dollar global leader in pet nutrition known for its cat and dog food that targets overall health or certain aspects of your pet's health and well-being. They have over 55 years of expertise and undertake extensive research into the nutritional needs of puppies, adult dogs, and cats to develop food recipes based on their research, such as foods for digestive health, joint health, urinary health, and more. They even have recipes tailored to specific breeds.
Now, Royal Canin has developed new science-backed supplements and probiotics for both dogs and cats. Their probiotic powders for dogs and cats promote a strong immune system and digestive health, while their soft chew supplements for puppies and dogs target joints, digestion, and skin and coat sensitivities.
If you think your pet could benefit from these products, here's everything you need to know about them. Royal Canin was also kind enough to share some samples of the probiotic powders with me to try with my own cats and dogs, so I'll share my experience with those products as well!
Royal Canin Probiotic Powders
Royal Canin® Clinically Proven Probiotics for Digestive and Immune Health for cats and dogs contain live Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-1079 (beneficial yeast). This yeast is clinically proven to promote a strong immune system, boost beneficial gut bacteria, and help support healthy digestion and stool.
These probiotics are incredibly easy to use. You just sprinkle one packet over your dog's or cat's food daily, or as directed by your veterinarian. When your pet eats the food, they will also ingest the powder, which has a taste that most pets will love.
However, picky pets may be hesitant to eat the food with the powder on it, so you may have to mix it with wet food or disguise it in some way to get them to eat it. But by consuming this product regularly, your cat or dog should have improved digestion in a few days to a couple of weeks. The packages come in counts of 7 or 30 per box, so you can buy a smaller package to try them out for a week before you commit to a larger box.
Royal Canin Soft Chews
Royal Canin's soft chews were developed for dogs and puppies. Heather Pasquale, RPh, the general manager of the U.S. Vet Business Unit for Royal Canin North America, says, "Our supplements are formulated with the same philosophy and scientific rigor that Royal Canin is known for, addressing specific health concerns while maintaining the nutritional balance that is crucial for optimal pet health."
There are multiple formulas to target different areas of your dog's health. The different soft chews formulas include:
- Royal Canin® Puppy Digestive & Immune Health Chews
- Royal Canin® Digestive Chews
- Royal Canin® Joint Chews
- Royal Canin® Skin & Coat Chews
All of these chews have dried chicken in their ingredients, to give them a flavor that's appealing to your dog. The chews come in 60-count packages, but the recommended number of chews to give your dog daily is based on your dog's weight. Let's look at each one of them in more detail.
Puppy Digestive and Immune Health Chews
These chews are formulated with a blend of prebiotic fibers that support healthy bacteria in your puppy's gut. This can help regulate their digestion. These chews also have vitamins C and E to support your puppy's immune system, and Beta-glucan postbiotics to further promote digestive health and stool quality.
Digestive Chews
These chews target digestive health in adult dogs. They contain prebiotic fibers to feed the healthy bacteria in your dog's gut. They also contain Beta-glucan postbiotics for digestive health and stool quality. Zeolite in these chews helps to reduce stool odor.
Joint Chews
These chews target your dog's joint health, especially for aging dogs. They are formulated with New Zealand green-lipped mussels, which promote joint comfort and reduce joint stiffness. They also contain DHA and EPA to reduce inflammation caused by normal exercise and activity. Vitamins C and E are also found in these treats to support healthy aging.
Skin & Coat Chews
These chews help your dog maintain healthy skin and a glossy coat. They contain Omega-6 fatty acids (GLA) and zinc to keep the skin hydrated, which improves coat glossiness. Omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA promote healthy skin. These chews also contain B-vitamins to maintain the skin barrier.
My Experience with Royal Canin Probiotic Powders
Royal Canin sent me some of the probiotic powders to try out with my dogs and cats. I have three cats and a Chihuahua mix. For starters, I love how conveniently packaged these probiotic powders were, and the instructions for using them were really clear.
My cats and my dog had different experiences with them at first. We all know how picky and particular cats can be, so all three of them turned their noses up when I first put the powder on their food. However, they eventually gave in and ate the food. I haven't noticed a change in one of my cats, because he's pretty healthy. My other two cats have some sensitivities, and I have noticed that they seem to be throwing up less after only two weeks of me giving them the probiotic.
My dog, on the other hand, was intrigued by the powder from the minute I put it on her food. She thought she was getting a special little treat. She's pretty healthy as well and doesn't have a lot of digestive issues. But her stool can be irregular at times. Since I've started giving her the probiotic, her stool seems to be more regular in consistency and frequency.
Overall, I think both the dog and cat probiotic powders have been beneficial for my pets so far. But if you want to try them for yourself, you can purchase the probiotics (and supplements) on Chewy, Amazon, through the Royal Canin website, or through your veterinarian.
You can also learn more about the supplements and probiotics on Royal Canin's website before you buy them.