Transparent, science-powered ingredients.

Why it is included

Itchy skin and stiff joints share a driver: inflammation fuelled by arachidonic acid, an omega-6 fat. EPA and DHA displace some of it from cell membranes, so the body makes weaker inflammatory messengers and more resolvins, which switch inflammation off. A review of 20 controlled dog trials found benefits for allergic skin, coat and osteoarthritis, and a 2022 meta-analysis found omega-3 gave the clearest joint pain relief of any supplement.

Why it is included

Probiotics compete with pathogens for space and nutrients, lower gut pH, support production of butyrate (the main fuel for colon cells) and stimulate IgA, the antibody that lines the gut. In 773 shelter dogs, a daily probiotic-prebiotic cut diarrhoea by about a third. In healthy pet dogs, a blend sharing four of our strains raised beneficial bacteria and lowered E. coli within four weeks.

Why it is included

Bacillus coagulans forms spores with a tough coat that survives heat, storage and stomach acid, which fragile probiotic strains often don’t. In a lab model of the gut, its spores germinated in the small intestine and produced lactic acid and digestive enzymes. In dogs, one sachet’s dose improved digestibility, and a placebo-controlled trial found firmer stools and more butyrate-producing bacteria.

Why it is included

Psyllium husk forms a viscous gel in water. In the colon the gel buffers stool water, binding it when stools are loose and holding it when they are hard. It ferments slowly, so it adds bulk with little gas. In a randomised trial of 59 dogs with acute colitis, a psyllium-enriched diet resolved diarrhoea in about five days, faster than the antibiotic metronidazole.

Why it is included

Acacia fibre is a highly branched fibre from acacia tree gum, so gut bacteria break it down slowly along the colon, unlike inulin or FOS, which ferment fast and can cause gas. With dog gut bacteria in the lab, acacia made very little gas, increased bacterial diversity and favoured butyrate producers. In people, it raised Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli as well as inulin did, without side effects.

Why it is included

UC-II keeps type-II collagen in its native shape. Immune tissue in the small intestine samples it and trains regulatory T cells to tolerate type-II collagen, calming the immune attack on joint cartilage that fuels osteoarthritis. It is a signal, not a building block. In 40 exercising Labradors, it reduced stiffness, pain, inflammation and a marker of cartilage breakdown versus placebo.

Why it is included

Joint inflammation runs on two enzyme pathways: COX, which most anti-inflammatory drugs block, and 5-LOX, which makes leukotrienes. Boswellic acids, especially AKBA, switch off 5-LOX and, in lab studies, dampen NF-κB, a master switch for inflammation. In 29 dogs with joint or spinal disease, Boswellia improved lameness, pain and stiffness in 71% within two weeks.

Why it is included

Zinc is essential for keratinisation, the process that turns skin cells into a tough barrier and hair. Zinc in dry foods varies widely, plant phytate and calcium reduce its absorption, and huskies and malamutes absorb it poorly. Organic forms are absorbed more consistently than zinc oxide. In dogs, extra zinc reduced water loss through the skin, and organic zinc made coats brighter and smoother.

Why it is included

Vitamin E is the main antioxidant in cell membranes, where it stops the chain reaction of fat oxidation. Dogs with atopic dermatitis have lower blood vitamin E, and in a placebo-controlled trial, eight weeks of vitamin E reduced their skin lesions. Omega-3s oxidise easily, and dogs on high omega-3 intakes lost about 40% of their vitamin E, so each sachet adds 50 IU.

Why it is included

Biotin is a cofactor for enzymes that make the fatty acids in the skin barrier and support the amino-acid metabolism behind keratin. Food and gut bacteria supply it, but antibiotics and illness can reduce supply. In an uncontrolled study of 119 dogs with dull coats, brittle hair or scaling, 91% improved within five weeks.

Why it is included

L-theanine is the green-tea amino acid behind “calm alertness”. It crosses into the brain, raises the calming neurotransmitter GABA in animal studies, and weakly binds glutamate receptors, which may blunt over-excitation. In anxious beagles it increased approach to strangers versus placebo, with no sedation, and in storm-sensitive dogs it reduced panting, pacing and hiding.

Why it is included

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen: it helps the body return to balance after stress rather than sedating it. Stress triggers cortisol release through the HPA axis; withanolides in the root appear to damp that over-activation. In a placebo-controlled trial of 24 anxious dogs, four weeks of ashwagandha lowered cortisol and fear and anxiety scores. In senior dogs, it also lowered inflammatory markers.

Why it is included

Brewer’s yeast is rich in B-vitamins and two cell-wall fibres. Mannan-oligosaccharides act as decoys that some bacteria bind instead of the gut wall, and beta-glucans prime the gut’s immune cells. Both ferment into short-chain fatty acids. In dogs, brewer’s yeast raised fecal short-chain fatty acids and cut stool odour, and in sled dogs it lowered an inflammation marker.

Why it is included

Skipjack tuna is selected to be the flavour profile of Daily Essentials. It offers low allergen risk to dogs, provides a savoury bonito taste that dogs love, while having one of the lowest mercury concentration in the fish species.

Why it is included

Silicon dioxide is minimally included as a necessary ingredient that helps prevent powder from clumping during the production process.