
Thursday, February 17,
2011
In the development of our
product, a special dog multivitamin with joint support formula was created. With the addition of whole-fruit
mangosteen (due to its natural and non-toxic properties as a proven anti-inflammatory & anti-histamine),
produced to our standards and specifications, the result is our Liquid Dog Vitamins Formula with Joint Support
& Mangosteen.
When the product was tested with
a small group of dogs, we were excited because they were receptive to the taste and because of previous experience
with similar formulas, we knew the results were going to be great. After being on the market for nearly 18 months,
tested by breeders, groomers, and handlers, the continuing reports of health-related improvements and unsolicited
testimonials speak for themselves.
Our formulator has over 25 years
experience formulating products and they followed the AAFCO nutrition guidelines as they formulated our product.
Our manufacturing partner has been effectively formulating pet products for over a decade. They follow GMP (Good
Manufacturing Practices) rules and are one of the few pet products manufacturers that is GMP certified. All of
their products are cold processed to ensure the maximum efficacy of the ingredients and proper potency at the end
of the shelf life of all the products manufactured.
GMP rules are much stricter
than those of the USDA & FDA. Because GMP rules are followed, each ingredient purchased requires a
certificate of analysis. In addition, every ingredient that comes through the door is quarantined and tested. When
the ingredient passes the quality tests, it is then released for use. If it does not pass, it is not
allowed.
The new (Fall 2009)
state-of-the-art, FDA registered, manufacturing facility conducts various tests on the ingredients they
purchase:
One test employs the NIR machine (near-infrared or infrared
spectrography) which checks for the purity of the ingredient being tested. This machine is also instrumental
in letting us know if an ingredient is contaminated or if an ingredient is not up to our standards. By using
the NIR machine we also avoid the possible use of an ingredient that has been mislabeled. All ingredients
have to be matched within specifications to a library of pure samples residing at the
facility.
After identification of the ingredient has been verified, it goes
through another test to ensure there is no mold or other organism growing on the ingredient. This test takes
an average of 5 days per ingredient. Once the tests have been passed our ingredients are stored in a climate
controlled area to ensure freshness until it is time to use them.
As the manufacturing process
begins all equipment is cleaned and, if necessary, calibrated. The ingredients are mixed and then taken to one of
16 clean rooms (6 for liquid manufacturing and 10 for powder or capsule manufacturing). The air and climate is
controlled in these rooms to ensure no contaminants will adhere to the mixture. As the product goes through the
bottling line, samples are taken and verified to ensure the product has the right color, consistency, smell and any
other factor that can affect the product. Please remember that we use a lot of natural ingredients and although we
strive to keep our product very consistent, some times variances do occur from batch to batch. After product
completion, samples are kept for future testing.
Unlike many dog products on the
market, all of our ingredients are pharmaceutical grade and are used for human consumption. In fact, products for
humans are also made in our manufacturing facility.
We hope this helps. Please feel
free to look at our website under the quality
assurance link for more information on the entire GMP process. We stand ready to answer any questions
you may have.
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