Author Topic: Vets Best Hairball Remedy  (Read 6658 times)

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Offline Lola

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Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« on: August 17, 2014, 10:47:08 PM »
I havent bought any in a while, but a friend has.  I dont know if the ingredients have changed, or just the size.  Her cat is NOT happy with the new product though.  :(
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2014, 05:04:13 AM »
The shape has changed, they must have changed their mold.  Mazy cat shows no reaction to the change. She being the most sensitive to any sort of change, and the one who gets the most of it (half tablet a day) I would think if there was something different in the formula, her digestion would have noticed.

They all still like it, just as much.

Offline Lola

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2014, 05:52:46 PM »
That's good to know.  Thanks... I'll tell my friend. 
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Offline Lola

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2014, 05:54:51 PM »
Oh, hey... when you are bored... would you mind writing down the ingredients list on your new bottle?  I'll compare it to my old bottle.  Telling her the ingredients are the same... may help a bit more. 

Edit:
Can they use old labels for 6 months... like pet food mfg can?
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2014, 08:03:14 PM »
I've been using the new shape for more than 6 months.


Active ingredients:

psyllium seed .................................50 mg
Marshmallow (althea Officinalis) ........25 mg
Slippery Elm Bark (Ulma Fulva) .........25 mg
Allzyne (lactobacillus Acidophilus
Aspergilus Oryzae, Bacilus Subtiles
Papin Amylase, Protease)................... 2 mg
Papaya exctract(papain)   ...................2 mg

Inactive ingredients:

Apple Powder, Brewer's yeast, Calcium Carbonate, chicken (dried) Liver (defatted pork), magnesium sterate, Natural flavorings, Yeast (Torula)

Unfortunately I did not save the last of my old bottles, not knowing that when I opened the next it would be a different size or shape so I was never able to make the comparison.  I should and do know better, I'm not sure how that happened.

I'll be interested to hear if these match her old bottle.

This one has a "expire" date of 04 14 2017



Offline Lola

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2014, 02:49:38 AM »
I have an old bottle...the larger size tablets.  Exp 2016.  The ingredients are EXACT, to what you posted.  I will tell her.  She has/had the new size, and thought maybe the company changed ingredients. Thanks for your help.

« Last Edit: August 19, 2014, 02:51:46 AM by Lola »
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2014, 10:42:30 PM »
Someone just gave me a link for Vets-Best Hairball relief on sale with free shipping on $19 or more.

http://www.valuepetsupplies.com/vet-s-best-hairball-relief-tabs-chewable-tablets-60ct.html

I've never bought from this company so can't vouch for them.  I've just stocked up recently so won't be able to take advantage of this good price, but thought I'd share.

Offline Lola

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2016, 12:48:29 PM »
Great... found this thread!  I didn't want to go off topic more than I already did in another thread...

I used Vets Best Hairball Remedy when transitioning kibble addicts to wet food.  I would crush a tablet and sprinkle a little on top of wet food.  It worked miracles!  I used it again when transitioning from wet food to raw. 
I continued to use it when introducing new proteins, or if I bought raw from a new source.  Different textures or proteins... it always did the job to get the skeptics to eat something new and/or different. 

A bottle would last me a very long time.

When a friend mentioned that VB wasn't the "miracle" fix for her cat, that is when I started this thread. 

I didn't purchase a new bottle (with the change in size) until 2015.  Even though the company said NOTHING had changed, other than the size...  something changed as far as my bunch was concerned.  If I had reason to sprinkle a bit on a food... the thrill was no longer there!  Some walked away from their dishes.  Some barfed their meal back up.  A few had very loose stools.  I was totally bummed! 
By the way, the most I ever used was one crushed tablet shared among all the cats. 

Fast forward to this month:

After reading that others were finding VB to not be the miracle remedy it once was, I thought now would be a good time for a re-test.  I crushed one tablet.  Sprinkled it on top of a food that has been in our rotation for a long time.  I got all the same reactions as mentioned above.  :( 

Something changed when the size changed.  It was less powder-ish...harder to crush.  That made me suspicious of an ingredient change.  From what others have recently mentioned, it sounds like VB is continuing to make changes... and not for the better.   It is a shame.  It was a realllllly helpful product at one time.  :( 
« Last Edit: October 23, 2016, 03:43:31 PM by Lola »
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2016, 01:20:38 PM »
The formula was changed drastically this summer.  In spite of Vets'-Best claiming there is only "very little change", it has changed A LOT.

The active ingredients remain the same, but it's possible the source of those ingredients have changed.  The inactive ingredients now read (taken straight from the bottle and they have now sent me two different batches for free after my complaints, and the ingredients read exactly the same as the first bottle I paid for with the change:

Apple Fiber Powder,  Calcium Carbonate, Cellulose, Liver Powder (I've been told by V-B the liver source is pork), Magnesium Stearate, Natural Flavor, Silicon Dioxide, Yeast (Torula)

Old formula:

Apple Powder, Brewer's yeast, Calcium Carbonate, chicken (dried), Liver (defatted pork), magnesium sterate, Natural flavorings, Yeast (Torula)

Many people from the IBD group are finding their cats will not longer go near it.

What I found was that, after a very slow transition from old to new, once all on new Mazy cat began regurgitating every two or three days.

I have taken her complete off it.  I thought I would continue to use it for Jennie and Queen Eva but I've changed my mind. I don't want them having sawdust, even only once in a while. I don't know what I will do with the three unopened bottles and the one opened bottle (two paid for, two "complementary".

I think V-B will find their high sales will fall off quite a bit.  Sadly, eventually they will find new customers, and those customers won't have experienced the difference.

Offline DeeDee

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2016, 01:27:11 PM »
Something else you all need to keep on your minds too: The new GMO, non-browning, non-bruising apples. If they don't get enough people to eat them, guess where it's going to show up?
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2016, 01:33:03 PM »
Good point Dee.  Wonder if it already has.  That might be what the problem is for Mazy cat. 

Well that and the cellulose.  They claim the cellulose was always in there, just never on the label.  I do not believe them.

Offline DeeDee

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #11 on: October 23, 2016, 01:53:08 PM »
The only reason I see for the addition of the cellulose is to "water down" the product so to speak. It's used widely as a non-caking agent in human food, and that could be it. But somehow, my mind is stuck on them being able to use less of the actual products that work while it's looking like the same volume. Cellulose and silicone are pretty cheap additives. Profit margins. BAH

"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." Edward Hoagland
"Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog."

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #12 on: October 23, 2016, 03:32:46 PM »
The only reason I see for the addition of the cellulose is to "water down" the product so to speak. It's used widely as a non-caking agent in human food, and that could be it. But somehow, my mind is stuck on them being able to use less of the actual products that work while it's looking like the same volume. Cellulose and silicone are pretty cheap additives. Profit margins. BAH



Yep.

Offline Lola

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #13 on: October 23, 2016, 03:40:53 PM »
I am really ticked.  It wasn't that I used it often, but I recommended it a LOT to people.  It was a good and EASY product for people to use to get their kibble addicts to at least TRY wet food.  SO many people don't have the patience or time (or whatever) to try this and that... Vets Best was a shoe in! 
Having to go back to recommending FortiFlora (SHORT term use ONLY), burns my _____. 


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Offline Lola

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Re: Vets Best Hairball Remedy
« Reply #14 on: October 23, 2016, 03:55:48 PM »
Quote
I don't know what I will do with the three unopened bottles and the one opened bottle (two paid for, two "complementary".

I would send them all back... free ones included.  Include a note how disappointed you are.  It would be worth it (to me) to pay the postage, just to get it off my chest. 
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