As the holidays grow near, many people will become new pet owners—whether they’re adopting a pet on their own as a gift to themselves or are being surprised with a new pet from a family member. If you’re aware that a friend or family member is going to welcome a furry friend into their family very soon, the holidays would be the perfect time for you to add to the celebration with the gift of pet health supplements!

As a pet owner, you’ve come face to face with the joy—and then the stress—that comes with adopting your first pet. Adopting a cat or dog when you’ve never had a pet before can be overwhelming; suddenly, there’s an entire world of care to learn about and administer!

Why are supplements a good gift idea?

When most people think of gifts, it’s unlikely that the first idea that comes to mind is health supplements. But, really, pet supplements are the perfect gift idea, especially for new pet owners!

Here’s why:

• Cover their expense: When someone adopts a new pet, there are a lot of costs they’ll suddenly be responsible for. Between the essential supplies, food and vet visits, new pet owners don’t always have it in the budget to purchase “extra” items like supplements. Because they might need to wait a little longer to get supplements for their pets, purchasing supplements as holiday gifts for them could save them the extra expense!
• Great preventative care: Supplements are a fantastic gift choice for the pets of new pet parents because your friends and family will have the opportunity to start their pet’s healthcare journey off on the right foot immediately. Giving a new pet owner a great form of preventative care early on can be instrumental in helping their pet achieving lifelong health.
• Sharing expertise: As a pet owner yourself, you’ve gained experience and understanding of some of the problems that face pets and some of the best ways to alleviate them. You may even have a brand of supplements you’ve tried with your furry friends and would love to recommend! Your experience in the realm of caring for pets makes you a valuable resource for the friends and family who recently adopted their first pet. Receiving supplements from you can make the pet owner feel like they’re getting great advice from someone who has experience and make them feel much more comfortable with pet ownership from the start.

Great supplement ideas for new pets

Of course, not all pet supplements will work for newly adopted pets. The choices you make for pet supplement gifts will ultimately depend on the pet’s age and any health problems it may have. To make the right choices, you can talk to the new pet owner to gain a better understanding of their pet. Or, you could choose supplements that are better suited for general wellness.

For younger puppies or kittens, the best kind of supplement gifts to give are ones that will have preventative aspects or promote overall wellness. Probiotics are great for maintaining proper gut health, while immune supplements help support the immune system to prevent illness—something very important in younger pets, especially.

Adult pets may benefit from supplements that help the joints to prevent or offset symptoms of arthritis. Another great choice is omega-3 fatty acid supplements, which have a wide range of benefits. Not only can these supplements improve the look and feel of a pet’s skin and coat, but they may be useful in reducing inflammation, promoting healthy cognition and improving heart health.

Newly adopted senior pets can benefit from supplements, as well! Senior dogs and cats may be most receptive to arthritis-related supplements, immune-boosting supplements and supplements designed to improve cognition, including omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. If the senior dog has a health issue you know about, supplements to aid in the specific ailment can be extremely beneficial to your pet owner friend as they learn how to most effectively treat their new pet’s condition.

Whenever you give supplement gifts to your friends and family—whether for the holidays or as an “anytime” gift—make sure you research the brand and product thoroughly to ensure what you’re giving is safe, effective and reliable. Additionally, once you give them, remind the pet owner to check with their vet before administering the supplements to ensure they won’t interfere with any medications the pet is currently taking!

As long as your friend’s pet can take them, you’re sure to bring a little extra joy and cheer when you give the gift of supplements this year!