Written by a licensed veterinarian and medical advisor to pet brands. All guidance reflects current veterinary standards and marketing compliance considerations.
Reading time: 12 minutes Last updated: July 2026 Written by: Dr. Sarah Wooten, DVM, CVJ In this guide, you'll learn: Introduction
A pet supplement can have thoughtful formulation, quality ingredients, and a genuine purpose. It can also have marketing that gets it into trouble.
I've seen it happen more than once. A founder spends months developing a product. The formulation is reviewed. The packaging looks great. The website goes live. Then an Amazon listing gets flagged, a retailer asks for changes, or someone on the legal team starts highlighting claims in red. The product usually isn't the problem. The marketing is. That is frustrating because most pet brands aren't trying to mislead anyone. They're trying to explain why their product is worth buying. Marketing teams want language that helps customers understand the benefits. Regulatory teams want language that stays within the rules. Retailers have their own standards. Veterinarians look at the science through a different lens. Consumers simply want to know if the product is likely to help their pet. Those priorities don't always line up. That's where many brands get stuck. They assume a claim is either compliant or noncompliant. In reality, there's other questions that matter just as much: Will this claim hold up? Will it stand up to scientific scrutiny, retailer review, veterinary review, and consumer skepticism? That's the lens I use when I review pet supplement marketing. In this guide, I'll walk you through the types of claims pet brands use, the mistakes I see most often, and practical ways to write marketing that builds trust without creating unnecessary risk. Whether you're launching your first supplement or updating an existing product line, my goal is simple. I want to help you create marketing that gives people confidence in your brand while reducing the chances of costly revisions, retailer pushback, or compliance headaches later. Let's get into it. What are Pet Supplement Claims?
When people hear the word claim, they often think of bold promises on a product label. In reality, claims show up almost everywhere. They're on your packaging, your website, your Amazon listing, your social media posts, your email campaigns, and sometimes in customer testimonials. Every time you describe what your product does, or what someone should expect from using it, you're making a claim.
That's why understanding claims is so important. They're one of the first things retailers, regulatory reviewers, veterinarians, and consumers notice. They also shape how people perceive your brand. A claim that's clear, accurate, and well supported builds confidence. One that overpromises can create unnecessary risk, even if your product is excellent. Let's look at the main types of claims you'll encounter. Express Claims An express claim is exactly what it sounds like. It's a direct statement about your product. For example:
There's very little ambiguity. You're telling the customer what benefit you believe your product provides. Because these claims are explicit, they should be supported by appropriate evidence and carefully worded. Implied Claims Implied claims are a little trickier because you don't have to say something outright for people to understand the message. Imagine a product marketed with images of an arthritic dog happily running across a field, alongside customer stories about dogs no longer limping after using the supplement. Even if the label never says the product treats arthritis, many people will walk away with that impression. Retailers and regulators don't evaluate only the words on the page. They also consider the overall message your marketing creates. That's one reason claims review looks beyond individual sentences. Context, including images, matters just as much. Marketing Claims Not every marketing claim is a health claim. Statements like "Veterinarian Reviewed," "Made in the USA," "Third-Party Tested," or "Contains clinically studied ingredients" all communicate something about your product. Some relate to quality. Others speak to credibility or manufacturing standards. Those claims also need to be truthful and supported. A credibility claim that can't be substantiated can become just as problematic as a health claim. Structure/Function Claims Structure/function claims are where many pet supplement companies spend most of their time, and for good reason. These are the claims that describe how a product supports normal body structure or function without suggesting it treats or prevents disease. Examples include:
These claims can be powerful marketing tools because they help consumers understand why a product may be beneficial while staying focused on supporting normal health. If you're unsure where the line is between an appropriate structure/function claim and one that crosses into disease territory, I cover that in more detail in my article,"What Is a Structure/Function Claim and Can Your Pet Supplement Use It?" Disease Claims Disease claims are different because they suggest a product can diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent a disease or medical condition. Examples include:
Those statements carry a very different level of regulatory scrutiny than claims about supporting normal health. Sometimes the difference between an acceptable claim and a problematic one is only a few words, which is why careful review matters before marketing materials are published. If you'd like to see the patterns I encounter most often, read "The Three Pet Supplement Claims That Get Brands Into the Most Trouble." Product Positioning Is a Claim, Too Here's something many brands overlook. Claims aren't limited to individual sentences. The way you position your entire product communicates a message. A product called "Senior Mobility Formula" sends a different signal than one called "Arthritis Relief." A website organized around maintaining lifelong joint health creates a different impression than one centered on treating painful joints. That's why I don't review claims in isolation. I review the complete story your marketing tells. Product names, headlines, images, testimonials, ingredient descriptions, and supporting copy all work together to shape how your product will be interpreted. Before a new product launches, I encourage brands to step back and ask one simple question: What would someone believe this product does after spending five minutes on our website? The answer is often more revealing than reviewing individual sentences one by one. If you'd like an experienced veterinary perspective before your next launch, learn more about my Pet Supplement Claims Review service. Sometimes a few thoughtful wording changes are all it takes to strengthen your marketing while reducing unnecessary retailer or compliance risk. Why Pet Supplement Claims matter More Than Ever
Not that long ago, many pet supplement companies could publish marketing with relatively little outside scrutiny. Today, that's no longer the reality.
More people are paying attention to product claims than ever before, and they're looking at them through very different lenses. Retailers like Amazon, Chewy, and PetSmart each have their own review processes for product listings and marketing content. A claim that seems harmless to a marketing team may trigger questions during a listing review or require revisions before a product can go live. In some cases, listings are temporarily removed while brands work through the requested changes. That can be frustrating when you're trying to launch a product or maintain momentum. Then there are the regulatory agencies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA-CVM) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) each have different responsibilities, but both care about truthful, supportable marketing. One focuses on issues related to animal products and regulatory oversight, while the other is concerned with deceptive or misleading advertising. Brands don't need to become regulatory experts, but they do need to understand that marketing language carries real responsibility. Veterinarians bring another perspective entirely. When I read a pet supplement website, I naturally ask questions like, Would I feel comfortable explaining this to a client? Does this statement accurately reflect the science? Is the language helping pet owners understand the product, or is it promising more than the evidence supports? Those aren't regulatory questions. They're credibility questions. And credibility matters because today's pet owners are asking better questions, too. Consumers have access to more information than ever before. They compare products, read reviews, research ingredients, and look for signs that a company is trustworthy. Many are also skeptical. They've seen exaggerated marketing before, and they're becoming better at recognizing language that sounds too good to be true. Ironically, some brands respond by making even bigger promises in an effort to stand out. In my experience, that usually has the opposite effect. The strongest marketing isn't built on bigger claims. It's built on believable claims. That's why I encourage brands to think beyond compliance. A claim can technically avoid regulatory problems and still create doubt if it feels exaggerated or unsupported. On the other hand, a claim that's grounded in science, written with care, and consistent with the rest of your messaging does more than reduce risk. It helps build confidence in your product and your brand. That's the standard I aim for when I review pet supplement marketing. Not simply asking, "Can you say this?" but also, "Will this claim hold up when retailers, veterinarians, regulators, and consumers all take a closer look?" Not sure whether your claims would survive retailer, veterinary, or regulatory scrutiny? That's exactly what a veterinary claims review is designed to uncover. How Different Types of Claims Create Different Levels of Risk
One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that all claims carry the same level of risk.
They don't. Some claims are relatively straightforward to support. Others deserve much closer scrutiny before they appear on a product label, website, or Amazon listing. Understanding the difference helps you focus your attention where it matters most. General Wellness Claims These are some of the broadest and most commonly used claims in pet supplement marketing. Examples include:
Because these statements are general, they usually create less concern than highly specific medical claims. That doesn't mean you should use them carelessly, though. They still need to reflect what your product is reasonably intended to do. Structure/Function Claims Structure/function claims describe support for the normal structure or function of the body. Examples include:
These claims are often the sweet spot for pet supplements. They're specific enough to communicate a meaningful benefit, yet focused on supporting normal health rather than treating disease. The wording matters, though. Sometimes only a few words separate an appropriate structure/function claim from one that creates unnecessary risk. Ingredient Claims Sometimes the claim isn't about the finished product. It's about one of the ingredients. For example:
Those statements can help consumers understand what's in the product, but they can also become problematic if they imply benefits that aren't supported by the overall formulation or available evidence. Simply including a popular ingredient doesn't automatically justify every claim associated with it. Disease Claims Disease claims carry the greatest level of scrutiny because they suggest a product can diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent a disease or medical condition. Examples include:
This is where many brands unintentionally cross the line. Often, it isn't because they intended to make a disease claim. It's because the overall message created by their headlines, testimonials, images, or supporting copy points readers in that direction. Testimonials and Reviews Customer stories can be incredibly persuasive, but they're still part of your marketing. If a testimonial says a supplement "cured my dog's arthritis" or "eliminated my cat's kidney disease," simply placing quotation marks around those words doesn't necessarily eliminate the concern. When brands choose to feature testimonials, they should evaluate them with the same care they apply to the rest of their marketing. Comparative Claims Comparative claims position your product against another product, ingredient, or category. Examples include:
These claims can be compelling, but they also raise the bar for substantiation. If you're making comparisons, you should be prepared to support them. The Big Picture Rather than asking whether a claim is "safe" or "unsafe," I encourage brands to ask a different question: How much evidence, context, and careful wording does this particular claim require? That's a much more useful way to think about claims because it shifts the conversation away from checking boxes and toward building marketing that people can genuinely trust. Every claim should work toward the same goal: helping pet owners understand your product without creating expectations your marketing can't support. That's where strong marketing and sound veterinary review begin to overlap. How I Review Marketing Claims
When brands hire me to review marketing, I'm not sitting with a highlighter looking for forbidden words. I'm looking at the experience a customer has from the moment they land on the page until they decide whether to buy. I'm also looking to see if a veterinarian would believe the copy, or poo poo the product.
Here's what I'm asking myself. Does the headline match what the product actually does? Sometimes the biggest problem isn't buried in the body copy. It's the very first thing someone reads. A headline sets expectations. If those expectations promise more than the rest of the marketing can support, trust starts eroding before a customer reaches the second paragraph. Is the science being represented accurately? I don't expect every supplement to have multiple clinical trials behind it. I do expect the marketing to honestly reflect the evidence that exists. That means asking questions like:
Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes it just needs more nuance. Would another veterinarian be comfortable reading this? This is one of my favorite gut checks. If another veterinarian landed on this page, would they nod their head and think, "That's a fair representation of the product." Or would they immediately start questioning the claims? Veterinarians are trained skeptics. That's not a bad thing. It means we're constantly comparing marketing language against biology, physiology, and available evidence. What would a pet owner actually hear? Here's where things get interesting. Marketing isn't interpreted sentence by sentence. People absorb an overall message. That's why I spend just as much time looking at headlines, product names, graphics, testimonials, ingredient callouts, icons, and images as I do the body copy. If every piece points toward the same exaggerated conclusion, it doesn't matter whether one individual sentence looks acceptable. Does the marketing build trust? This is probably the biggest question of all. Because ultimately, that's what good marketing should do. Strong marketing doesn't persuade people by making bigger promises. It persuades people by making believable promises. Consumers are surprisingly good at recognizing when something feels exaggerated. The brands that earn long-term loyalty are usually the ones that explain their products clearly, respect the science, and leave enough room for honest expectations. What Amazon, Chewy, and PetSmart Are Looking For
Getting a product onto a retailer's website isn't just about having great packaging and attractive photos. Your marketing copy has to pass their compliance filter.
One thing I encourage brands to remember is that retailers aren't regulatory agencies. Amazon, Chewy, and PetSmart don't exist to interpret federal regulations or provide legal advice. Their job is to protect their customers, maintain consistency across their marketplaces, and reduce risk for their business. That means they often have their own review standards for product listings, even when a claim isn't specifically prohibited by a regulation. I've worked with brands that were surprised when a listing was flagged because the product itself wasn't the issue. The concern was the language used to describe it. A headline, a bullet point, or a customer testimonial can all trigger questions during a retailer review. Retailers also look at the complete listing, not just one sentence. Product titles, images, A+ Content, ingredient descriptions, benefit bullets, comparison charts, and featured reviews all contribute to the overall message. If those pieces work together to suggest a product is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease, you may be asked to revise the listing before it goes live or remains active. That's why I encourage brands to think beyond the question, "Can we legally say this?" A better question is, "How is this likely to be interpreted by someone reviewing our listing?" Those aren't always the same thing. The good news is that most retailer concerns can be addressed with thoughtful revisions rather than a complete rewrite. Small changes in wording, better context around ingredients, or a more balanced description of product benefits are often enough to strengthen a listing while preserving the marketing message. If you're preparing products for Amazon, Chewy, or PetSmart, it's worth reviewing the entire customer experience before launch. Looking at one claim in isolation isn't enough. For a closer look at how online retailers evaluate pet supplement marketing, read my article, "What Amazon, Chewy, and PetSmart Are Actually Looking For in Pet Product Claims." It takes a deeper dive into common review triggers and practical ways to strengthen your listings before they go live. Most brands don't realize they have a claims problem until a retailer, legal team, or marketplace flags it. Reviewing claims before launch is almost always faster and less expensive than rewriting them afterward. How to Write Strong Claims Without Creating Unnecessary Risk
One of the biggest myths in pet supplement marketing is that compliance and good marketing are opposites. They aren't.
I've reviewed plenty of products that communicate their benefits clearly without making exaggerated promises. The goal isn't to strip all personality out of your marketing. It's to write in a way that's accurate, believable, and consistent with what your product is intended to do. When I'm reviewing copy, I often find that a few thoughtful edits make a meaningful difference. Here are a few examples. Focus on Supporting Normal Health Higher Risk "Repairs damaged joints." Lower Risk "Supports healthy joint function." The second example still communicates a benefit, but it focuses on supporting normal function rather than suggesting the product repairs existing damage. Describe Benefits Without Promising Outcomes Higher Risk "Stops diarrhea in dogs." Lower Risk "Supports normal digestive health." Pet owners understand that digestive support is valuable. You don't need to promise a specific medical outcome to communicate the purpose of the product. Let the Ingredients Tell Part of the Story Sometimes marketers try to squeeze every possible benefit into one sentence. A better approach is to explain what the product contains and why those ingredients were selected. For example, instead of making broad promises, you might describe that a formula contains omega-3 fatty acids to support healthy skin and coat or probiotics selected to support digestive health. That approach helps educate consumers while keeping expectations grounded. Be Specific Without Overreaching Vague marketing often isn't persuasive, but neither is copy that sounds too good to be true. Instead of trying to impress readers with dramatic language, focus on helping them understand what the product is designed to support and who it may be appropriate for. Clear usually wins. Match the Tone to the Evidence The stronger the claim, the stronger the evidence should be. If your product has meaningful research behind it, talk about that research accurately. If the evidence is more limited, your marketing should reflect that reality. Consumers appreciate honesty, and so do veterinarians. Think About the Entire Customer Experience Before publishing new marketing, I encourage brands to review the page from the perspective of someone seeing the product for the first time. Ask yourself:
These examples are intended to illustrate general principles, not provide legal or regulatory advice for individual products. Every supplement, formulation, and marketing campaign is different. That's why I always recommend reviewing claims within the context of the complete product, supporting evidence, and overall marketing strategy. The strongest pet supplement marketing doesn't rely on the biggest promises. It earns confidence by making claims that are clear, supportable, and consistent from the first headline to the final call to action. Quick Copy Check A Simple Claims Checklist Before You Publish
Before a new product, website update, Amazon listing, or social campaign goes live, I encourage brands to slow down and work through a final review. Catching small issues now is almost always easier than revising marketing after a retailer, regulatory consultant, or internal reviewer raises concerns.
Here are ten questions I recommend asking before you hit publish. 1. What is the single message this page communicates? If someone spends one minute on your page, what will they believe your product does? Make sure that impression matches your intended positioning. 2. Are your health claims clear and supportable? Every statement about your product's benefits should accurately reflect what you can reasonably support. 3. Does the language focus on supporting normal health rather than treating disease? Sometimes a single word can change how a claim is interpreted. Read your copy carefully with fresh eyes. 4. Do your headlines, images, testimonials, and body copy reinforce the same message? Your marketing should feel consistent from top to bottom. Mixed messages often create unnecessary risk. 5. Are ingredient descriptions accurate and appropriately balanced? Consumers appreciate understanding why an ingredient was included. Just be careful not to imply benefits that go beyond the available evidence. 6. Have you reviewed every testimonial you chose to feature? Testimonials become part of your marketing. Make sure they reflect the story you want your brand to tell. 7. Does your marketing sound believable? This is one of my favorite questions because it has nothing to do with regulations. If a claim feels exaggerated, consumers often notice before anyone else does. 8. Would a veterinarian consider this a fair representation of the product? Veterinary credibility is built through accuracy, transparency, and realistic expectations. 9. Have you reviewed the entire customer experience instead of individual sentences? A product page is more than copy. Product names, graphics, videos, icons, comparison charts, and calls to action all contribute to the overall message. 10. Would you feel comfortable defending every claim six months from now? Marketing should age well. If a statement makes you uneasy today, it's worth revisiting before your customers ever see it. No checklist can replace thoughtful review, but asking these questions before launch can help you identify issues while they're still easy to fix. If you'd like a more detailed version that your marketing team can use before publishing product pages, labels, retailer listings, or advertising campaigns, download my Pet Supplement Claims Review Checklist. It's the same framework I use to evaluate marketing through the lens of veterinary credibility, consumer trust, and practical risk reduction. Pet supplement claims should do more than sound good on a label. They should hold up when a retailer scans them, when a veterinarian reads them, and when a pet parent decides whether the brand feels trustworthy. That is the real job of good marketing: not to say the most, but to say the right thing well. Ready to Know Whether Your Claims Hold Up? FAQs
What's the difference between a structure/function claim and a disease claim?
A structure/function claim describes how a product supports the normal structure or function of a healthy animal. For example, "supports healthy joints" or "helps maintain digestive health." These claims describe normal body functions without suggesting the product treats or prevents disease. A disease claim goes further by implying the product can diagnose, treat, cure, prevent, or mitigate a medical condition. Statements such as "treats arthritis," "prevents urinary tract infections," or "reduces seizures" move into disease claim territory and can trigger additional regulatory scrutiny. The difference may seem subtle, but a few words can change how regulators, retailers, and veterinarians interpret your marketing. Choosing careful, supportable language is one of the best ways to reduce risk while maintaining credibility. Can customer testimonials create compliance problems? Yes. A customer testimonial can create the same compliance concerns as claims written by the company itself. If a review or testimonial says your supplement "cured my dog's allergies" or "eliminated arthritis pain," featuring that statement in your marketing may be viewed as adopting the claim. Retailers and regulators often consider testimonials part of your advertising, not simply customer opinions. Before using testimonials on your website, Amazon listing, social media, or packaging, review them with the same level of care you would apply to your own marketing copy. Does FDA approval apply to pet supplements? In general, no. Most pet supplements are not reviewed or approved by the FDA before they reach the market. That does not mean companies can say whatever they want. Marketing claims are still expected to be truthful, supportable, and not misleading. Depending on the product and the claims being made, companies may also need to consider state feed regulations, retailer requirements, and advertising standards. Many brands mistakenly equate "not FDA approved" with "unregulated." In reality, pet supplement marketing is subject to multiple layers of oversight. Can veterinarians review marketing claims? Yes. Veterinarians with experience in product marketing and regulatory messaging can review marketing claims for scientific accuracy, medical context, and overall credibility. A veterinary review helps identify language that may overstate benefits, create unintended disease claims, or reduce trust with veterinary professionals and consumers. While a veterinary review is not a substitute for legal or regulatory review, it provides valuable scientific insight that marketing teams often lack. For brands developing health-related products, combining veterinary expertise with legal and regulatory guidance often produces the strongest results. What's the difference between legal review and veterinary claims review? They answer different questions. A legal review focuses on regulatory requirements, advertising law, intellectual property, and legal risk. A veterinary claims review evaluates whether the claims accurately reflect the science, align with veterinary standards, and communicate realistic expectations to pet owners. Neither replaces the other. In many cases, they work best together. A veterinarian may identify scientific concerns that legal counsel would not, while legal counsel may identify regulatory issues outside the scope of a veterinary review. Can Amazon reject compliant claims? Yes. Retailers often apply standards that are more restrictive than federal regulations. A claim that may technically comply with applicable regulations can still be flagged or rejected because it conflicts with a retailer's internal advertising policies or automated review systems. Amazon, Chewy, and other retailers regularly evaluate listings for language that appears to make disease claims, overstate benefits, or create customer confusion. Writing with retailer expectations in mind can help reduce delays, listing removals, and costly revisions. Does NASC membership mean my marketing is compliant? No. The National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) Quality Seal demonstrates a company's commitment to quality standards and responsible manufacturing practices. It does not guarantee that every marketing claim, advertisement, product listing, or social media post complies with applicable regulations or retailer policies. Marketing claims should still be reviewed for scientific support, regulatory considerations, and retailer requirements before publication. How often should claims be reviewed? Claims should be reviewed whenever something significant changes. That includes launching a new product, updating packaging, refreshing your website, creating Amazon or Chewy listings, introducing new advertising campaigns, or adding customer testimonials to your marketing. Even if your products remain the same, reviewing marketing language annually is a good practice. Regulations evolve, retailer policies change, and marketing copy often expands over time. Regular reviews help identify small issues before they become larger problems. 
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AuthorDr. Sarah Wooten is a small animal veterinarian, international speaker, author, and advocate for both pets and the people who love them. With over 20 years of experience in clinical practice, media, and continuing education, she makes veterinary medicine clear, credible, and never boring. Archives
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