PET SUPPLIES: Products for your pet selected by our veterinarians

Dr. Foster:  "As veterinarians, our first concern is for pets. Our education, our 30 years of veterinary practice experience, our lives, really, are devoted to the health and care of pets."

"We know pets - what's good for them, what's not, what they need, and what they don't. We also know pet owners. We've talked to and helped thousands of pet owners over the years on everything from behavior problems to health issues, to puppy training, to coping with the loss of their pets. Anything and everything you can imagine."

"Because veterinarians understand pets and the depth of that very special relationship between a pet and its owner, most pet owners, I think, would prefer to have a veterinarian recommend a product for their pet, rather than a group of businessmen who pick products based on profit potential. That's a big difference between us and other pet suppliers. We care about pets first, as well as the pet owners who are taking care of them."
 

Dr. Foster:  "I'm sure part of it is because of our veterinary background, but I think it also has to do with the fact that we've been reviewing and selecting pet products for our catalogs for over 17 years. This year, alone, I bet we've reviewed more than 2,000 pet products. Multiply that by the 17 years we've been doing this and I'd guess there aren't many people out there who have seen as many pet products as we have."
 

Dr. Foster:  "Over the years, we've developed a set of criteria that each product has to meet in order for us to put our name behind it. The criteria differs from category to category, of course, but certain standards apply across all products - like safety, quality construction, and value. Products we think have the potential to be unsafe are immediately discarded, of course. Because of how many products we've reviewed over the years, we know quality when we see it, so only a small percentage of the products we review ever make it to our catalog or web site."
 

Dr. Foster:  "And value. When we started Drs. Foster & Smith 17 years ago, one of our founding principles was to make pet care more affordable for pet owners. That still guides every product decision we make today. We want every pet owner to be able to afford to give their pet quality care, and we work very hard to make that happen."

"Take flea control, for instance. There are a number of nationally advertised brands that sell for $40 or more. They're good products and they provide a high profit margin to us. But they're not the products we emphasize. We feature Bio Spot - the lowest cost - and lowest profit - flea and tick product we offer. Why? Well, first of all, it does an excellent job of controlling fleas and ticks - as good or even better than the national brands. And it does it at a third of the cost. Which means more pet owners will be able to offer this protection for their pets. The way we look at it, that's better for pets, and it's better for pet owners."

"Many of our Drs. Foster & Smith-brand products are the same way - like vitamins. We thought the major brand-name vitamins were too expensive for the majority of pet owners, so we developed our own line. Our vitamins offer the same, or even better formulas, but they cost considerably less. Again, good for pets and good for pet owners."
 

Dr. Foster:  "Joint Care has remained our customers' favorite product for a number of years, which is very gratifying for Dr. Smith and me because, in a way, it represents everything we stand for."
 

Dr. Foster:  "Well, first of all, it's a product that may help to improve the quality of life for many pets suffering from bone and joint problems, like arthritis and hip dysplasia. As veterinarians, anything we can do to improve a pet's life is fulfilling. I can't tell you how many letters and e-mails we've received thanking us for this product. We've read and heard so many success stories about how older pets who are limping or have joint stiffness and are in obvious pain are then placed on Joint Care and often within a short time are able to live more active lives. And these pet owners tell us time after time it's because of Joint Care, since it's the only thing they did differently from before."

"Secondly, it's a product we developed ourselves. After reviewing the alternatives on the market, we felt that other Glucosamine and Chondroitin products were too expensive for the average pet owner, and there was no good reason for it. After considerable research, we decided to develop our own product."

"In addition to using the same high-quality ingredients in the more expensive brands, we improved the formula by adding Vitamin C, which is thought to play a role in healing and is an essential ingredient in the formation of collagen, a main component in the shock-absorbing cushion in the joints. And even with the improved formula, we're still able to offer this product at a cost that is considerably less than alternatives like Cosequin and Glycoflex."

"So, in essence, we're able to help improve the quality of life for many pets with a product we believe is much better than the alternatives, and, we're able to save pet owners money. Joint Care really is what we're all about, and the fact that it's our best-selling product makes us very happy."