Friday, February 12, 2016

Review & Giveaway: Keeping your Pet Calm with VetriScience® Composure Chews™

Review & Giveaway: Keeping your Pet Calm with VetriScience® Composure Chews™

The Chesnut Mutts were compensated in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are genuinely mine and we would not share a product that we did not fully believe in. Please do not use any image without permission. This post also contains affiliate links.

Anxiety happens to all of us, even our pets! Both Jada and Bailey are anxious creatures in some way or another and with proper training these fears can be helped, but sometimes we need a little boost or a stressful event happens out of the blue. What can we do as pet parents to help? I want to introduce you to VetriScience®  Composure™ Chews.

VetriScience Logo



Last month, we introduced you to VetriScience and their Perio Support Supplement, and this month we bring you their Composure Chews which help dogs or cats calm down in times of anxiety. Like we mentioned in our other post, VetriScience is based in Vermont and has been since 1972. They pride themselves on their highly researched ingredients in their products which are made by vets for vets.

We were given the VetriScience Composure Mini Bite-Sized Chews to try out with Jada and Bailey.

VetriScience Composure Bite-Sized Chews for nervous dogs

VetriScience Composure Bite-Sized Chews Directions

These chews can be given to small dogs or cats (up to 25 lbs) once a day or even twice a day if in a particularly stressful situation. These can be pretty powerful, so keep them locked away or up high where your pet can't reach them since overdose is possible.

VetriScience Composure Bite-Sized Chews ingredients

Since VetriScience is all about the ingredients (hey, so am I!), let's take a closer look at them....

Thiamine

This is Vitamin B1 and is important for muscle and nerve function. This vitamin reduces irritability and has been shown to help soothe animals who are anxious.

C3™

Colostrum Calming Complex is made from colostrum which is the first milk a lactating animal produces which jump starts the immune system of their young. These proteins help with stress reduction and support cognitive function.

L-Theanine

This extensively researched amino acid naturally occurs in green tea and helps reduce anxiety without drowsiness. It also helps your pet's body make other calming amino acids like tryptophan and dopamine.

VetriScience Composure Bite-Sized Chews for dog anxiety

The Composure Mini Bite-Sized Chews come in a small chewy bone shape that has a distinct vitamin smell to them. We have tried a similar treat like this and Bailey didn't want anything to do with it, but that wasn't the case here. She must have really liked the chicken liver flavor!

Bailey trying VetriScience Composure Bite-Sized Chews for stressed dogs

It is hard for me to review these types of pet products because there are always variables that could affect your pet's anxiety level. It is easier to tell when Bailey is anxious because of her body language: lip licking, squinting, seeing the whites of the eyes. (Learn more about dog body language with this article by Michelle Huntting) 

We decided to go to a pet boutique where we were going to introduce ourselves to see how Bailey would manage her stress...

VetriScience Composure Bite-Sized Chews small canine formula

I put both the girls in their Muttmobile, the rats in their scarf, and rolled around the store for a while accessing Bailey's anxiety level.

VetriScience Composure Bite-Sized Chews

For her, other people can be scary and she really doesn't like people petting her unless it is on her terms. I was EXTREMELY surprised when one of the store staff pet Bailey right on the head and she acted as if nothing happened. I know many of you will be like "but she's drugged! She's on doggie downers!" For one, that's how her face always looks (haha), and two, read what happens when I give it to Jada...

Jada trying VetriScience Composure Bite-Sized Chews

Jada was also with us during the store visit, but it was difficult to assess her anxiety because her main trigger is other dogs and surprisingly we did not encounter any that day. This past Sunday was the Super Bowl and we were invited to a party. I am not a sports fan, but jumped at the opportunity because I knew the house we would be going to had a puppy and this would be the perfect chance to test Composure out.

VetriScience Composure Bite-Sized Chews for use in anxious dogs

I gave Jada the Composure chew about an hour before we left and as expected, she was super excited to get out and meet everyone. The puppy greeted her with so much enthusiasm and after a while, Jada got annoyed because she kept egging her on to play. But overall I was very impressed with VetriScience Composure and Jada was super sweet the entire time. She didn't get sleepy, but instead was her normal happy self as if going to a party was a daily occurrence.

VetriScience Composure Bite-Sized Chews
Cool, calm, and collected


In a Nutshell...

  • VetriScience is Vermont-based since 1972 and they pride themselves on thoroughly researched ingredients
  • VetriScience Composure comes in chew and liquid form for both dogs and cats
  • The Composure Mini Bite-Sized Chews are for dogs and cats up to 25 lbs.
  • The ingredients are not commonly seen in most anxiety supplements for pets
  • What makes this product special is that it doesn't cause your pet to become drowsy they are still themselves, but a calmer version
  • You can buy Composure in our Amazon shop, or you can find a retailer here.


I was genuinely amazed at how calm both my girls were on this product. This is definitely something I would recommend to pet parents who have dogs or cats with anxiety issues or need something just in case!

VetriScience Composure Bite-Sized Chews for dogs with anxiety
"Where are we going now, Mama?"
Learn more about VetriScience here!

 What causes your pet anxiety?
 Let us know in the comments!

We are also having a giveaway for a bag of Composure Chews for dogs or cats!
3 readers will win a bag of their choice [dog (ARV 16.99) or cat (ARV 9.99)]. If you choose dog, please specify what size (Mini or Regular
US, 18+ Only, Ends 2/25/2016 11:59 pm EST
By entering this giveaway, you agree to the official rules


43 comments:

  1. kids definitely cause her the most anxiety! omgg it's horrible

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  2. My dog gets anxious around other dogs and with thunder and lightening.

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  3. My dog hates loud noise like thunder storms fussing or loud voice. She been this way for back in 2011 we had tornado come threw and it tore up our home and act. We took her to the and now we have to use meds to clam her.

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  4. My oldest rescue, Lady Girl, is terrified of loud noises, including fireworks and gunshots. This product would be perfect for her.

    anncluck(at)att(dot)net

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  5. my middle child get very anxious when trying to clip her nails, she has to be sedated or given lots of rescue remedy. my oldest get upset at almost anything with grooming b/c she has dementia now. so i have to be very slow and cautious with her.

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  6. Ella gets anxious from loud noises like thunder, car engines, planes flying low, fireworks, the weird noises from the washer, etc. She would love to try the mini size chews.

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  7. Storms and loud sounds like fireworks get my dogs the most. The smallest one especially

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  8. Sydney gets scared with sudden movements, loud noises, strangers getting to close, etc. She is a lot more open than she was when she was a kitten.

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  9. Thunder, fireworks and strangers coming to the door. Skipper is our rescue and get very nervous in going in the pet store. Most of the time his wants to go back to the car and refuses to go in the store.

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  10. Storms seem to cause both of my dogs a lot of anxiety.

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  11. Blackie hates storms with loud thunder and stray cats running around. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. Thunder storms are a big problem in our house

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  13. Other dogs and fireworks give both Nala and Cody anxiety .

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  14. My children, my vacuum cleaner, my dust mop, the door bell ringing, sudden movements, slow movements, new people, people they have know their whole lives....I could go on but I won't. My cats are chickens for sure.

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  15. Our labrador hates fireworks. They get her all worked up. :(

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  16. Missy is my sweet little girl she's dachshund rescue and she is very anxious. She is frightened of thunderstorms, car rides, and very nervous around people. Some would see her behavior as aggressive around people, so we half to be very careful when company comes over this would be perfect for her to try

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    1. I know what you mean! Bailey is very anxious and might snap at people.

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  17. The pics of Bailey almost made me want to cry, she's a lot like our dog! Turkey used to have a super-cute underbite just like that, until she literally yanked out most of those teeth by biting herself so much :( . She was also a stray we found running around on a busy street, and we think she's part Shih-Tzu. She can be anxious about other people & dogs, though she's mostly happy & silly.

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    Replies
    1. Hehe, Bailey turns out to be part Shih Tzu as well. If you have a photo I would love to see! chesnutmutt@gmail.com

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  18. My little Casey gets very scared. He would love this because we don't use anything right now. Thank you so much!

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  19. My dog is more neurotic than I am (lol) and has been so since day 1! The people who had him as a puppy had to work all day and left him and his brother outside all the time. He's afraid of being alone, afraid of thunder storms/loud sounds, and gets a bit too hyped up when he meets both people and other dogs. I'd love to give this medication a try.

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  20. I think some of Bean's repetitive behaviors (paw licking) aren't just because of allergies. She seems to resort to this behavior when she's on edge. Having something to try to help calm her would be great.

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    1. That is very possible. If you have already been on the allergy route (trying an a steroid shot would be an easy way to see) and still see that happening is could be a learned behavior.

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  21. Sally and Evie get stressed out on car rides. I am working with them, so I hope they get better with time.

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  22. My dog gets anxious during thunderstorms and car rides.

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  23. our dog gets anxiety when its storming outside

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  24. The things that cause my dog anxiety is thunderstorms, fireworks and gun shots.

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  25. My one dog has thunderstorm anxiety and almost all of mine hate fireworks.

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  26. My dog gets anxious during road trips.

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  27. Jennie is so afraid of thunder. She shakes and hides whereever she can.

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  28. Any time it gets windy and rainy. When I leave them alone.

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  29. Whenever it thunders or he hears fireworks.

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  30. Thunderstorms cause my dog's anxiety. He hates thunder and lightening.

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  31. My dog gets pretty anxious during car rides.

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  32. Our daughter's Pomeranian gets anxious about noises.

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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  33. Wager is afraid of new people =(

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  34. All 3 have anxiety when it there is a thunderstorm.
    Laurie Emerson
    lauraemerson17 at yahoo dot com

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