What do NASC and cGMP mean on a dog supplement?
cGMP describes audited manufacturing processes, and the NASC Quality Seal shows that a member brand passed NASC's quality audit and follows its labeling, adverse event and testing rules. Neither one tells you whether a product works.
The short version
- Pet supplements are not covered by DSHEA. In the US an animal product is legally a food or a drug, overseen by FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine and state regulators.
- cGMP is about manufacturing process control: hygiene, sanitation, equipment, operations and storage. It says nothing about efficacy.
- Only NASC member companies may use the NASC Quality Seal. "Made in a NASC-audited facility" is a narrower claim about the factory.
- Ask any brand for the lot's Certificate of Analysis and whether the lab is ISO/IEC 17025 accredited.
NASC and cGMP are both statements about how a supplement is made and monitored. Neither one is a statement about whether it works.
Who regulates dog supplements in the United States?
The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is responsible for regulating animal food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and it works with state regulators who carry out many of the inspections and sample collections.1 Responsibility for a safe product sits with the manufacturer and distributor.1
The law that created the human "dietary supplement" category, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), applies only to people.3 For animals there is no separate supplement category. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) puts it this way: depending on its stated intended use, a product is either a food or a drug.2 A product that claims to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent disease is making a drug claim, and those claims are not permitted on animal feed labels.2
The AVMA has reported that pet supplements sit in a gray area where CVM uses enforcement discretion, and that many have failed quality tests for potency and contaminants.3 That gap is why voluntary quality programs exist.
What does cGMP cover?
cGMP stands for current Good Manufacturing Practice. For animal food, the federal cGMP rules are in 21 CFR Part 507, Subpart B. They cover personnel hygiene, plant and grounds, sanitation, water supply and plumbing, equipment and utensils, plant operations, and holding and distribution.6
A third-party cGMP audit certificate tells you an outside auditor checked a facility's processes against a manufacturing standard on a given date. It does not tell you that a specific batch was tested, that the label amounts are right, or that the formula does anything for a dog. cGMP is about process control, not efficacy.
What is NASC, and what does the Quality Seal require?
NASC is the National Animal Supplement Council, a trade association for companies that make and sell supplements for dogs, cats and horses. To earn its Quality Seal, NASC says a member company must pass an independent quality audit and stay in compliance with these requirements:4
- A quality control manual with written standard operating procedures
- An adverse event reporting and complaint system
- Compliance with NASC labeling guidelines on all forms of labeling
- Caution statements on the label for particular ingredients, as recommended by FDA's CVM
- Random product testing by an independent lab to check that products meet label claim
- Annual training run by NASC
On adverse events, NASC says members must investigate every report and file monthly, whether or not they had an event that month.5 The seal is a quality and labeling program, not a clinical endorsement.
Is "made in a NASC-audited facility" the same as carrying the NASC Quality Seal?
No. NASC states that only its member companies, operating under its guidelines for manufacturing, labeling and adverse event reporting, are permitted to use the Quality Seal.5 Many brands hire a contract manufacturer, and that manufacturer may hold its own NASC audit.
| What the label or website says | What it means |
|---|---|
| NASC Quality Seal on the jar | The brand is a NASC member that passed the audit and follows the requirements above. |
| "Made in a NASC-audited facility" | The factory passed a NASC audit. The brand is not necessarily a member. |
| "cGMP certified facility" | A third party audited the factory's processes. It says nothing about the formula. |
The middle row is a useful fact about where a product is made. It is a smaller claim than the seal.
What should you ask a brand before you buy?
A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is a document from a lab reporting test results for one specific lot, such as the amount of an active ingredient or screening for contaminants. ISO/IEC 17025 is the international standard that lets laboratories demonstrate that they operate competently and generate valid results.7
- Who manufactures the product, and where?
- Which audits does the facility hold, and is the brand itself a NASC member?
- Can I see a COA for the lot number on my jar, and is the lab ISO/IEC 17025 accredited?
- Is every active ingredient listed with its own amount, or hidden in a proprietary blend?
Check tonight
Pick up any supplement or chew your dog already gets and give it one minute. Find the lot number and best-by date. Look for the NASC Quality Seal. Check whether each active ingredient has its own amount. Note what is missing.
When to call your veterinarian
Before starting any supplement, tell your veterinarian every product your dog gets, including chews and oils, and ask: "Does anything in this interact with my dog's medications or conditions?" Call promptly if your dog vomits, has diarrhea, stops eating or seems unwell after a new product, and bring the jar with its lot number.
Where Tailwise stands
Tailwise Hip & Joint is made in the USA, in Kansas, in a facility that holds a NASC primary supplier audit certificate and a third-party cGMP food processing certificate. Tailwise itself is not a NASC member company, so the jar does not carry the NASC Quality Seal. Each jar has a lot number and a best-by date on the bottom.
Quick answers
Are dog supplements FDA approved?
No. Dog supplements are not reviewed for effectiveness the way animal drugs are. FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine regulates animal food, the human supplement law (DSHEA) does not apply to animals, and the manufacturer is responsible for the product's safety.
Does the NASC Quality Seal mean a supplement works?
No. The seal means the member company passed an independent quality audit and follows NASC rules on labeling, adverse event reporting and random product testing for label claim. It does not evaluate whether the product helps a dog.
What is the difference between NASC-audited facility and NASC Quality Seal?
A NASC-audited facility is a manufacturer that passed NASC's audit. The Quality Seal can be used only by NASC member companies, so a brand made in an audited facility cannot use the seal unless the brand itself is a member.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine. Animal Foods & Feeds
- Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Definition of Food & Drugs
- American Veterinary Medical Association, JAVMA News (2017). Assessing pet supplements
- National Animal Supplement Council. NASC Quality Seal
- National Animal Supplement Council. FAQs
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (current). 21 CFR Part 507: Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals
- International Organization for Standardization. ISO/IEC 17025: Testing and calibration laboratories
Written by the Tailwise editorial team from the sources above. We are not veterinarians, and this article is not veterinary advice. If something here matches what you see in your dog, talk to your veterinarian.
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