VetPet Box Dog Subscription Review + Coupon – October 2018

VetPet Box is a subscription for dogs or cats with toys, treats, and other supplies curated by veterinarians. Choose from boxes for petite (up to 15 pounds), small (15-30 pounds), medium (31-50 pounds), large (51-100 pounds) or giant (100+ pounds) and there are also options to select for heavy chewers and dogs with food allergies. This is a review of the large dog box for heavy chewers and dogs with food allergies. My dog, Nyx, is an 84-pound Rottweiler who is definitely a power chewer; she also has inflammatory bowel disease so we avoid pretty much all grains and most animal proteins.

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.) 

This is a review of the Large Dog, $49 a month, box.

About VetPet Box

The Subscription Box: VetPet Box (Large Dog version)

The Cost: $49 a month (save with longer subscription options). Price varies by dog size.

The Products: Toys, treats, and grooming supplies selected by veterinarians with your dog’s needs in mind.

Ships to: US (free to the contiguous 48 states, $8 to Alaska or Hawaii), Canada ($15)

VetPet Box Dog October 2018 Review

Please note: This subscription is somewhat customized based on preferences you select when you sign up. So, what you’ll see below are treats for a food-sensitive dog and toys for a heavy chewer:

Included was an information card with more information about the items in the box.

And the last piece of literature was this educational brochure. There is always good information in there about a particular doggie-related health topic. This month had to do with joint health.We are, unfortunately, familiar with many joint health issues. My last dog had a hip replacement! And Nyx tore both her ACLs a few years ago. She was not a good candidate for surgery since she is on prednisone for her IBD, so we opted for a very conservative strategy of tramadol, laser pain treatments, a ramp for the front stairs, and basically no walking other than to go potty for almost a year. We still don’t walk her too far at once, but she doesn’t limp anymore.

Primalvore Bone Broth Beef (12 oz) – Listed Value $11.99 (buy 2 for $22.99, found here for $19.99)

Bone broth has collagen in it, and this also has turmeric, which should help with inflammation (at least, it does with people). Collagen is good for joint health, which of course is of particular concern with large-breed dogs. Of course, this is also grain-free. The beef this is made from is 100% grass-fed. Anyway, Nyx is unable to have beef due to her IBD but we got some of this in the cat version of VetPet Box and I’ve been giving it to Monkey, so now I have lots of backup supplies. (A handful of items from VetPet Box will work for both dogs and cats and I do take advantage of that since Nyx has unusual medical requirements but most of my cats are pretty healthy.)

Primalvore Bone Broth Chicken (12 oz) – Listed Value $11.99 (buy 2 for $22.99, found here for $19.99)

Here is the chicken version of the same thing. The chickens are 100% free range. It is nice to know something about the animal care practices used in the making of this product (which probably contribute somewhat to the price). This one will also be going to Monkey.

Doggy Incredibubbles – Listed Value $4.99

I’ve had these before. I just got the cat version in Cuddle Crate this month (review coming soon!). These are a little strange; the formula is super-thick and the bubbles are kind of small and don’t pop when they hit the ground. (I actually found cat bubbles on the dining room wall several days later.) Nyx likes these every now and then, although the bubbles are tiny and she is big so they don’t make for the best pictures and we are mostly using them off-camera.

Wild Pacific Salmon Rolls by Snack 21 (2 count) – Listed Value $3.98 (buy 50 rolls for $99.50, found here for $62.81)

I *think* salmon is OK for Nyx but we are only slowly working up to letting her have this much. We started with some baked cookie-style treats with only a little salmon, then some small pieces of freeze-dried salmon, and I will probably slice these up and try them next. These make perfect sense for a joint health box as they are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids which, in combination with glucosamine and chondroitin, can really help dogs with joint problems.

Healthy Dogma Chasing Karma Hip and Joint Supplement (8 oz) – Retail Value $16.95

This is a powdered product with some interesting ingredients. It has natural eggshell membrane, which is going to be a source of collagen, and tart cherry extract which is a source of antioxidants. It also has hyaluronic acid, which is great for joint lubrication, and these also contain a source of omega-3 fatty acids. This is the kind of product where you do not see results right away but need to be consistent in using it over time. It is also probably helpful to start *before* your dog starts having problems in order to see the best results and prevent future issues.

Gnawt-a-Cone – Retail Value $9.95

This is supposed to be shaped like a pinecone and I guess I see that. It has a somewhat irregular shape and surface which makes for interesting bounces. It has two holes so no worries about suction and your dog’s tongue. I put a little peanut butter in this and Nyx thought it was pretty fun (see below).

Dynamo Dog Functional Soft Chews Hip and Joint: Bacon and Cheese (5 oz) – Retail Value $6.49

These are grain free and soy free and have a soft texture. They contain glucosamine and chondroitin as well as omega-3 fatty acids. To really see results you will need to give these consistently over time (but they come in different flavors so you can mix it up if you want). These are from the same company that makes Buddy Biscuits and I’ve been happy with their other treats in the past.

Nyx isn’t super into hard rubber treats UNLESS there is also peanut butter involved. Which there was here. (She seems to do OK with limited amounts of peanut butter.) This was durable enough to leave her alone with.

Verdict: I calculated a value of $66.34 for October’s Vet Pet Box. That is above the cost of the box. I thought the curation was great this month. A lot of dogs will have hip and joint issues when they get older and there’s not a “one size fits all” solution. But this month there were multiple products providing omega-3 fatty acids, collagen, glucosamine and chondroitin, etc., so you can try a few out and find what works best for your dog, including a few products that were totally new to me.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Due to customization (dog size/chewing habits/dietary issues), boxes may vary from month-to-month. New subscribers typically receive an introductory box first. However, if you’d like to get a repeat of a past box, contact VetPet Box – if your dog has major dental issues, as an example, they want you to be able to get the dental health box and the items within more than once if it will be useful to you. And the same goes for any other theme.

Value Breakdown: At $49/month for this box, you are paying approximately the following per item:

• Beef broth $8.86
• Chicken broth $8.86
• Bubbles $3.69
• Salmon rolls $2.94
• Kelp supplement $12.52
• Rubber toy $7.34
• Soft chews $4.79

Check out all of our VetPet Box reviews and lots of great boxes for dogs in the Pet Subscription Box Directory!

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What do you think of the October 2018 Vet Pet Box dog subscription box? Do you subscribe to any dog or cat boxes?