VetPlus Fibor 500g for Dogs & Cats | 7-Fibre Blend Pellets | Psyllium, Beet Pulp, Inulin, Cellulose & Mixed Fibres | Anal Gland, Constipation, Colitis, Diabetes & Hairball Support

FOR ANIMAL USE ONLY — Administer as directed by a veterinarian or as per label instructions. Fibor is a veterinary nutraceutical high-fibre complementary feed supplement — not a veterinary medicine. Veterinary guidance is recommended before use, particularly in animals presenting with: blood or mucus in faeces (haematochezia, melaena, or mucopurulent faeces), persistent or severe constipation (obstipation), unexplained weight loss, or signs suggesting intestinal obstruction or neoplasia. These presentations require veterinary examination and diagnostic workup (digital rectal examination, abdominal imaging, colonoscopy, biopsy where indicated) before attributing GI signs to a simple dietary fibre deficiency. In diabetic animals, adding dietary fibre may alter glycaemic response and insulin requirements — monitor blood glucose and consult your veterinarian when initiating Fibor alongside diabetes management. Introduce Fibor gradually over 7–10 days to avoid flatulence, bloating, or osmotic diarrhoea from abrupt large-scale fibre increases in the diet. Keep out of reach of children. Ensure adequate fresh water is always available when supplementing with high-fibre products, particularly psyllium-containing formulations (psyllium requires adequate hydration for safe gastrointestinal transit; in severely dehydrated animals, dry psyllium husk ingestion without adequate water can cause oesophageal or intestinal impaction).

VetPlus Fibor 500g for Dogs & Cats | 7-Fibre Blend Pellets | Psyllium, Beet Pulp, Inulin, Cellulose & Mixed Fibres | Anal Gland, Constipation, Colitis, Diabetes & Hairball Support

VetPlus Fibor is a veterinary nutraceutical high-fibre complementary feed supplement manufactured by VetPlus Ltd (UK) for dogs and cats. Fibor delivers 45% total dietary fibre from a patented blend of seven distinct fibre types — combining soluble, insoluble, and fermentable fibre fractions — in a palatable pellet format that mixes easily into wet or dry food. Unlike single-fibre products (plain psyllium, plain cellulose, or plain beet pulp), Fibor’s seven-fibre blend provides a broad-spectrum fibre profile that simultaneously addresses the full range of fibre-responsive clinical conditions in companion animals: anal gland impaction, large bowel constipation, small and large bowel diarrhoea and colitis, diabetic glycaemic control, obesity-associated satiety, and feline hairball management. The 500g tub provides a substantial supply for medium-to-large breed dogs or long-term supplementation in cats and small dogs.

Dietary Fibre Classification & Physiological Mechanisms in Dogs and Cats

• Classification of dietary fibre types: dietary fibre (DF) is defined as the plant cell wall and non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) fraction of food that is not digested by mammalian endogenous digestive enzymes (amylase, proteases, lipases) but may be fermented by colonic microbiota; DF is classified by two primary properties that determine clinical function: (a) solubility — soluble fibres (SF): form viscous gels in the presence of water — include pectin (β-1,4-galacturonan backbone of plant cell walls — from citrus peel, apple pomace), guar gum (galactomannan — β1,4-mannose backbone with α1,6-galactose side chains from Cyamopsis tetragonoloba seeds), inulin (β(2→1)-linked fructan from chicory root — same molecule as FOS at short chain lengths), and β-glucan (oat/barley β(1→3)(1→4)-glucan); soluble fibres slow gastric emptying, increase digesta viscosity in the small intestine (reducing glucose absorption rate and blunting the postprandial glycaemic response), and are preferentially fermented by colonic microbiota to SCFA (butyrate, propionate, acetate); insoluble fibres (IF): do not form gels; primarily increase faecal bulk, accelerate colonic transit, and provide mechanical stimulation of the intestinal wall — include cellulose (β1,4-glucose linear polymer — not fermented by mammalian enzymes; negligibly fermented by colonic bacteria — provides bulk without caloric contribution), lignin (non-carbohydrate phenylpropanoid polymer of plant cell walls — entirely non-fermentable), and wheat bran (β1,4-arabinoxylan — partially fermentable); (b) fermentability — highly fermentable fibres (inulin/FOS, pectin, guar gum) → rapid colonic bacterial fermentation → SCFA production + gas (CO2, H2, CH4) → prebiotic effect (bifidogenic) but may cause flatulence at high doses; poorly fermentable fibres (cellulose, wheat bran) → bulk-forming without significant SCFA production or gas; moderately fermentable fibres (psyllium, beet pulp) → intermediate: some SCFA production + significant water-holding and gel-forming capacity; Fibor’s 7-fibre blend spans the full spectrum: highly fermentable (inulin/FOS → prebiotic effect) + moderately fermentable (psyllium − soluble gel-former + beet pulp − mixed soluble/insoluble moderately fermentable) + poorly fermentable/bulking (cellulose) + others, providing a broad-spectrum functional fibre profile in a single product
• The seven fibre types in Fibor and their specific mechanisms:
  • Psyllium husk (Plantago ovata seed husk) — mucilaginous soluble gel-forming fibre: psyllium’s active component is arabinoxylan — a 1:8 branched arabinose:xylose polysaccharide that hydrates to form a highly viscous mucilaginous gel (up to 40× its weight in water); psyllium gel in the intestinal lumen: (a) increases digesta viscosity → slows glucose and lipid absorption → blunts postprandial glycaemic response (relevant for diabetic dogs and cats); (b) acts as a stool normaliser — binds excess luminal water in diarrhoea → forms a gel matrix that slows colonic transit and produces firmer, well-formed stools; in constipation, psyllium’s gel retains moisture in the stool → softens hard/dry faeces → facilitates passage; this dual normalising action (psyllium both firms loose stools and softens hard stools) makes it the most versatile single fibre for GI conditions; (c) anal gland mechanism: firm, bulky psyllium-formed stools exert greater physical pressure on the anal sacs as they pass through the anorectal junction → mechanical compression of the anal gland ducts → anal gland secretion expression (see anal gland section below)
  • Beet pulp (dried sugar beet — Beta vulgaris — pulp) — mixed soluble/insoluble moderately fermentable fibre: beet pulp is the residual fibrous material remaining after sucrose extraction from sugar beet; composition: ∼50% soluble fibre (predominantly pectin — homogalacturonan and rhamnogalacturonan I with arabinan side chains) + ∼50% insoluble fibre (cellulose and hemicellulose); beet pulp is the most widely used fibre source in commercial pet food for GI health; it is moderately fermented by colonic bacteria (50–60% digestibility vs inulin’s >90% fermentability) → provides SCFA (particularly propionate and butyrate) for colonocyte nutrition without the excessive gas production of highly fermentable fibres; supports healthy Firmicutes microbiome populations; the mixed soluble/insoluble ratio and moderate fermentability make beet pulp ideal for stool quality optimisation in dogs and cats
  • Inulin (chicory root β(2→1)-fructan) — highly fermentable prebiotic fibre: inulin (DP 10–60 — degree of polymerisation, longer-chain than FOS DP 2–4) provides selective prebiotic activity for Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus (same mechanism as FOS described in Sustain/Promax — β(2→1) glycosidic bond resistant to mammalian enzymes; selectively fermented by bifidobacteria and lactobacilli β-fructofuranosidase); the longer-chain inulin (DP 10–60) reaches deeper into the colon before complete fermentation vs short-chain FOS (DP 2–4) → distributes prebiotic effect across the full length of the colon (proximal → distal), supporting colonic Bifidobacterium populations uniformly; bifidogenic effect → colonisation resistance against pathogens + SCFA production + colonic Treg induction (see Sustain/Promax descriptions)
  • Cellulose (microcrystalline cellulose — MCC — or powdered cellulose) — poorly fermentable insoluble bulking fibre: cellulose (β1,4-glucose linear homopolymer) is entirely resistant to fermentation by the canine and feline colonic microbiome (no mammalian cellulase; dogs and cats lack the Ruminococcus/Fibrobacter cellulosome present in herbivore hindgut flora); cellulose functions as a pure physical bulking agent: increases faecal dry matter volume → stimulates colonic peristalsis via mechanoreceptor (ICC — interstitial cells of Cajal) activation by colonic wall distension; in calorie-restricted diets (obesity management), cellulose provides dietary bulk and gastric distension (satiety via gastric mechanoreceptors → CCK/GLP-1 release from I-cells and L-cells) without contributing fermentable carbohydrate or calories; in Fibor, cellulose ensures reliable faecal bulk even when the fermentable fractions are metabolised
  • Oat bran (β-glucan-rich fraction of Avena sativa) — soluble viscous fibre with cholesterol-lowering and glycaemic-modulating properties: oat β-glucan (β(1→3)(1→4)-mixed-linkage glucan) is a soluble fibre that forms highly viscous solutions at relatively low concentrations (compared to guar gum); mechanisms: (a) viscosity-mediated glycaemic attenuation — β-glucan gel in the small intestinal lumen increases digesta viscosity → reduces rate of glucose diffusion to the brush border and SGLT1 transporter → reduces postprandial blood glucose spike (relevant for canine and feline diabetes mellitus); (b) bile acid sequestration — β-glucan gel binds primary bile acids (cholate, chenodeoxycholate) in the intestinal lumen → reduces enterohepatic bile acid recirculation → the liver must synthesise new bile acids from cholesterol via CYP7A1 (cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase) → net reduction in serum LDL-cholesterol (the well-established hypocholesterolaemic mechanism of oat β-glucan confirmed by EFSA health claim approval for humans; analogous mechanisms operate in dogs with hypercholesterolaemia); (c) selective fermentation → SCFA production: β-glucan is fermented by Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium species producing primarily acetate and propionate
  • Pectin (citrus or apple-derived homogalacturonan) — highly fermentable soluble fibre with mucosal protective and anti-inflammatory properties: pectin (α1,4-galacturonan backbone with methyl esterification at C-6 carboxylate groups; high-methoxyl pectin HM-pectin ≥50% esterification; low-methoxyl pectin LM-pectin <50% esterification) in the GI context: (a) forms gels (HM-pectin under acid pH – relevant in the stomach; LM-pectin via Ca2+ cross-linking – relevant in the intestinal lumen) that coat the mucosal surface → mucosal protection against luminal irritants (similar to kaolin’s coating mechanism but via a gel rather than particulate clay); (b) highly fermented by colonic Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Lachnospiraceae → propionate-predominant SCFA production (pectin’s galacturonate units are converted to pyruvate → propionate via the succinate pathway in Bacteroides); propionate is absorbed from the colon → portal circulation → hepatic gluconeogenesis substrate (reduces hepatic de novo lipogenesis) and GPR41/43 receptor agonist on adipocytes (inhibiting lipolysis); (c) pectins derived from apple pomace and citrus peel also contain rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II) — a boron-cross-linked pectic polysaccharide with immunomodulatory properties via interaction with DC-SIGN on dendritic cells
  • Guar gum (galactomannan from Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) — highly viscous soluble fibre for glycaemic control and stool consistency: guar gum galactomannan (β1,4-mannose backbone with α1,6-galactose side chains in 2:1 mannose:galactose ratio) forms the most viscous solutions of all food gums at equivalent concentrations (10× more viscous than locust bean gum; 5× more than xanthan gum at 1% concentration); mechanisms: (a) extreme viscosity in the small intestinal lumen → maximum glucose absorption rate reduction → strongest postprandial glycaemic attenuation of all soluble fibres in the Fibor blend; (b) guar gum in diarrhoea management: the viscous gel slows intestinal transit, increases digesta residence time, and reduces stool water content; partially hydrolysed guar gum (PHGG) is used in human and veterinary medicine specifically for IBS-type functional diarrhoea and tube-fed patient diarrhoea management; (c) guar gum is moderately fermented by colonic microbiota (Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron expresses mannanase for guar hydrolysis) → acetate and propionate production

Primary Clinical Indications & Fibre Mechanisms

• Anal gland impaction and anal sacculitis in dogs (the most important indication for Fibor in dogs): canine anal sacs (anal glands — paired secretory structures located at approximately the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock positions in the anal ring, lined with apocrine and sebaceous glands producing a malodorous semisolid secretion used for scent marking and individual identification) are normally expressed by the mechanical pressure of firm, well-formed stools passing over the anal sac ducts during defecation; causes of anal gland impaction: (a) soft or small-volume faeces (poor-quality diet, insufficient fibre, diarrhoea) fail to generate adequate mechanical pressure on the anal sac ducts → secretion accumulates → impaction → sacculitis (inflammation → Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, E. coli bacterial secondary infection) → abscessation and rupture if untreated; (b) anatomical predisposition: small and toy breeds (Cocker Spaniel, Chihuahua, Poodle, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso, Dachshund — narrow duct anatomy); obese dogs (excess periglandular fat altering duct orientation); (c) dietary management: increasing dietary fibre → increases faecal bulk and firmness → restores mechanical anal sac expression during defecation; Fibor’s psyllium + cellulose + beet pulp combination provides the maximum faecal bulk-forming effect for anal gland management; clinical expectation: significant reduction in anal gland impaction frequency within 4–6 weeks of consistent Fibor supplementation; Fibor does not treat established anal sacculitis or abscessation — these require veterinary drainage, flushing, and antibiotic therapy; signs of anal gland problems warranting veterinary attention: scooting (dragging the perineum along the ground), licking/chewing the perineal region, hind leg/foot chewing, fishy odour, discomfort when sitting or defecating, visible swelling lateral to the anus
• Chronic large bowel diarrhoea and colitis (dogs and cats): large bowel diarrhoea (LBD) is characterised by increased frequency of small-volume faecal deposits, tenesmus, and the presence of mucus and/or blood (haematochezia) in the faeces; common causes in dogs: idiopathic large bowel diarrhoea, stress colitis, fibre-responsive colitis, Tritrichomonas foetus (cats — particularly Bengals and pedigree cats with T. foetus typhlocolitis), Giardia, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD — lymphocytic-plasmacytic colitis, eosinophilic colitis); fibre-responsive large bowel disease: dietary fibre increases faecal bulk and transit normalisation in LBD; soluble fibres (psyllium, beet pulp) bind excess luminal water → firmer stools; fermentable fibres (inulin, pectin) → SCFA → colonocyte butyrate supply → colonocyte barrier function and Treg maintenance; beet pulp specifically is the evidence-based fibre choice for fibre-responsive large bowel disease in dogs (Hill’s Prescription Diet w/d and r/d use beet pulp as the primary fibre source for LBD management)
• Constipation (dogs and cats), including chronic idiopathic megacolon in cats: constipation in cats is more common and clinically significant than in dogs; feline megacolon (idiopathic colonic dysmotility with progressive colonic dilation, loss of smooth muscle function, and obstipation) is a serious feline GI condition requiring long-term management; dietary fibre in constipation management: (a) softens and lubricates faeces (psyllium, pectin → water retention in stool → reduced stool hardness); (b) stimulates colonic peristalsis via bulk-mediated mechanoreceptor activation (cellulose); (c) SCFA (particularly butyrate from fermentable fibres) stimulate smooth muscle contractions in the colon via enteric neuron activation (butyrate activates free fatty acid receptor FFAR2/GPR43 on enteroendocrine L-cells → PYY and GLP-1 release → colonic motility stimulation); note: in obstipation (complete colonic impaction) and severe megacolon, dietary fibre alone is insufficient and veterinary intervention (enema, manual evacuation, cisapride/prucalopride motility agents) is required
• Diabetes mellitus glycaemic management (dogs and cats): canine diabetes mellitus (DM) is predominantly type 1 (insulin-deficient, analogous to human T1DM — immune-mediated or chronic pancreatitis-related beta cell destruction); feline DM is predominantly type 2 (insulin-resistant, analogous to human T2DM — amyloid deposition in islets, obesity-associated insulin resistance); dietary fibre management differs: (a) canine DM: soluble fibre (psyllium, guar gum, β-glucan) blunts postprandial blood glucose excursions by slowing glucose absorption → reduces peak insulin demand → more stable glycaemic profile; complex carbohydrate diets with high DF content are standard of care for canine DM (WSAVA/AAHA Diabetes Guidelines); (b) feline DM: the high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet is the evidence-based dietary management for feline T2DM (cats have obligate postprandial gluconeogenesis from protein; minimal hepatic glucokinase activity — cats are poorly adapted to high-carbohydrate diets and have low pancreatic amylase activity); for feline DM, added soluble fibre provides modest glycaemic benefit while maintaining adequate protein provision; for obese diabetic cats, Fibor’s cellulose (insoluble bulk) reduces caloric density and increases satiety without adding fermentable carbohydrate calories
• Obesity and weight management (dogs and cats): fibre increases dietary bulk without proportional caloric contribution; mechanisms: (a) gastric distension from high-fibre food → vagal mechanoreceptor activation → satiety signalling (CCK, GLP-1, PYY from enteroendocrine I-cells and L-cells) → reduced food-seeking behaviour; (b) slowed gastric emptying (soluble fibre viscosity) → prolonged satiety; (c) colonic SCFA (propionate, butyrate) → GPR41 and GPR43 activation on adipocytes and enteroendocrine cells → PYY and GLP-1 secretion → appetite suppression; (d) cellulose bulk dilutes energy density of the diet; Fibor mixed into the regular diet allows caloric restriction with maintained food volume — reducing the distress of food reduction in obese companion animals
• Feline hairball (trichobezoar) management: cats groom extensively (∼30–50% of waking time) and ingest large quantities of hair (∼100–200mg/day in longhaired breeds); in the stomach, accumulated hair forms trichobezoars that are periodically vomited (the characteristic retching/regurgitation of hairball); dietary fibre management: (a) insoluble fibre (cellulose) stimulates intestinal peristalsis → increases transit rate → moves ingested hair through the GI tract before it accumulates in the stomach as a bezoar; (b) soluble fibre (psyllium, pectin) gel lubricates the GI tract → facilitates hair passage; (c) the fibre-facilitated transit is an alternative to petroleum-based lubricant laxatives (petroleum jelly-based cat hairball products — Katalax, Laxatone — which lubricate by coating hair with mineral oil to reduce gastric accumulation)

Directions for Use

• Administer as directed by a veterinarian or per VetPlus label instructions
• Mix Fibor pellets into wet or dry food — the pellets are palatable and mix easily without significantly altering food texture or odour
• Introduce gradually over 7–10 days (start at half the recommended dose, increase to full dose over the first week) to minimise flatulence and GI adjustment signs
• Ensure fresh water is freely available at all times — adequate hydration is essential for all fibre supplementation, particularly psyllium-containing products
• 500g tub — supply duration depends on animal size and dose per label instructions

Safety Information

• For animal use only — keep out of reach of children
• Always ensure adequate water availability; psyllium without adequate water can cause GI impaction in dehydrated animals
• Introduce gradually to avoid flatulence, bloating, or osmotic diarrhoea
• Not a treatment for anal sacculitis, abscessation, intestinal obstruction, or obstipation — seek veterinary attention for these conditions
• In diabetic animals, monitor blood glucose when initiating fibre supplementation as glycaemic response may change
• Store in a cool, dry place with the lid tightly closed; do not use if pellets show signs of moisture damage or clumping