Quick Answer: Zesty Paws is the mass-market pick — a large catalog, available in big-box retail and on every marketplace, easy to find and easy to reorder. Fifth & Fido is a five-product, direct-to-consumer lineup: bacon- and beef-flavored daily powders that go over food, $29.99–$64.99, with a money-back guarantee. Zesty wins on availability and variety. Fifth & Fido wins if you want a short, focused lineup in a powder format rather than a shelf of chews. Read both labels and decide.
Updated 23 August 2026. Fleato has been added to the lineup table, and the guarantee wording now points to the refund policy page rather than stating a day count, because the published policy and older marketing copy currently disagree. Specific claims about Zesty Paws formulations that we could not verify have been removed rather than guessed at.
A note on how we are comparing
This is published on the Fifth & Fido blog, so we are not neutral, and you should read it that way. What we have done is limit ourselves to two things: facts about our own products that you can check on our product pages right now, and structural differences between the two brands that are publicly observable — catalog size, where you can buy them, product format.
What we have deliberately not done is publish ingredient amounts or formula specifics for Zesty Paws products. We do not have verified data on those, and inventing them to win a comparison would make this article worthless to you. Where Zesty's formulation matters to your decision, read their label.
Who these two brands are
Zesty Paws launched in 2014, scaled on Amazon, and is now part of a larger consumer health group. The catalog is broad — dozens of SKUs covering most niches — sold through big-box retail and every major marketplace.
Fifth & Fido is a smaller, founder-led brand with five core products covering five common needs: immune and gut, dental, skin, joints, and flea-season skin support. Sold direct via fifthandfido.com, plus Amazon and TikTok Shop. Shopify orders ship within the United States only.
The Fifth & Fido lineup, exactly as it is
| Product | For | Price | Format | Key ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey Tail+ | Dogs | $29.99 (1 tub) · $49.98 (2) · $64.99 (3) | Bacon powder | Turkey tail and reishi mushroom extracts, Lactobacillus acidophilus |
| Breath Buddy | Dogs and cats | $31.99 (30 servings) | Bacon powder | Brown algae, pomegranate, L-glutamine, turkey tail mushroom, marshmallow root |
| Scratch Buddy | Dogs and cats | $31.99 | Bacon powder | Collagen, krill, colostrum, probiotics, nettle, quercetin, turkey tail mushroom |
| Zoomy | Dogs | $31.99 | Beef powder | Lion's mane, cordyceps and reishi with joint-support ingredients |
| Fleato | Dogs | $29.99 (60 servings) | Bacon powder | Quercetin, bromelain, krill meal, flaxseed, coconut MCT, zinc, biotin, reishi |
One thing worth stating plainly, because an earlier version of this article claimed the opposite: Fifth & Fido does not publish per-ingredient milligram amounts. If exact actives matter to your decision, ask us before you buy rather than assuming, and hold any brand you are comparing to the same standard.
The real structural differences
Format: powders vs chews
This is the biggest practical difference and the one most likely to decide it for you. Fifth & Fido's whole lineup is powder that goes over food. Chews are the dominant format in mass-market pet supplements.
Powders suit picky eaters, calorie-controlled dogs, seniors, and pets with sensitive stomachs — the dose disappears into a meal they already want, and there is no hard-chewing fracture risk. Chews suit dogs who genuinely enjoy chewing and are easier in a multi-dog house where each animal gets its own. Neither is better in the abstract. We break the formats down properly in powders vs chews vs capsules, and specifically for teeth in our dental format comparison.
Catalog size
A wide catalog means you can almost always find something aimed at your exact situation. A narrow one means fewer decisions and less overlap between products. Five SKUs is a deliberate constraint, not a limitation we are apologising for — but if your dog's need is niche, a bigger catalog may simply have something we do not make.
Species coverage
Two of Fifth & Fido's five products (Breath Buddy and Scratch Buddy) are made for cats as well as dogs, which matters in a mixed household where you would rather buy one tub. Turkey Tail+, Zoomy and Fleato are dogs only. If you are shopping mainly for a cat, start with our cat supplement buyer's guide.
Availability
- Zesty Paws: Amazon, Target, Petco, PetSmart, Chewy, Walmart, wide retail
- Fifth & Fido: fifthandfido.com (US shipping only), Amazon, TikTok Shop
If you want it in the pet aisle this afternoon, Zesty is easier. That is a real advantage and we are not going to pretend otherwise.
Guarantee
Fifth & Fido backs every order with a money-back guarantee — refund or replacement, your choice, arranged by emailing hi@fifthandfido.com. Check the refund policy page for the current window and conditions before you buy; that page is the authoritative version of the terms.
What our customers actually rate us
Published ratings on our own store, so you can weigh them accordingly: Turkey Tail+ 4.52 out of 5 across 107 reviews; Zoomy 4.84 across 25; Breath Buddy 4.57 across 14.
Who should choose which
Zesty Paws probably fits you if:
- You want in-store availability and same-day pickup
- You want the widest possible range of niche formulas
- Your dog likes chews and takes them happily
- You want a brand with a very large public review base
Fifth & Fido probably fits you if:
- Your pet refuses chews, or you are watching calories
- You have a cat as well as a dog and want one product for both
- You would rather choose between five products than forty
- You want a powder dosed by body weight rather than a fixed-size chew
Frequently asked questions
Can I give my dog both brands at once?
You can, but check the labels for overlapping ingredients first, and ask your veterinarian — particularly if your dog is on medication. In most cases one complete daily routine is enough.
Which brand is better for an itchy dog?
Fifth & Fido's Scratch Buddy is our gut-first skin formula, for dogs and cats. We are not going to tell you it beats a specific competitor product we have not tested. Compare the labels against your own pet's situation and talk to your vet.
Is Fifth & Fido vet recommended?
Zoomy is vet formulated. For your own animal, loop in your own veterinarian — especially for pets on medication or with an existing health condition. No supplement is a substitute for veterinary care.
Do I need a subscription?
Supplements work on consistency, and a subscription makes consistency easier. Both brands offer one. Check the per-tub price on the subscription against the one-time price before you commit — that is worth doing with any brand.
Is this comparison biased?
Yes, structurally — it is on our blog. What we have tried to do is be specific and checkable about our own products, honest about where Zesty genuinely wins, and silent where we do not have verified data rather than filling the gap with guesses.
Bottom line
Zesty Paws is the sensible mass-market pick: easy to find, broad lineup, chew-first. Fifth & Fido is five powders that go over food, for pets that won't take a chew or households juggling a dog and a cat, with a money-back guarantee if it doesn't suit. Neither is wrong. Read both labels.
Explore the lineup: Turkey Tail+ · Breath Buddy · Scratch Buddy · Zoomy · Fleato
Related reading: powders vs chews vs capsules · best supplements for cats · Bark Digest
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Fifth & Fido products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article is general information, not veterinary advice. Individual pets vary.