Quick answer: PetLab Co and OcuLabs are betting on different mechanisms. PetLab Co Calming Chews lead with a 3 billion CFU probiotic and add passion flower, Suntheanine L-theanine, Shoden ashwagandha and L-tryptophan: a gut-brain-axis formula for daytime stress. OcuLabs Calming + Anxiety Support Chews lead with the classic wind-down botanicals, chamomile 80 mg, valerian 50 mg and passion flower 30 mg, plus hemp seed oil, thiamine, L-theanine and a printed 4 mg of melatonin per two chews: a settle-and-sleep formula for anxious and senior dogs. Nervous stomach and daytime jitters: PetLab Co. Evening pacing, night waking, storms and travel: OcuLabs. Cost per month is similar; OcuLabs adds a 90-day guarantee.
Side by side
- Lead mechanism: PetLab Co: probiotic (3 billion CFU) plus amino acids and an adaptogen. OcuLabs: GABA-supporting botanicals plus melatonin.
- Actives: PetLab Co: probiotic blend, passion flower, Suntheanine L-theanine, Shoden ashwagandha, L-tryptophan. OcuLabs: chamomile 80 mg, hemp seed oil 80 mg, valerian 50 mg, passion flower 30 mg, vitamin B1 30 mg, melatonin 4 mg, L-theanine 3 mg per 2 chews.
- Melatonin: PetLab Co: none. OcuLabs: 4 mg per serving.
- Chamomile and valerian: PetLab Co: none. OcuLabs: yes.
- Ashwagandha and tryptophan: PetLab Co: yes. OcuLabs: none.
- Serving and jar: PetLab Co: 1 chew a day, 30 per bag. OcuLabs: 2 chews a day, 90 per jar (45-day supply).
- Flavour: PetLab Co pork or chicken. OcuLabs chicken.
- Price: PetLab Co about 25 to 40 dollars per 30 depending on offer. OcuLabs 49.98 dollars per 90, about 33 dollars a month.
- Where sold: PetLab Co direct, Amazon, Chewy, Walmart. OcuLabs only at ocupetlabs.com.
- Guarantee: OcuLabs 90-day money-back (see refund policy). PetLab Co: its own terms.
What PetLab Co does well
The gut-brain angle is not marketing fluff. Purina's work on the probiotic strain BL999 in anxious Labradors showed measurable reductions in anxious behaviour and stress hormones, and it put the microbiome on the map for canine calm. PetLab Co built a chew around that idea with a broad probiotic dose, then layered on L-theanine (a well-studied calm-focus amino acid), tryptophan (a serotonin precursor), passion flower and Shoden, a standardised ashwagandha extract. For a dog whose anxiety shows up in the gut, with stress diarrhoea, gas or a picky appetite around triggers, that is a coherent design. PetLab Co is also a very large brand with wide availability.
The trade-offs: no chamomile, no valerian, no melatonin, so nothing specifically for evening settling or sleep; a 30-count bag that runs out fast; and probiotic potency in a soft chew depends on how it has been stored.
What OcuLabs does well
Settling and the night. OcuLabs Calming Chews are the traditional botanical stack with the amounts printed, and a melatonin dose you can read, which is what matters for the senior dog who paces from 6pm, whines at bedtime and wakes at 3am. Two chews with dinner, or 30 to 60 minutes before fireworks, the groomer or the car. Chicken-flavoured, free of corn, wheat, soy, colours and added sugar, 90 chews per jar, 90-day guarantee. Gut support lives in a separate OcuLabs product, Turkey Tail+, which carries 1 billion CFU of Bacillus subtilis and prebiotic mushroom fibre, so a dog with both problems can have both without doubling up on botanicals. OcuLabs has no ashwagandha or tryptophan and far less L-theanine than PetLab Co.
Which one for your dog
- Stress shows up as loose stools or a nervous appetite: PetLab Co, or OcuLabs Calming Chews plus Turkey Tail+.
- Evening pacing, bedtime whining, night waking: OcuLabs Calming Chews.
- Predictable triggers (fireworks, travel, grooming): OcuLabs, 30 to 60 minutes before.
- You want ashwagandha and tryptophan specifically: PetLab Co.
- You want a 90-day refund window to judge daily use: OcuLabs.
For what each ingredient does, read calming chews for dogs: ingredients explained. For the probiotic-for-anxiety evidence, see probiotics for dogs.
Frequently asked questions
What is in PetLab Co Calming Chews?
A 3 billion CFU probiotic plus passion flower, Suntheanine L-theanine, Shoden ashwagandha and L-tryptophan. No chamomile, valerian or melatonin.
Does a probiotic help with dog anxiety?
Strong evidence exists for one specific strain (BL999); other strains are less established. PetLab Co combines a probiotic with botanicals; OcuLabs separates gut support into Turkey Tail+.
Which costs more per month?
Similar: PetLab Co roughly 25 to 40 dollars per 30 chews; OcuLabs about 33 dollars a month from a 90-chew jar, with a guarantee.
Which is better for a senior restless at night?
OcuLabs, for the disclosed melatonin with valerian and chamomile.
Which is better for a nervous stomach?
PetLab Co's probiotic-first design, or OcuLabs Calming Chews paired with Turkey Tail+.
PetLab Co, Suntheanine and Shoden are trademarks of their owners. Figures come from public listings at the time of writing; check current labels and prices before buying. This article is general information, not veterinary advice.