Covetrus® Launches SmartImmunetm Mushroom to Help Support Powerful Immune Defense in Horses

First product made from mushroom extracts to help keep horses thriving and performing at optimal levels

PORTLAND, Maine, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Covetrus^®, a global leader in animal-health technology and services, today announced the launch of SmartImmunetm Mushroom from SmartPaktm, a first-of-its-kind equine supplement made from a powerful mushroom extract blend that can help support a horse's natural defenses against foreign pathogens. It also contains naturally occurring botanicals to help the body cope with stress. The product is now available nationwide and can be ordered directly by horse owners at the SmartPak Equine website.

"SmartImmune Mushroom offers comprehensive immune defense and provides a unique and innovative approach to supporting healthy immune function in horses," said Ashlee LeCompte Lazic, Director, Health Product Development at Covetrus. "Stress is ubiquitous, and research has demonstrated that it can compromise immune function. So if a horse has a heavy workload, travels often, or is simply dealing with the daily cellular stress of stall rest or natural aging, consider a targeted supplement designed to support immune resilience, like SmartImmune Mushroom."

A healthy immune system is important to keep horses thriving and performing at their best, but modern stressors such as training, trailering, showing, vaccination, seasonal allergies or the natural aging process can leave horses worn down or more susceptible to health challenges. SmartImmune Mushroom's novel formula combines adaptogenic botanicals ? a naturally occurring substance that exerts a normalizing effect upon bodily processes ? with the fruiting body extracts of chaga, cordyceps, maitake, shitake, and reishi mushrooms. Each is carefully sourced from their native geographical locations and grown naturally on native materials for maximum potency. Selected for their immunomodulatory properties, these antioxidant-rich extracts help to support cellular health, restore homeostasis, and mitigate the impact of stress on the equine body.

In addition, SmartImmune Mushroom contains high concentrations of beta glucans, the polysaccharide component of the mushroom known for its ability to support a horse's digestive microbiome. Research has indicated that beta glucans can increase the body's production of pathogen-fighting white blood cells and may be beneficial for a horse when consumed before demanding events¹.

Adaptogenic herbs such as astragalus, American ginseng, and echinacea are also included in the SmartImmune Mushroom formula and have been specifically demonstrated to stimulate the horse's antibody response to foreign pathogens, making it an ideal choice for natural immune support².

"Since 1999, we've been on a mission at SmartPak to power your passion by using our ingenuity to power healthy horses and happy riders," said Lazic. "SmartImmune Mushroom is another example of how Covetrus continues to innovate to meet the needs of horse owners and veterinarians while keeping horses thriving and performing at optimal levels."

For more information about SmartImmune Mushroom, visit: https://www.smartpakequine.com/ps/smartimmune-mushroom-25490.

About Covetrus
Covetrus is a global animal-health technology and services company dedicated to empowering veterinary practice partners to drive improved health and financial outcomes. We are bringing together products, services, and technology into a single platform that connects our customers to the solutions and insights they need to work best. Our passion for the well-being of animals and those who care for them drives us to advance the world of veterinary medicine. Covetrus is headquartered in Portland, Maine with more than 5,700 employees serving over 100,000 veterinary customers around the globe. For more information about Covetrus visit www.covetrus.com.

¹ Picetti TS, Soveral LF, Miotto R, Erpen LMS, Kreutz Y, Guizzo JA, Frandoloso R, Kreutz LC. Orally administered ?-glucan improves the hemolytic activity of the complement system in horses. Vet World. 2021 Apr;14(4):835-840.

² Pearson W, Omar S, Clarke AF. Low-dose ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) modulates the course and magnitude of the antibody response to vaccination against equid herpesvirus I in horses. Can J Vet Res. 2007 Jul;71(3):213-7.

SOURCE Covetrus