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Frequently Asked Questions

Service and Delivery Query Questions

Product Query Questions

Service and Delivery queries

How long will it take for my order to reach me?

Any orders placed before 3:00 pm are usually despatched the same day. Orders placed after 3:00 pm will leave the next working day. Depending on the size of your order, it will either be despatched by Royal Mail 48 hour post which takes on average 2 working days to deliver or, for heavier deliveries, by 24hr courier service through ParcelForce.

My order contains out of stock or pre-order items, what does this mean?

From time to time some products might go out of stock, in this case you can usually pre-order them, that is, add them to your order and checkout as usual. When you place the order you will see a total charge, including the pre-ordered items.

Your order will then be processed by our Customer Service Team, when your order is processed you will be charged the whole amount for your order. The in-stock items will then be shipped and once the pre-order items are available they will be shipped separately.  

When orders are split into two shipments you will only be charged one shipping fee. Please contact our Customer Service Team if you are unsure., pre-orders can be placed online or by speaking to our helpful team!

Is the postage and packing charge always the same amount whatever the size of my order?

For orders being sent to mainland UK address, carriage is FREE on any orders over £50.00, after any discounts have been deducted. For any orders under £50.00 a standard £3.95 carriage charge is applied. For all non-Mainland UK addresses a £3.95 carriage charge will be applied regardless of the size or value of the order. For orders being sent overseas, the carriage price depends on the size and weight of the order and the destination country, but this is automatically calculated during the on-line ordering process. However, if the parcel weighs over 2kg’s, we will contact via e-mail with the carriage cost. View our overseas delivery information here

If I need to return an item I’ve ordered what do I have to do?

Simply contact the office to explain the reasons for return, to enable us to issue you with a Return Merchandise Authorisation (RMA) number. Please note all returns must be in a re-sellable condition with the tamper seal intact and returned within 28 days of the order being placed. Please see our Terms & Conditions of supply for further information.

What happens if my order gets lost in the post?

Occasionally goods may be lost in the post and we will send a replacement order when this occurs. However, Royal Mail does not accept that a delivery is lost until 7 working days following dispatch. We therefore only send replacements after this period has elapsed. In all cases we must be informed of non-arrival, damage or shortages within 14 days of the order being placed otherwise no claim can be made or replacement goods sent.

How are deliveries sent?

All orders being sent to Mainland UK addresses will either be sent by Royal Mail First Class Post or ParcelForce (24hr Courier). Orders being sent overseas will either be sent by Royal Mail using their Small Packet Post, or if the parcel is over 2kg’s in weight by ParcelForce.

Please note all deliveries sent by ParcelForce, or other courier services, will require a signature on delivery. Deliveries cannot be left without a signature.

View our UK Delivery Charges here and our Overseas Delivery here

Do all your prices include VAT?

All the prices shown on our Retail website include VAT and the invoice you receive will show this separately. Our Trade site shows prices excluding VAT.

Do you have a vet who can give me advice?

We do not have a vet able to offer advice, however, our Customer Service Team would be happy to help you. All members of the Customer Service Team have an in-depth knowledge and experience of both our product range as well as dogs and cats.

If you are concerned about the health of your pet we would always recommend that you consult your Vet in the first instance.

How can I find out my nearest Dorwest stockist?

For full details of pet shops, behaviourists, training schools and vets that stock the Dorwest Herbs range please email stockist@dorwest.com or call the Customer Service Team on 01308 897272

How can I find out which events you will be attending?

Details of the dogs shows and other events that we, or one of our representatives, are attending are listed on our Events Page.

Alternatively phone us for details of future events.

Who should I speak to if I want to stock your range of products in my pet shop?

Our Trade accounts manager is Katy Laver who would be happy to help in setting up your trade account or with any questions you may have about stocking our range.

For any enquiries e-mail trade@dorwest.com or call on 01308 897272

I’m moving abroad and want to know if you have a stockist where I’m going?

Please see the Overseas Distributors page for an up to date list of all of our overseas distributors and their contact details.

For countries where we don’t have a distributor, you can order on our website and your goods will be sent directly from the UK. Please be aware that there are import restrictions on our goods entering some countries and they may be refused entry by the local customs authorities, for which we can accept no responsibility.

Do you have anyone who can come and talk to my pet shop, dog club or other groups about your products?

We love to talk about our products and Katy Laver, our Trade Accounts Manager, visits pet shops and other stockists located in the South of England whenever time allows. Either call her on 01308 897272 or email katy@dorwest.com and she will do her best to meet your requirements.

We are happy to come and talk to groups such as dog clubs, students, etc about our products and their manufacture and do so whenever possible. Contact us via email info@dorwest.com and we will try our best to fit you in. In cases where we cannot attend, we are happy to send any information that may be of interest to you.

Product queries

Is the gelatin used in the shell of your capsules derived from BSE free animals?

The Gelatin used in our capsules is from sources that do not process any specified risk materials as defined in the Commission Decision 97/534/EC since 7th September 1997. Also, when bovine bone for gelatin is sourced in EC, where some cases of BSE have been declared, the current measures and practices from the authorities as well as from the Gelatin Industry make sure that these bones originate only from BSE free herds and that specific bone treatment, prior to gelatin extraction, remove proteins from the Central Nervous System.

Why can’t you use vegetarian gelatin for your capsules?

We are unable to use vegetarian gelatin in our capsules as the capsules have to be heated to a much higher temperature (60 degrees) than normal gelatin in order to insert the product and this destroys many of the beneficial elements of the product and of course also uses more energy and is less environmentally friendly.

Are the herbs used in your products grown in the UK?

We try our very best to source as many of our ingredients as possible from the UK, but some do not grow in this country and sometimes we have to source from other countries. Wherever they are grown, we make sure that all the ingredients we use are of the highest quality and undergo stringent quality checks to ensure purity and conformity.

Why do you use plastic pots instead of more environmentally friendly materials?

We have to ensure that the containers we use for our products are compatible with the contents and do not affect the quality of the product and that they are capable of keeping the contents in good condition and free from contamination. The containers we use are the ones approved by the medicines authority as being the most effective for this purpose. Our tablets and capsules are packed into containers made of HDPE (high density polyethylene) which has strength, toughness, resistance to chemicals or moisture and better stress crack resistance so that you can be sure that the products are in the best condition throughout its shelf life. HDPE can be recycled and is then used for a variety of other containers and plastic sheeting.

Why can’t you re-use the empty tablet pots if I return them to you?

We would love to be able to do this but we are not allowed to do so because of the possibility of contamination. The environmental cost of sterilising used containers would be counter-productive as it would use valuable energy and increase our carbon footprint.

Wherever possible we would encourage you to re-use your plastic containers as an alternative to recycling. Why not tag us in your pictures on social media of how you’ve reused them?

Why shouldn’t I touch homoeopathic remedies or administer them within 15 minutes of food? Is this because there is some danger to me?

Homoeopathic remedies are not dangerous to you if they are handled. The reason that we recommend that they are administered directly into the mouth and not given within 15 minutes of food is because the sucrose balls are very absorbent and will soak up any moisture from the hand or food and this may affect the effectiveness of the remedy.

I’ve heard that you shouldn’t give strong-smelling foods such as garlic to animals that are being treated with homoeopathic remedies, is this right?

Although there is no problem in giving homoeopathic remedies with strong-smelling foods they are very sensitive to outside influences, To ensure that they are as effective as possible we recommend following the basic rule and whenever possible to wait 15 minutes after giving any food before administering them. However if this is not possible you can still give the remedy as it will not cause any harm but its effects may be weakened.

I’ve heard that it is dangerous to give garlic to dogs, is this right?

We have a fantastic blog all about the use of garlic- why not take a look here: Garlic Blog

Are your products, or the herbs you use in them, tested on animals?

Our range of veterinary products has been proven through their traditional use on companion animals for 70 years. We are pleased to be able to reassure you that it is therefore not necessary for the products themselves or any of the traditional ingredients to be subject to any form of unethical animal testing procedures.

I’m running a dog show in my area; can you send me some samples for prizes or raffle prizes?

We try our very best to sponsor as many events as possible. We are usually able to offer sponsorship in the form of vouchers for you to give as prizes at the show. For all sponsorship enquiries please send in full details about the event to our Sponsorship Team using the email address: sponsorship@dorwest.com

Can I give your products with any medication my pet may need from my Vet?

Our products can mainly be given in conjunction with any other orthodox medicines or herbal products without fear of interactions or adverse reactions. However, if your dog is on prescribed medication it is always advisable to speak to your vet first.

My dog/cat is taking antibiotics and steroids prescribed from the vet, should I wait for the course to finish before using your products?

It is not necessary to wait until you have finished the medication from your vet as our products do not inter-react with other forms of medication. Always consult your vet if you are concerned about using our products alongside vet-prescribed products.

Do I need to feed Kelp Seaweed Powder if I am already feeding Keepers Mix?

Keepers Mix contains 20% Kelp Seaweed but it is designed as a general supplement. If you want to make sure that your pet is having sufficient Kelp Seaweed to help with a specific condition then it is preferable to give either the Kelp Seaweed Powder or tablets to ensure this.