29 Innovative Pet Solutions When All Else Fails

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

Your dog deserves some relief from endless itchiness.

BuzzFeed Staff

Promising review: "I have a German shepherd affectionately known as a German 'Shedder.' All I do is chase this dog around the house with my Dyson, especially the two times a year she blows her coat. I had no expectations when I ordered the undercoat rake, as nothing else has worked besides a spring shave, which looks ridiculous. By reading the other reviews, I utilized short strokes, one area at a time, and literally, the fur was flying. It's the first time I really felt like I could successfully get to and eliminate the undercoat shedding. So much was coming off of her a neighbor walking by expressed her displeasure with the flying fur! I've used it several days in a row now, and despite the fact she's not a fan of standing still that long, I think it is fantastic." —MollsMav

Get it from Amazon for $14.95+ (available in eight colors).

Promising review: "I never write reviews, but this one deserves it. My dog was compulsively licking herself and losing her hair. I had tried multiple other brands before Zesty Paws, and none of them helped at all. I took her to the vet, and after several hundred dollars of testing, they had no idea what it could be. They didn't feel allergies could be THAT bad in a dog but all bloodwork and testing came back perfect. They told me to just keep watching her and hoped as the seasons changed so would the problem if it actually was allergies. Three seasons later, nothing had changed; it was actually getting worse. I finally tried these, and WOW! She's been on these for a month, and her hair is coming back, and she isn't licking herself at all now. The first product to actually help! As others have said, it does take a few weeks for a change to be noticeable, but when that change happens, you won't be disappointed. I would definitely recommend it when all else has failed!! Will be keeping her on these long term." —hgb

Get 90 chews from Amazon for $19.97+ (available in five styles).

Promising review: "I have four dogs. My biggest dog has the worst bad breath. I've tried treats and other things, but nothing else has worked. Looking at alternatives, I came across dog mouthwash. The idea of drinking mouthwash is weird, but be my guest to teach your dog to swish and spit out. I've also bought Nylabone toys for my dogs and know they make great products. I've been using this mouthwash for all four of the dogs, and I have to say there has been quite an improvement in their breath and tarter buildup on their teeth. I put two capfuls in about 32 ounces of water, and the dogs gulp it down; they seem to enjoy the taste as well. So about two months in, I have a little less than a half bottle to go, and the dogs' breath is much better especially my big dog." —DH

Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in two sizes and two flavors).

Promising review: "My smaller dog, unfortunately, has pretty bad breath (not your typical dog breath, much worse). Brushing her teeth regularly helps somewhat alleviate the problem, as do dental foams and rinses, but nothing has worked as noticeably as this powder. She has no issues eating it (although she'd eat anything), and it lasts a while, considering that she only goes through one teaspoon a day. I would definitely recommend giving it a try if nothing else is working and medical reasons have been ruled out." —DG

Get it from Amazon for $22.79.

Promising review: "My old kitty girl has suffered from dandruff for a long time, and nothing I've given her has helped until now. She recently started pulling her fur out in tufts to the point of bald spots, and I knew I had to try this. One application brought her immediate relief, and she hasn't pulled her fur out ever since, which tells me her skin irritation problem is gone. Her coat is soft and looks great and her dander is nearly gone. We both are very happy with this product!" —MADuran

Get it from Amazon for $10.96.

Promising review: "A GIFT FROM HEAVEN!! We have three dogs who sometimes have accidents. We’ve tried EVERYTHING — steam cleaning, sprays, you name it. Nothing has worked...UNTIL NOW!! I open the package above the stain and pour the extra solution on the stain before I stomp the pad down. I leave the pad for several hours (not quite 24 hours), and the stains are GONE!! I’ll use nothing else after these!!!" —Miko Furusushi

Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $27.49.

Meowy Janes is a wonderfully named small business based in New Egypt, New Jersey. It specializes in catnip and catnip alternatives.

BuzzFeed editor Chelsea Stuart loves these...or...her cats do!

"I recently tried some of these out with my cats, and they were a hit! TBH, they've never really been super into catnip — they'll play with it, but they don't go wild — so I was excited to see they were into these. They bat them around, rub their faces all over them, and ultimately when they're done, hide them under a chair or in their cat condo so they can come back to them later."

Promising review: "Only thing my cats respond to. I grow the best catnip, according to other people with cats, but my girls couldn't care less. I bought this, and I didn't even have the chance to take one out of the bag before they were all over it." —hogiegur

Get 7–9 sticks (depending on thickness) from Amazon for $11.21.

Promising review: "None of my cats like to play with toys and it was driving me nuts! They have so much energy but would get bored with any toy within days. I tried rotating them and interactive toys, anything and everything for hours and at different times. There is nothing that has kept my cats busy like these grooming tools! I have literally never seen any of them sit and mess with something for more than a few minutes but my cats will rub on this for like 20 minutes at a time. 100% worth the money!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $7.19.

Promising review: "Awesome pet hair remover! I have a Korat mix cat with short hair that's impossible to groom with a brush. I've tried all kinds of combs and brushes and nothing has worked well on him. I took this out of the package, showed it to him, let him sniff it, and then pet him with it. This thing is awesome! With just a few strokes, I removed a ton of cat hair. I highly recommend this for hard-to-groom cats." —LB in the OC

Get it from Amazon for $7.99.

Promising review: "Simply the best cat toy you can buy. My cats go wild as soon as I pull this out. Nothing else gets them up and moving like this toy now that they’re getting older. Seems silly that they love a simple wire with a cardboard tip, but there’s something about it that’s irresistible. Buy it. Your cats will love it." —A customerrr

Get it from Amazon for $3.90.

Promising review: "My dog Hazel LOVES this duck! She has had it for nine months now, and it’s still intact! It somehow made it through her teething as a puppy. She rips and tears apart all of her toys, but this one still looks decent!" —Emily Ann

Get it from Amazon for $7.90.

Check out my colleague's Multipet yellow duck toy review for more deets and some adorable photos of her pup and his quacker.

Promising review: "I love this paw butter. For so long, my Aussie had the driest, most cracked paws. I would cry and stress out because nothing worked. I tried shea butter and coconut oil, but it wasn’t enough, so one night, I ended up buying this paw butter and tried it on my dog. First off it smells amazing — so good that my Aussie licks his paws for an hour after applying the product, so I had to put regular baby socks on his paws to stop him from licking. I'm almost done with the product, and my dog's paws have improved enormously. He no longer has super-dried-up, cracked paws. They are soft and pink how a dog's paws should be! I love this product. It saved my dog's paws, and I use it every other day, sometimes twice a day. Life saver!" —Juliet Betancourt

Get it from Amazon for $8.99.

Promising review: "This thing is aahhhh-mazing! I’ve had several kinds of cat hair removers — adhesive strips, sticky rollers, rubber nubby gloves. Nothing else works as well and as quickly. Easy to clean out, too. I bought one handheld and a bigger one on a long handle for carpet and area rugs. Love them! They even clean the hair off the stupid red velvet drapes that came with the house when we bought it." —M. Bauer

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in two colors).

Promising review: "I have a Goldendoodle who had very weepy eyes as a pup due to a blocked tear duct. These combs have been lifesavers! When I first got Jane, I struggled to keep her eyes clean of exudate. I tried tear removers, I tried soaking the area with a wet cloth, I tried wet cotton balls — you name it, I tried it, and nothing would work to remove the stains or exudate. These little suckers, though...these things work!! At first, they were difficult to use because, as a puppy, Jane wasn't used to having me 'pick' around her eyes with combs. Once she became comfortable, though (and it took a couple of weeks of daily practice) and once I became comfortable and confident I wasn't going to poke her eyes out, cleaning her eyes became easy! She no longer has copious amounts of sticky exudate stuck on her face, there are no smelly eyes, and I am happy to report that her tear stains are all gone since I'm able to keep her eyes so clean now. I use these a couple of times a week on her, and now she just sits while I clean around her eyes. She is comfortable, and these have never caused her any pain or discomfort. Great tool and must-have for anyone with fur babies!" —Kimberly V.

Get it from Amazon for $2.80.

Promising review: "We have a zoo: two Boston terriers who hate getting their nails done and two kitties. So far, we have done the puppers; there is some sound, but it is quiet. The device came charged and has a very convenient and easy cord to recharge it. This product is great for maintenance and I am so glad I found this and came across this item. The kitties are next. I just have to get them to sit still for a few minutes, which is a chore. If you have a chill fur baby, this is totally for you. If your pups are a little more anxious, it will take a little time for them to get used to it, but it is quiet and nothing like other products that I have had, where the minute you turn it on, they go running. I have turned this on a few times right up next to them, and they just don't care — this is a HUGE lifesaver. I would completely recommend this product." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in six colors).

It also comes with three replacement filters and a mat.

Promising review: "My cat will finally drink water. My weird cat would only drink water from the shower or a mud puddle when raining. Loves running water. Refuses to drink from a bowl or cup if anyone (cats, dogs) drinks out of it. This thing was a miracle. But now the dog drinks from it, too. Have to buy a fountain, I guess." —Justkat

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in four colors).

Promising review: "Having had cats my entire life, I have tried probably everything on the market that claims to eliminate cat litter smell and nothing ever has done what this does. I have a male and female cat, and I cannot smell litter after using this. No smell! It’s amazing!" —Meghan

Get it from Amazon for $11.97.

Promising review: "We adopted three perfect little kittens from a local shelter. The day we took them home, the shelter told us they had been using this litter and gave me a bunch of coupons. We had always used a different litter for our cats, but we decided we would try it because we had so many coupons for it. That was almost a year and a half ago; the coupons are long gone, and we are still using this litter. We love it, and the cats love it. The odor control is better than any litter we have tried. You would never even think we have three cats. The litter is the most 'dust-free' I have found. It doesn't track as much as other litters. It clumps so well. I can't say enough good things about this litter, and I definitely won't be changing to anything else." —Cara V.

Get a 40-pound bag from Amazon for $20.99.

Promising review: "These are the most effective litter mats that I've ever tried. This is the fourth different litter mat that I've tried. Nothing else has been effective with the three litter boxes that are kept on both hardwood and carpet. I got one at first to see if I liked it and then bought two more. The holes are deep enough that they catch everything and all you have to do is open it like an envelope to dump it out. I've had no issues with stuff getting stuck in the holes, either. I do use corncob litter, so I can't say anything as to the effectiveness of it with clay litter." —DisaRae

Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in two sizes and three colors).

Promising review: "If you have pets and carpet, this is a MUST OWN THING!!! Moving from a house with hard flooring to a house with all carpet, our dogs and cats thought the new carpet was #thebestplacetopeeEVER! I went through bottles of urine remover, pet carpet spray, you name it, trying to get the pee out of the carpet. The smell. The stains. All of it. Nothing worked. So, I broke down and bought the Little Green. When it arrived, I spent an hour going over every pee stain...and now, my carpet is as good as new! I don't normally write Amazon reviews, but this one is so amazing that it warranted me writing something to convince someone else they had to have it. I can't say enough good things about it. BUY IT. You won't regret it. Bonus, I got a great upper arm workout pushing down to get the water all sucked up! Buy it, buy it, buy it! Why are you still reading? ADD TO CART. Seriously." —V. Michel

Get it from Amazon for $109.59.

Promising review: "This is by far the best stuff on the market today. I have a Cavalier King Charles/cocker spaniel mix, and every once in a while, he will get an ear/yeast infection. Nothing else seemed to work until I tried this. I gave it to him three days in a row, and it’s completely gone! I won’t even bother to try anything else besides Zymox now. Well worth the price and extremely fast shipping. It saves me about 50–60 bucks, considering I don’t have to take him to the vet for this particular issue any more. If you’re having the same issue then try Zymox first before taking your dog to the vet like I did twice before I found this stuff. Absolutely perfect product!" —FinnishFlash

Get it from Amazon for $23.79.

Promising review: "Nothing else would take pet hair off of my outdoor porch furniture cushions. This broom took it all off easily. One of the best brooms I have ever had for pet hair removal on floors and furniture." —Kelli Thompson

Get it from Amazon for $12.98.

Check out my colleague Emma Lord's Evrilholder FURemover broom review for more satisfying before and after photos!

Promising review: "Our boxer had the crustiest, driest nose for years. Three different vets couldn't offer any solutions for years! We tried olive oil and other remedies, but nothing worked. After the first application, there was a noticeable improvement. After a few days of treatment, our beloved boxer's nose is looking great and on the road to recovery. I'm so disappointed in our vets for not knowing this product. If you are a vet, you NEED to recommend this product and stock it at your office. It is a miracle worker! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this product and finally able to kiss my baby on the nose again." —M Keady

Get it from Amazon for $5.95.

Promising review: "My cat has a history of dandruff. LOTS OF IT. She drinks plenty of water, is on a special diet, and is chonky. She grooms herself but can’t reach her back or booty 🌟 for obvious reasons. She sure tries her best, though! I consulted with my vet about helping her out. I don’t want to give her frequent baths because 1. I’d have to mildly sedate her with medication

And 2. She’d hate me. She suggested waterless soap and I went with this one. My cat has softer fur now, not as oily and flaky as before. She has a small scent of lime and doesn’t look crusty!!!" —Yasmin B.

Get it from Amazon for $7.69.

Promising review: "My cat used to WAIL in the car all the way to the vet. I tried crating her, not crating her, letting her ride in my lap, but nothing helped. On a whim, I googled solutions and came across this. I tried it, and IT WORKS!!!! She was quiet the whole way. I put her in a small crate with her cat bed, put it in the front passenger seat, and put this toy right next to the crate door. I had to leave the toy outside because it times out after a minute or two, and you have to keep squeezing it. But it worked like a charm! I suggest introducing your cat to it before the car ride so it’s not new and scary. But the sound is very soothing. Even the ladies at the vet commented it would put them to sleep!" —Jde19630

Get it from Amazon for $11.99.

Promising review: "WE FOUND IT! A play ball that can stand up to our 14-week-old part black Lab, part shark. We have tried several toys that would stand up to the extremely sharp teeth. Nothing has worked for over 15 minutes of intensive playtime. We heard about this ball from a fellow puppy owner and ordered it immediately. Added bonus: She is exhausted after chasing this thing around, so naptime comes quickly." —james Bennett

Get it from Amazon for $14.97+ (available in three styles).

Promising review: "This cream is the miracle worker. My 2-year-old English bulldog had yeast in his wrinkles. I cleaned every day with hydrogen peroxide, but it didn't clear it up. It just kept it from getting worse. Then, I used a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and apple cider vinegar, but nothing. I also used the products from the Natural Dog Company, but my bully hated the smell. One night, I came across this product. I was desperate and decided to give it a try. Within 24 hours of using Squishface, I noticed a huge difference. Within 48 hours, it was almost gone. By 72 hours, it had cleared up. I clean his face before bed and apply the cream. I only use it once a day, and that was enough for us. I can't say my bully loves it because, seriously, what bully likes having their wrinkles cleaned? He tolerates it, and I love that it worked for us. It has no smell to it, it's natural, and it WORKS!" —KS92

Get it from Amazon for $18.70.

Promising review: "I love EVERYTHING about this. Like every other reviewer, we've tried every other option we could find to get rid of urine stench and stains. Ours were from an elderly dog who couldn't make it through the night sometimes. Long story short, we have YEARS of urine stains that, after being 'cleaned,' continued to reappear. Now, every single recurring stain on our carpet is GONE! Not a single one has returned. I don't have sufficient words for how truly thankful we are for this product. It's like NOTHING else. And the cherry on top is the wonderful scent when you first apply it, and NO scent once it's done its job. So, from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for these amazing products." —Anita McCarty

Get it from Amazon for $19.97.

Promising review: "I have an autoimmune disorder that causes reoccurring massive hair fallout. I decided to put one in our master bath to make cleaning easier. It does the job and has made life a bit easier and a whole lot cleaner. I may add another for our kitchen. We also have a miniature golden doodle. And this vacuum works so much better than trying to manage the hair with a robo-vac type tool that ends up with hair wrapped around its brush." —Rebecca O

Get it from Amazon for $199 (available in three colors).

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.