Why is there so much arginine in the product? My herpes cat needs support but Im afraid to give it to him as arginine triggers the virus.

Hello - Thank you for your question. We include Arginine in Feline Immune Support because Arginine is the most important essential amino acid required by the adult cat. Arginine detoxifies ammonia, which results from the breakdown of proteins. It also has an important function in the urea cycle. If a cat goes without Arginine for very long, even a few hours, it will die. The daily requirement is set at 2,600 mg/day for the average size cat. Arginine is an essential amino acid, which means that it must come from their diet as they cannot produce it internally. Dr. Bill's The Feline Immune Support provides 29.06 mg of arginine/scoop or about 1.12% of the daily needs, as cats will also receive arginine in a healthy diet. The best sources of arginine: 1. Nuts and seeds. Seeds and nuts are high in arginine. Nuts and seeds are significant sources of arginine. 2. Meat products. Meat is a complete source of protein because it includes all of the amino acids the body requires, including arginine. 3. Legumes. Chickpeas are a great source of protein and provide plenty of arginine. Legumes are a family that includes beans, peas, and pulses. 4. Seaweed. Seaweed is a popular health food that provides high levels of arginine. A cup of dried seaweed contains 4.645 g of the amino acid. You can see why wild cats prefer to hunt for animal source protein (red meat) since nuts, legumes and seaweed were not likely available sources. Pet foods today may provide some red meat, but the most likely outcome is that most cats eating dry food or wet foods using seafood entrees or chicken need supplemental arginine in order to thrive. Research shows that while it is true that Arginine has been shown to be required in the formation of herpesvirus capsid protein, most studies recommend NOT reducing arginine in the cat because it is so essential for health. Any correlation between maintaining normal arginine levels and the triggering of herpesvirus has not been shown. Let us know if you have any further questions! Dr. Bill Barnett

I have always ordered health defense and ordered immune by mistake. cab it be returned if opened but not used?

I would ask Amazon; being it was opened...

How many mg of lactoferrin is in this? And is it bovine lactoferrin?

There are 3.63 mg lactoferrin in every 630 mg level scoop. Yes, it is bovine lactoferrin.

Can this help cats heal from Stomatitis?

Feline Immune Support is designed to boost the innate immune system, which may help the body fight off the primary causes of stomatitis such as viruses, bacteria or periodontal disease.