Are Dog Vitamins Really A Necessity For Your Pet

By Lou Manning


Generally speaking, every dog out there has different nutritional needs. As such, some of them might have to take certain dog vitamins in order to fulfill those needs. Those who eat nothing but raw food would be especially advised to take supplements, so that they can make up for any missing nutrients in their bodies.

Older dogs would especially need supplements because they are no longer able to eat as much as they did when they were younger. This could mean that they are lacking in certain nutrients. If you have no idea which vitamins to get yet, then you should start by finding out what each vitamin is actually for to begin with.

Vitamin A is good for the skin as it can help prevent irritable and flaky skin in your pets. Vitamin D, on the other hand, is good for the teeth and bones. Certain breeds, such as golden retrievers, who are prone to hip problems and arthritis would be the ones who would benefit the most from vitamin D supplements.

Vitamin E provides antioxidants. Vitamin K is known to be a blood-clotting vitamin. Vitamin B ensures healthier muscles, blood and skin; and vitamin C is a great antioxidant that can reduce stress at the same time.

Now, although some quality pet foods out there might advertise themselves as the complete nutritional choice for your dog, you need to know that this isn't always the case. Premade foods, for instance, usually go through cooking processes that eliminate the nutrients in them, making them lack in the vitamin department as a whole. Other foods may have a lot of recommended vitamins in them, but don't necessarily protect your pets against unwanted illnesses.

Vitamins also help in regularizing metabolism. As an active animal, a dog needs to have a good balance in his digestive system. The water soluble ones are B and C, which have to be replenished everyday. The fat soluble ones are A, D, E, and K and are stored in fatty tissue and the liver. These do not necessarily need to be replenished everyday.

Supplements also tend to consist of minerals that can keep bodily fluids balanced. Like humans, dogs also need sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium in their systems. Make sure your pets don't take too much of these minerals, though, because there are chances of them affecting one another.

If you aren't giving any supplements to your dog at the moment, try to look at him for a moment. If he seems to be losing a lot of weight or fur, then he might be lacking in vitamin A. If he seems to be losing some muscle tone, then he might be lacking in vitamin D. No matter what the case may be, though, it would be best to ask your veterinarian for advice on which food changes or vitamin add-ons would be best for your furry friend.

A lot of the time, vitamin deficiencies exist in packaged food that can be bought at local supermarkets. Because of this, you should always make it a point to read food labels before buying them. This way, you can make sure that your pet actually gets all of the dog vitamins that he needs in the end.




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