Supplements for Your Dog

Supplements for Your Dog if you are a health-conscious individual, is probably something you may think about giving. Or perhaps you pay attention to which foods contain more of specific nutrients. But what about your dog? Does your dog need vitamin supplements besides their regular food? And if so, what type of supplements do they require?

To help you keep your dog healthy and happy, we take a deeper look at supplements for dogs in this article.

Does Your Dog Need Supplements?

Dogs typically get their vitamins from dog food. Commercial dog food diets labelled “balanced and complete” are particularly formulated to contain all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals your dog requires.

Foods catering towards various life stages, such as senior dog food, adult dog food, and puppy food, have varying levels of specific vitamins, depending on the needs of that life stage. This is particularly important for large-breed puppy foods. These breeds can suffer from diseases such as hip dysplasia if their food contains minerals and vitamins that make them grow fast.

Before you give a dietary supplement to your dog, it is a good idea to speak to your vet. This way, you can see if they have any health conditions or nutritional deficiencies and if there are any particular supplements that can help.

You should not choose dog supplements randomly. For instance, if your dog is suffering from mobility and joint problems, a skin and coat supplement will not address the problem at hand. In addition, you need to make sure to maintain realistic expectations when using dog supplements. Consider them to be an addition to your dog’s diet instead of cure-alls or medications.

Specific Supplements for Dogs

You can give various kinds of supplements and vitamins to your dog. Some of the most common ones are fatty acids, multivitamins, probiotics, joint supplements, and fibre.

1.      Omega 3 Supplements

Omega 3 fatty acids are an essential element of a dog’s diet. This is because they support good health and contribute to your pet’s heart, liver, brain, and kidney functions. Moreover, a lot of people believe that it helps dogs with skin allergies, enhances coat quality, and lowers inflammation. As a matter of fact, several dog parents use it for this particular purpose.

When it comes to Omega-3 supplements, you need to keep in mind that regular fish oil might not do the trick. Ideally, you should pick a formula with the right concentration of DHA and EPA based on the recommendations of your vet.

2.      Omega 6

Omega 6 are fatty acids imperative to a dog’s diet. They are found in both plant and animal sources. Omega 6 fatty acids support normal immune function, growth, reproduction, and coat and skin health.

3.      Glucosamine

Glucosamine is one of the most popular supplements for dogs. It’s made from the shells of shellfish and can even be manufactured in the lab. You can find glucosamine in several forms, including treats, pills, or powders.

Glucosamine is an amino sugar that builds cartilage in the joints of dogs. A dog produces its own glucosamine naturally. However, the production levels are going to reduce as the dog’s age increases, generally resulting in sore and stiff joints.

A lot of individuals believe incorporating glucosamine supplements in a dog’s diet can help treat arthritis, increase mobility, and alleviate joint pain.

4.      Vitamin B12

If your dog is experiencing health problems such as pancreatic issues or Inflammatory Bowel Disease, one supplement you should give your dog is Vitamin B12. A lot of dogs get sufficient Vitamin B12 from their diet as it is particularly found in meat (particularly organ meat), poultry, dairy products, eggs, and fish.

In healthy dogs, the intestines, kidneys, pancreas, and liver absorbs and stores Vitamin B12. However, in sick dogs, those with pancreatic problems or IBD, their organs might not be able to perform this function effectively. This can eventually result in a deficiency of Vitamin B12.

5.      Calcium and Vitamin D

The right amounts of calcium in a dog are important as they positively contribute to their overall bone health, growth, teeth function and a lot more. If their current diet doesn’t have calcium-rich ingredients such as eggs, ground bone, vegetables, and dairy products, then you should think about mineral and vitamin supplements for dogs. If your pet is not getting sufficient calcium, it could suffer from weakness, seizures, and muscle twitching.

There is slightly less clarity on Vitamin D and its impact on a dog’s health. It’s clear that excessive Vitamin D can be harmful to dogs. However, in the right doses, it promotes growth, helps maintain strong bones, and controls inflammation.

Making sure you know how much Vitamin D3 is presently part of your dog’s diet is crucial as it allows you to fill gaps with required supplements. A lot of individuals use multivitamins which often contain Vitamin D. Multivitamins for dogs are just like those consumed by humans. A lot of dog multivitamins have vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K1 and some other minerals.

While using multivitamins is easy, you need to speak to your vet as it’s tough to regularise particular amounts of every individual vitamin, which can result in an overdose.

6.      Probiotics

Probiotics are found in the body in the form of live bacteria and yeasts that facilitate intestinal health and digestion. As supplements, they are used to treat digestive problems such as diarrhoea. Probiotics are available in multiple forms, including capsules, powders, chews, yoghurt, etc.

Get the Right Supplements for Your Dog!

Whether lab-manufactured or herbal, there is evidence suggesting that supplements for dogs can be helpful in improving their health.

At Petnap, we have a vast range of supplements for puppies and bitches. Our products include herbal remedies for stress, anxiety, hyperactivity, nausea, etc. In addition, we have whelping supplement kits for bitches who have just given birth and need some extra care