Dog Vitamins:

Vitamins enhance a dog’s diet!

While most nutritionists and veterinarians believe that feeding a dog a balanced diet is critical to meet its requirement of nutrients, dog vitamins provide that extra oomph when something is lacking in their daily diet. For instance, dogs need a combination of fats, carbs, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water to sustain a healthy diet. Not unlike humans, the daily intake may not always be met and that’s when it’s important to consider dog vitamins.

Since vitamins are organic substances, they should be included in a dog’s diet in small quantities. Here’s the lowdown:

Vitamins A and D have been known to be related to bone growth. Vitamin A helps to maintain a healthy mucous that resists bacterial infections. It also helps with vision.
Vitamin E is responsible for the dog’s reproduction and for good muscular function.
Vitamin B is instrumental for digestion and breathing.

So, the key is figuring out which vitamin supplement to give your dog. Dog foods may not contain always vitamin and mineral supplements. Too much of one mineral may interfere with absorption of another; conversely, too little of a mineral may interfere with vitamin use or other mineral use.

Keep in mind that dog vitamins and supplements are an important part of a dog's complete nutritional needs. They regulate the metabolism and assist the biochemical processes which release energy from food. Dog vitamins are substances that intervene with nutrients obtained through food. Plus, dog vitamins are sensitive to heat, light, oxidation and the attack of some molecules. Therefore, when purchasing dog vitamins and keeping them in your home, be aware of safety precautions like the sensitivity to heat and light.

And of course, like humans, some dogs will need it more than others. For instance, active and working dogs, pets under stress, on restricted diets, fighting illness, recovering from surgery, or on medication may need higher than normal amounts of nutrients and therefore, more dog vitamins than other dogs.

In addition, in polluted environments, our pets may need additional nutrients (sans calories) since our pet’s activity levels are decreasing. Cooking and processing also destroy nutrients, making it more challenging to ingest the recommended vitamin levels.

Another item to keep in mind is natural versus synthetic. Natural vitamins are derived from food sources. Chemically there are no differences, however the synthetic supplement contains only the isolated vitamins, which works well in a deficiency situation.

So, if you’re unsure about the type of vitamin and quantity to give your dog based on his daily nutritional intake and current state of health, be sure to inquire with your veterinarian. At The Dog Bowl, nothing is more important than your pets’ health and well being. For more information about dog vitamins and to shop for the best of the best in dog vitamins and supplements from The Dog Bowl click here!