Is Vitamin E Good For Dogs
Vitamin E is an essential part of the canine diet but why? To understand its role in the body, we need to delve into the interactions between free radicals and antioxidants.
According Dr. Jennifer Coates, author of the Dictionary of Veterinary Terms: Vet-speak Deciphered for the Non-Veterinarian, free radicals are a group of atoms containing oxygen and electrons that can damage cell membranes, proteins, DNA and other parts of the body.
Coates says that free radicals form as a normal part of the metabolic processes that produce energy within the body, but they can also be produced at a greater rate when a pet is sick, exposed to toxins or simply becomes older. The problem with free radicals, she says, is that they have a chemical structure that essentially steals electrons from nearby molecules, oftentimes turning those molecules into free radicals that can go on to do more cellular damage. Holistic veterinarian Dr. Patrick Mahaney of Los Angeles, CA adds that free radical damage can be a contributing factor to heart disease, cancer and arthritis in dogs.
In contrast, antioxidants are molecules that can give up electrons to free radicals without becoming free radicals themselves. This stops the cycle of cellular injury, Coates says. Not only is vitamin E a potent antioxidant, but it also plays other roles in the body, like forming cell membranes. All of its functions are not yet known, Coates adds.
Vita Health Adult Daily Vitamins
Budget-safe, breath-freshening chewables loaded with vitamins and canine-friendly enzymes.
About: Vita Health Daily Vitamins are budget-friendly chewables scientifically formulated to provide the vitamins and minerals dogs need. Serve on their own or crush over your floofs food for a daily dose of wellness.
Features:
- Some ingredients can be a problem for pups with sensitivities
- A few dogs had tummy troubles
Best Budget Dog Multivitamin: Pethonesty 10
If you are looking for soft chewable multivitamin treats that come in different flavors, PetHonesty multivitamins are a perfect choice.
Although only available in a package with 90 treats, this product comes in duck and chicken flavors.
Additionally, you can choose between multivitamins for seniors and for dogs of all ages.
These multivitamin snacks include all the essential nutrients and vitamins, as well as probiotics, glucosamine, and omega fatty acids.
Glucosamine is good for your dogs joint health, while probiotics can help your dogs digestion.
Omega fatty acids are included to provide benefits to your dogs coat and skin health.
In addition to all this, the treats are quite tasty and my dog was happy to eat them.
However, some dog owners reported their dogs getting sick after being given these multivitamins. I didnt have that experience and most reviews are positive but its something to keep in mind.
Pros: Available in Chicken and Duck Flavors, Good for Skin and Coat Health, Can Help with Joint Health, Can Boost the Immune System, Good for Digestion
Cons: A Bit Expensive, Only Available in One Package Size, Some Reports of Dogs Getting Sick
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Types Of Vitamins For Dogs
While dogs and humans require similar vitamins to thrive, its essential to mention that you should never give your dog a supplement or medication that is intended for humans.
Aside from the apparent differences in size and dosage, a dogs body processes things differently from yours. Not to mention that supplements formulated for humans can sometimes contain ingredients that may harm your dog.
Vitamins for dogs can come in various forms, from puppy vitamin paste to dog vitamin powders that you can sprinkle on their food.
As always, when in doubt, check with your vet.
How To Know If Your Dog Needs Vitamins
If your dog is experiencing no health problems and is regularly eating a balanced diet of high-quality commercial dog food, vitamins might not be necessary. But they can help with a variety of health issues, like joint pain, arthritis, urinary dysfunction, dry skin, dull coat, digestive problems, anxiety, memory loss, and low energy. If youre unsure whether vitamins can help your dog, you should ask your veterinarian. During an exam, they can identify deficiencies and recommend quality products.
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Digestive Health: Nusentia Probiotic Miracle
Giving your dog a daily probiotic can help regulate his digestive system, especially if he has problems with diarrhea, an upset stomach, or constipation. Nusentia Probiotic Miracle contains six probiotic strains to help with these issues and more, including yeast overgrowth, bad breath, itching, and scratching. Manufactured in the USA at an FDA-approved facility, it contains no animal products, fillers, flavorings rice, gluten, or dairy. See our reviews of the best probiotics for dogs.
Price: Starting at $25.99
Nutramax Cosequin Maximum Strength
A vet-preferred supplement
What we love: The Nutramax Cosequin Joint Supplement Plus is especially formulated for adult dogs that need a little extra joint love and care. The supplement supports cartilage protection and is easy to crush up in your doggos food they wont even notice its there.
What customer reviews say: Many noticed a significant change in their older dogs aftering using this supplement. One reviewer noticed their dog had significantly more spunk and energy after four weeks of use. Another said their dog was up and running once again after having slowed down due to age. Its no wonder this supplement comes 97% recommended on Chewy with almost 2,000 customer reviews.
Ingredients: Glucosamine hydrochloride , sodium chondroitin sulfate, methylsulfonylmethane , and manganese.
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What Does Raw Egg Do For Dogs
Eggs are one of natures perfect protein sources and are full of amino acids and fatty acids that are extremely good for your dogs skin and coat. They also provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, and Selenium, making raw eggs for dogs a superfood.
What Is Vitamin B
Vitamin B is a family of water-soluble compounds often present in the food that both humans and canines ingest. It has many functions like promoting healthy metabolism and keeping cells in check. The way it works is that Vitamin B acts as a coenzyme to assist in biochemical reactions that change carbohydrates into glucose, which provides energy for the dog. And since Vitamin B is water-soluble, they just flush through your dog’s digestive system, compared to if you gave your dog fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, or K, any excess from these will be stored in fat cells, and some cases can lead to toxicity.
The Vitamin B complex comprises of the following B vitamins:
Vitamin B is deemed essential in a dog’s diet because dogs cannot make them independently. Each vitamin mentioned above has a similar goal but has unique properties that can help your canine differently. For example, B6 helps in blood flow and bladder health, B7 promotes healthy skin, and B12 encourages a healthy nervous system and controls hormonal imbalance in pregnant dogs. Many of the foods we feed our dogs will contain most of these B vitamins, but if in the case that you want to give your dog more B6, for example, you should feed it along with the complex powder.
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What Are Vitamins Anyway
Vitamins are small organic molecules that the body uses to carry out various biological processes. Your dogs body is unable to make most vitamins , so they must be obtained via the diet .
Vitamins can be derived from a number of foods, but some of the best sources include fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, dairy products, and organ meats.
Most commercial dog foods are fortified with vitamins, but owners can also provide their dog with supplemental vitamins much like those humans take.
Although a number of supplements are often thrown into the vitamin category, things like probiotics, glucosamine, chondroitin, fish oils, calcium, zinc and several other common supplements should not be considered vitamins.
These compounds play a number of beneficial roles in your dogs body, and many especially various minerals are included in multivitamin supplements. However, these all represent different types of substances, which do not fit the definition of a vitamin.
Should I Check With My Vet Before Supplementing
Absolutely, vets say. Symptoms that look like arthritis, such as a dog with a weak rear end, could instead be a neurological problem. A poor coat could indicate skin, metabolic or hormonal problems.
Dont forego traditional therapies, especially if its a life- or organ-threatening illness for your pet, says Dawn M. Boothe, DVM, MS, PhD, director of the clinical pharmacology lab at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. Make sure you stick with a standard of care and use the supplements as they were intended, as supplements.
Ingredients in some supplements, such as herbals, may interact with other medicine an animal is taking. Your vet can also assess whether your pet needs a supplement.
If theyre eating a complete and balanced diet and theyre healthy and have no problems, they dont actually need supplementation, Wynn says. She recommends fruits and vegetables to pet owners who want to give extra nutrients. Other than that, she limits her recommendations if a dog is healthy.
We want to use things that are safe long-term, Wynn says. Probiotics fit that bill. Thats probably all I would recommend.
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How Can I Help My Older Dog With Weak Back Legs
Stick to low-impact activities
Take short walks with your pup, keeping the pace slow and relaxed, to help slowly rebuild muscle. Swimming is another low-impact activity thats especially helpful for weak hind legs. Water supports your dogs weight, allowing him to move more freely than he can on dry land.
Are There Risks Associated With Dog Vitamins
Vitamins are absolutely vital to life. It should not surprise us that something so essential could also be potentially dangerous in large quantities.
You already know that too much of the mineral calcium can cause skeletal problems in large breed puppies. You might not know that vitamins can cause problems, too.
Too much vitamin A can cause dehydration, joint pain, and can even harm your dogs blood vessels. On top of that, there are very few studies that have tested the long-term safety of dog vitamin supplements, and some supplements contain other ingredients, like herbs, that can interact with certain medications.
You can avoid these risks by working out a nutritional plan with your veterinarian.
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Natural Dog Company Daily Multivitamin
High-quality multivitamin
What we love: Our number one pick for a doggie vitamin is the Natural Dog Company Multivitamin. It comes with 35 different vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to keep your dog energetic and healthy. Ingredients like organic tumeric and coenzyme Q10 serve as antioxidants, and the vitamins additional minerals and enzymes can help support healthy digestion and improve immune function. Plus, the formula is grain, soy and corn-free, too.
What customer reviews say: Many reviewers say these multivitamins are so tasty they dont even have to hide them in peanut butter their pups just gobble them right up! Theyre also apt for dogs with allergies, according to other reviews, helping to improve their dogs irritated or itchy skin.
Ingredients: Organic turmeric, organic hemp seed oil, cod liver oil, coenzyme Q10, digestive enzymes, organic hemp seed, essential fatty acids, protein, vitamin C , curcuminoid, niacin, vitamin B1, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12, vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, duck, sweet potato, coconut oil, pea flour, palm fruit oil, flaxseed meal, garbanzo flour, prosurance duck/pea, powdered cellulose, sunflower lecithin, coconut glycerin, sorbic acid, rosemary extract, and mixed tocopherols.
What Vitamins Are Bad For Dogs
While there arent any specific vitamins that are singularly bad for your dog, less is always more. If your dog is eating well-rounded dog food that has a balanced ratio of proteins, carbohydrates, calories, fat, fiber and vitamins and minerals, you shouldnt need to add any additional supplementation to their diet.
Both human beings and dogs need vitamins and nutrients to function every day. But attempting to overcorrect your dogs diet to give them perfect health could backfire royally if not given in proper doses. Remember to always consult your veterinarian.
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Which Fruits Are Best For Dogs
As carnivores at heart, theres nothing dogs love more than real, fresh, raw meat but a few pieces of fruit now and then dont hurt. In fact, they can even be a good, sweet source of added vitamins for your best pal.
For example, blueberries are one of the healthiest and most nutritious fruits for dogs. Theyre full of so many natural nutrients and antioxidants that they can even be considered a superfood for both humans and canines. .
Be aware that some of the fruits that are not on this list are not good for dogs, and may even be toxic to your best pal. Stick with the foods you know are safe and if youre ever in doubt, offer your pup a healthy dog treat instead!
Does Your Dog Need Multivitamins
Most dogs dont really need multivitamins as long as they are fed a high-quality, balanced diet.
However, some dogs have health problems and need a bit of a nutritional boost that multivitamins can provide, especially dogs that suffer from certain vitamin deficiencies.
Dogs need vitamins to stay healthy and vitamin supplements are one way to ensure that your dog receives the essential nutrients it needs.
Multivitamins wont affect all dogs the same way. Some dogs will benefit more from taking multivitamins than others.
This is especially true for senior dogs that need multivitamins to help in the prevention of common age-related health problems, like blindness and arthritis.
Puppies can also benefit from multivitamins because they can improve their appetites and help them develop into strong, healthy dogs.
Before you start giving your dog multivitamins, discuss this with your vet.
He can give you advice on vitamins that your dog may benefit from and help you resolve any potential dilemmas regarding multivitamins.
After all, certain vitamins can have a detrimental effect on your dogs health in high doses, so talk with your vet to prevent any unwanted side effects.
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Dont Give Your Dog Vitamin Supplements
If your dog is eating well-balanced dog food, a supplement isnt necessary. Often, you can overdo it, says Cruz. For example, adding additional calcium could cause irreversible kidney damage.
We know that dogs live much longer than in the past because of the nutritional research done by pet food companies, says Cruz. Now, if we could only eat as well as our pets are eating.
Where Are Vitamins Made
The answer is mostly in China.
You may be trying to avoid Chinese ingredients for your dog. And thats an excellent idea because China has a terrible track record when it comes to food safety in 2007 alone, synthetic vitamin premixes from China killed over 4,000 cats and dogs.
Yet China owns over 90% of the vitamin C market in the US and most of the vitamins in dog foods are manufactured in China and India.This should worry you because only 2% of all imported vitamins are inspected. And Chinas top vitamin and supplement producing areas are among the most polluted in the world.
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Zesty Paws Multifunctional 8
Super popular on Amazon
POPULAR
What we love:Zesty Paws Multifunctional 8-in-1 Bites has 35 nutritious ingredients to keep your dog in peak shape. The ingredients support healthy skin, coat, hips, joints, digestive system, heart health, and immune health. The multivitamin is also made in the USA in a cGMP facility and doesnt have any corn, wheat, soy, or artificial flavoring. Plus, dogs will love the yummy chicken flavor.
What customer reviews say: Not only does this vitamin help with joint pain, general energy, and wellbeing in dogs, some reviewers said their dogs fur became shinier and softer, too. Customers also mentioned it helped their dogs lose weight.
Ingredients: Glucosamine HCL, MSM , cod liver oil, enzyme blend, chondroitin sulfate, vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E , vitamin C , niacin, coenzyme Q10, vitamin B1 , pantothenic acid, vitamin B6 , vitamin B2 , manganese, Folic Acid, biotin, vitamin B-12, chicken meal, coconut glycerin, flaxseed meal, natural chicken flavoring, oat flour, palm fruit oil, powdered cellulose, pumpkin, rice flour, sorbic acid, , and sunflower lecithin.
Look For A Product Lot Number
A lot number is a code assigned to a batch of products. With that, a supplement with a lot number means it has undergone quality control procedures. This also means that the manufacturer is monitoring the movement of the product, so it can be pulled out of the market even before it reaches the end of its shelf life.
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Can I Feed My Dog Chicken And Rice Everyday
It is not a good idea to keep your dog on a daily diet of chicken and rice for long. While this dish is extremely healthy for dogs, it does not contain all of the nutrients they need, which they get from other sources such as red meats and vegetables. Also, dogs tend to develop allergies to the foods they eat the most.
Risks To Giving Your Dog Vitamins
Unfortunately, the dog vitamin and supplement industry is still unregulated by the FDA. This means you need to be extra careful when picking out a multivitamin for your dogs body. Just because its sold by Amazon or another popular retailer, does not mean its safe! If you want to be safe, run anything youre considering by your veterinarian. And make sure to use a vet-approved vitamin or supplement, like the ones we listed above.
Water-soluble vitamins like B and C are excreted in urine, so its not easy to accidentally give your dog too much of them. Fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, and E, as well as certain heavy metals can be overdosed and cause illness. If after giving your dog a vitamin they are suddenly vomiting, having diarrhea, lethargic, or experiencing skin peeling, contact your vet as these are possible signs of vitamin toxicity.
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