Final Thoughts on Dog Vitamins

Final Thoughts:

There always has been (and probably will be in the future), some controversy regarding vitamin supplementation. Many people feel supplements are very necessary. They feel that even when feeding a high quality food, some of the vitamins may have been destroyed by the processing or storage.

Dog owners feeding a homemade diet or a diet high in table scraps should give a high quality vitamin/mineral supplement. Ill or recovering dogs who may have a poor appetite should also be given a good vitamin/mineral supplement since they are not receiving their daily requirements through the food they eat.

The possibility of vitamin toxicity with the fat-soluble vitamins, especially Vitamin A and D, which are stored in the body, is of concern to some researchers and veterinarians. But the truth is the amount of Vitamin A and D needed to develop toxicity is many times higher than what is contained in a high-quality balanced vitamin/mineral supplement.

Toxicities do not occur when you give your dog the recommended amount of high-quality, commercially prepared vitamin/mineral supplements. This is not to say over-supplementation can not occur. Supplements must be chosen with great care and large numbers of different supplements should not be used together unless prescribed by a veterinarian.

Not every dog has the same requirements and even an individual's needs will change over time. Puppies, a pregnant dog, an ill or 'senior' dog all have different nutritional needs therefore vitamins and supplements should be chosen accordingly.

If you have any questions about choosing the right vitamins or supplements for your dog, talk to your veterinarian or a qualified pet nutritionist.

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