If you’re like the majority of conscientious dog owners then you’re interested in purchasing the best supplements for your dog that you can afford. You understand that top quality supplements derive their quality from their standards of purity and from the results they provide. Nobody wants to spend good money for poor quality supplements. That’s self-defeating. If you truly desire to maintain perfect health in your pet, or to see your pet’s health improve, then your attention and money are best spent on high-quality nutritional products.
Every dog is different, so even experienced dog owners benefit by trying to stay abreast of the current research concerning dogs and supplementation. Gone are the days when the housewife tossed a bag of whatever was cheapest into the cart at the market, giving the family pet but one choice: eat it or starve. Today, pets have come to be considered as members of the family in most households. As such, their owners desire them to have long and healthy lives, something that only quality nutrition can provide.
Canine Supplementation Requirements Vary
As many people own rescue dogs in the 21st century as they do pedigreed and titled pooches. While the latter may well have enjoyed nothing but the best since birth, this cannot always be said for the former category. Many rescued dogs have suffered neglect and abuse prior to their rescue. They may have sustained injuries that require healing, or have nutritional deficits. As a result, each dog’s needs will differ according to the current state of their health. The pampered pet may need nothing more than some Omega 3 oil added to his already high-quality diet. The dog eating a Bones and Raw Food (BARF) diet will require supplementation with several vitamins, most notably, the B vitamins, as well as vitamins C, A, D, E and K. Vitamin C is widely known in natural dog circles to prevent hip dysplasia.
The following are reasons people supplement their dogs’ diets:
- Improved Coat Quality. Many commercially blended supplements are available for the improvement of canine coat quality. Most contain a variety of elements intended to produce both additional coat as well as shinier, healthier looking coat quality.
- Cover Potential Deficits. By providing an all-purpose high-quality vitamin and mineral supplements to dogs’ owners makes sure to cover any deficits that might otherwise exist in the dog’s diet.
- Pain Relief. As with humans, there are many different supplements available that help minimize inflammation and therefore pain in the body. Ginger, turmeric, tart cherry extract, and bromelain all have significant ability to reduce a person or a pet’s pain and suffering. Supplements such as hyaluronic acid reduces canine joint pain.
- Disease Prevention and Treatment. Without question, cancer is the disease that threatens the lives of our pets the most. Fortunately, there are a number of supplements that work hard to prevent or eradicate cancer. For example, vitamin B17, found in the kernels of apricots, kills cancer cells. Turmeric, when combined with biopterin and a quality fat such as coconut oil conquers many forms of cancer. Oregano oil is another potent fighter of disease. It works by strengthening the canine immune system.
- Mood Management. Like people, dogs have times when they don’t well, or are bothered by something, such as a thunderstorm. Supplements are helpful in such situations. Supplements such as Rescue Remedy and melatonin alleviate or significantly reduce canine anxiety, even in the presence of the anxiety causing stimulus. It is helpful to provide dogs prone to anxiety with such supplements prior to a stressful event, such as a firework display or a trip to the vet.
- Physical Condition. Probiotics digestive enzymes are other additions a dog owner may wish to include in their pet’s diet. They are appropriate any time it is suspected that the dog may not be making full use of the food they’re consuming. Dog owners are right to suspect this might be the case when their dog eats a good diet but still seems unthrifty, with dull, sparse coat and low energy. By correcting the imbalances of beneficial bacteria in a dog’s intestinal tract while boosting its digestive ability with enzymes, the animal’s overall condition is improved.
Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all supplement that is right for all dogs all the time. Dogs’ requirements for supplementation varies throughout their lives. The supplements that improve the health of a growing puppy are not the same ones needed by canine senior citizens. Pregnancy and lactation put exceptional demands on canine mothers who benefit from supplements appropriate for their present station in life. Dogs whose immune systems are working overtime to combat illness, injury or disease benefit from correct supplementation. Working, active, and convalescent dogs have unique vitamin and mineral as well as caloric requirements.
Also see: 4 Reasons why you should feed your dog only high quality food
Stick to Dog Formulations When Considering Nutrition
Depending upon the supplement, it is sometimes acceptable to give dogs human supplements. This is particularly true when treating pain or disease. When it comes to overcoming nutritional deficits, however, or improving the overall health of a dog that has been down on its luck, it is usually best to work in conjunction with a qualified holistic veterinarian, who is best qualified to help a dog’s owner formulate a dietary plan including the right supplements for their dog in its present state or condition. A dog’s need for dietary components such as protein, fat, calcium, and fiber vary depending upon the animal’s age, current condition, medical history, and activity.
Other supplements worth a dog owner’s consideration from time to time in an animal’s life include cleansing herbs, such as burdock and dandelion, and healing substances, such as colloidal silver. Colloidal silver is a natural antibiotic that kills over six hundred known fungi, bacteria, and viruses. It is a powerful addition to any dog owner’s herb and medicine chest, and is useful for cleaning wounds, as well. Fortunately, pet owners everywhere today have the Internet with which they can research in order to determine what supplements are apt to give their pets the most benefit.