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Vitamins For You Pets
Clark Tran
Entirelypets.com
Vitamins for your pets
Vitamins are the building blocks of life, whether it is for humans or animals vitamins can improve the quality of life. Vitamins help regulate body functions, protect the body from environmental toxins, and break down nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats so it can utilized by the body. Vitamins works with the body's minerals and enzymes aid in the body's growth and development. But not all vitamin products for pets are created equal.
Functions of vitamins
Vitamins are necessary for the body to function properly. They often work with the body's minerals and enzymes to ensure normal digestion, reproduction, muscle and bone growth and function, healthy skin and hair, clotting of blood, and the use of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates by the body.
The different types of vitamins
Vitamins are generally classified into two groups fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the liver and fatty tissue, while water-soluble vitamins are stored in only very small amounts by the body. They need to be taken in daily, and any excesses are excreted by the body each day.
The following informational charts show the groups of fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins and the effect to your pet if deficiencies occur:
Fat Soluble Vitamins Witamin Recommended Minimum Daily Dose for Dogs Toxic Dose Sources Signs of Deficiencies A 50 IU/lb. or 2225 IU per lb. of food consumed 2500 IU/lb. Liver, fish liver oil, vegetables, dairy products Night blindness, retarded growth, poor quality skin and hair D 5 IU/lb. or 225 IU per lb. of food consumed 50 IU/lb. Sunshine, dairy products, fish liver oil Rickets, poor eruption of permanent teeth E 2-20 IU per day none Cold pressed vegetable oils, meats, nuts, green leafy vegetables Reproductive failure, brown bowel syndrome K Reproductive failure, brown bowel syndrome None Kelp, alfalfa, egg yolk Increased clotting time and hemorrhage *This dose must be given daily for months to create toxicity. Water Soluble Vitamins Vitamin Recommended Minimum Daily Dose for Dogs Sources Signs of Deficiencies Vitamin C Not required, synthesized in the liver of healthy dogs Citrus fruits and vegetables Slowed healing, increased susceptibility to disease Vitamin B1 .01 mg/lb. Plants, fruit, vegetables, milk, meat Loss of appetite, loss of reflexes, loss of nerve control, weakness Vitamin B2 .05 mg/lb. Organ meats and dairy products Poor growth, eye abnormalities, heart failure Vitamin B5 .1 mg/lb. Meats and vegetables Hair loss, diarrhea, premature graying Vitamin B6 .01 mg/lb. Found in most foods, damaged during processing Anemia, poor growth, skin lesions Vitamin B12 .00025 mg/lb. Organ meats, animal sources Macrocytic anemia Biotin .001 mg/lb. Corn, soybeans, beef liver Poor hair, dry skin, diarrhea Folic Acid .002 mg/lb. Organ meats Hypoplasia of bone marrow, macrocytic anemia Niacin .12 mg/lb. Meat, meat by-products Loss of appetite and weight, inflamed gums, hemorrhagic diarrhea
Supplement for younger pets
It is never too early to start your younger pets on a vitamin supplement to ensure their health, feed a quality pet food, and supplement when necessary. A daily multi-vitamin such as Vita-Tabs will help ensure that growing pets get the vitamins they need for healthy tissues, strong bones, and overall good health.
Supplement my adult pets
Older animals tend to absorb fewer vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes, and lose more of them through the kidneys and urinary tract. Also, some older animals eat less (due to conditions such as oral disease) and may not receive their daily needs of vitamins and minerals. Some evidence in other species suggests that antioxidants such as vitamins A, E, and C (beta-carotene) may play a role in protecting against some normal aging processes. Talk with your veterinarian to determine which supplements may be beneficial for your dog.
Supplements for senior pets
A large percentage of older dogs suffer from arthritis. We recommend a daily supplement containing glucosamine and Chondrotin such as Vita-Tabs Silver, for dogs suffering from arthritis, hip dysplasia, or other bone or joint problems. Vita-Tabs Silver has higher levels of the vitamins and minerals formulated specifically to your senior dog's needs. If your dog is not eating a complete balanced diet, then a vitamin/mineral supplement is recommended to prevent any deficiencies.
Hyper active pets
Hyper active pet should also get a vitamin supplement plan to ensure pet has a healthy life. It is especially beneficial for very active animals and also for animals under a lot of stress to have a vitamin supplement as their bodies are using those vitamins at a more rapid rate. Vita-Tabs will you give you the assurance that your pet is getting correct amount of vitamins.
Quality vitamins products
Check the label before giving any vitamin/mineral supplements to see what ingredients and which sources the vitamins and minerals are coming from. When looking at the label, look for the following qualities:
- Products containing at least 8 essential vitamins including Vitamin A, B-complex, D, and E, as well as the B vitamins. Vitamins A and E are all-important antioxidants that help maintain a healthy immune system and should also be included in the supplement.
- Vitamins and minerals should be in balance with your pet's health
- B-Complex and zinc comes from Brewer's Yeast
- Magnesium comes from wheat germ and fish
- Calcium comes from non-fat dried milk
- Fatty acids comes from marine sources, such as cod liver oil
- Iron comes from natural sources, such as liver
Vitamin Overdose
There has always some controversy regarding vitamin supplements. This is due in part to people not having the right information before starting a vitamin regime, therefore overdose may occur. 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. Pet owners feeding a homemade diet or a diet high in table scraps should give their pet a high quality vitamin/mineral supplement. Sick or recovering pets that 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, can occur with severe overdose of vitamins. Vitamin overdose is less likely to occur with the recommended amount of high-quality, commercially prepared vitamin/mineral supplements. However, if you give a variety of supplements, each containing Vitamin A or D, an overdose is more likely. Supplements must be chosen with care and large numbers of different supplements should not be used together unless prescribed by a veterinarian.
For more information this subject or any additional pet health articles please visit www.entirelypets.com
Article submitted Friday, May 23, 2008
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