A dog gets not only nutrients from the food it eats, but also energy, and the need for both varies between individuals. The required nutrient amounts are influenced, of course, by the dog’s age, but also by size, activity level, and intended use. The needs of a highly active sporting dog are different from those of a small puppy or an already elderly senior.
Dry dog foods (“kibble”) are designed as complete meals, but they can also be supplemented with different options when needed. Some owners want to feed their dog home-cooked food, while others swear by raw feeding. With these last two approaches, you must pay closer attention to ensuring the dog receives enough important nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals.
The need for supplements can increase with age, physical strain, or illness. For show dogs, a glossy and beautiful coat is important, while for sports dogs, energy and optimal movement are key. General wellbeing and maintaining health concerns everyone.
Skin and coat wellbeing can be supported, for example, with complementary feeds that contain fatty acids. To ease shedding, you can provide B vitamins, which can be obtained effectively from brewer’s yeast. Muscle and joint wellbeing can be supported with, among other things, vitamin E, MSM, glucosamine, turmeric, ginger, Boswellia serrata, chondroitin, and rosehip.
What vitamins does a dog need and why?
Vitamins are divided into fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K are stored in the body, and therefore they do not need to be obtained from the diet every day.
Water-soluble vitamins include the B vitamins and vitamin C. They are not stored in the body, with the exception of vitamin B12. With water-soluble vitamins, there is no risk of overdose. The body of a normal, healthy dog produces water-soluble vitamins C and B on its own, but workload and various illnesses can increase the need.
The need for B vitamins and for the fat-soluble vitamin E is higher in growing animals, during pregnancy, and as a result of heavy physical exertion. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that enhances the absorption of other vitamins and minerals and supports immune resilience. It also helps prevent heart disease and promotes the development of teeth, gums, the skeleton, and joints.
Vitamin A helps build and maintain soft tissues and bones. Vitamin A produces the pigments needed for forming the retina. It is an important vitamin for vision and fertility. The precursor to vitamin A, beta-carotene, is found for example in carrots, rowan berries, yarrow, dandelion leaves, and sea buckthorn. Sea buckthorn is a true “vitamin bomb,” because it contains all other vitamins except vitamin D.
B vitamins are needed, among other things, for maintaining normal body function, metabolism, and energy production. Different B vitamins are easily supplemented with brewer’s yeast, which also contains chromium and yeasts that are beneficial for the gut. Bee pollen also contains plenty of B vitamins and many other vitamins.
Vitamin D affects, among other things, the body’s metabolism. Vitamin D deficiency causes disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism, which can appear as stress fractures or skeletal development problems. Iceland moss contains the vitamin D precursor ergosterol.
Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant that is needed especially as the fat content of the diet increases. Vitamin E supplementation is also necessary in stressful situations, for dogs under heavy physical load, and for breeding bitches during pregnancy and lactation. Vitamin E protects a dog’s muscles from oxidative damage and thus helps prevent muscle injury. According to studies, natural vitamin E is absorbed more than 1.5 times as effectively as synthetic vitamin E, and therefore only a small amount of natural vitamin E is needed. Vitamin E is recommended to be given in a small amount daily so that the body’s vitamin E level remains stable.
Different supplements for different needs
Dogs with skin and coat issues may benefit from zinc or an omega fatty acid supplement. Omega fatty acids can be obtained from, for example, flaxseed oil, hemp oil, chia, and hemp. Omega fatty acids also help maintain the dog’s immune resilience and support the normal function of the nervous system, eyes, heart, and blood vessels.
For many gut problems, support may be found in B vitamins, which are abundant in brewer’s yeast. B-group vitamins may also help with wounds that heal poorly. The true skin and wound herb, however, is calendula.
In older dogs, the body’s immune resilience weakens, and the digestive system no longer absorbs nutrients as efficiently as it did when younger. Diverse natural nutrients can safely ensure that even seniors receive adequate vitamins and trace elements. Caring for joint and muscle wellbeing is important at all stages of a dog’s life, but its importance is emphasized in older dogs. Joint-supporting products include glucosamine, chondroitin, ginger, MSM, MSM-ginger, turmeric, rosehip, devil’s claw, Boswellia serrata, Joint Buddy, Joint Force Curcumin + HA, and Joint Force Gluco. MSM and rosehip contain sulfur, which occurs in the structural proteins of joints and cartilage. MSM is also used to reduce musculoskeletal complaints and muscle stiffness. Glucosamine and chondroitin occur naturally in the body, but their amounts decrease with aging and, for example, as osteoarthritis progresses. They have a researched, significant effect on maintaining joint health.
A commonly used nutrient for urinary tract issues is cranberry. Diuretic ingredients and/or those containing a lot of vitamin C, such as nettle, goldenrod, and sea buckthorn, help flush the urinary tract.
Some of the more easily recognizable signs of deficiency include skin and coat problems, hairless areas around the eyes, weight loss, fatigue, or poor nails.
Commercial dog foods usually contain enough calcium. If a dog eats home-cooked or raw food, calcium needs can be met with a calcium supplement. In particular, calcium intake for young and growing dogs must be secured. Young and sporting dogs also have an increased need for vitamin E. An adult dog’s calcium requirement increases under heavy exertion and during pregnancy and lactation. Heavy exertion also increases the need for selenium, potassium, magnesium, and sodium. Bladderwrack contains, among other things, potassium and iodine, and in total, bladderwrack has been studied to contain as many as 70 different minerals and trace elements! Kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum) seaweed is also used to help prevent the formation of plaque and tartar. Poor nail condition may also indicate a lack of potassium or silica, which can be obtained from diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth may also be helpful in the management of diastemas.
For low iron values, weight loss, anemia, fatigue, or other deficiency states, the number one choice is the humble nettle. Nettle naturally contains folic acid and vitamin C, which improve iron absorption. Nettle does not irritate the stomach and does not cause diarrhea like some industrial iron supplements.
Stress increases the body’s need for vitamins and antioxidants. If a dog is easily stressed, ensure it receives enough protective nutrients. Vitamin E in particular protects the body from stress, as do other vitamin-rich ingredients such as sea buckthorn, nettle, bladderwrack, rosehip, and other berries.
For hormonal fluctuations, chaste tree berry (Vitex agnus-castus) may help. It can be useful for irregular or difficult heat cycles, or in males for easing aggressive, “rowdy” behavior. Heat cycles, false pregnancies, and pregnancy strain the dog’s body both directly physically and indirectly through stress. Adequate vitamin E intake is important for pregnant dogs. During heat, a bitch loses, along with spotting blood, among other things iron, which can be replenished with nettle. A male stressed by a bitch in heat may also benefit from a multivitamin supplement, such as sea buckthorn, rosehip, or nettle.
In addition to ensuring vitamins, minerals, and trace elements, it is also good to ensure adequate fatty acids. Oils are essential for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, among other things, and they support your pet’s wellbeing in many ways, including the condition of skin and coat.
