Pet Vitamins

Pet Vitamins and Benefits

The benefits of pet vitamins obviously differ extensively depending on the type of vitamin or supplement, the reason you are giving it to your pet, and other factors such as your pet’s age, weight, and general health. Despite the increasing demand for a wider variety of pet vitamins there is very little research to support the benefit claims for many of them. Some vitamins and supplements do have some research backing to support their health benefit claims. These include:

• Multivitamins are shown to be effective and even a necessity for animals on a home-made diet. Regular pet food marketed in the U.S. is regulated and contains all ingredients necessary to support an animal’s health needs without supplementation.
• Glucosamine - Chondroitin has been proven to improve joint health and reduce pain and inflammation in dogs with osteoarthritis.
• Fatty acid supplements including fish oil have been shown to improve skin condition and coat shine.
• The antioxidants found in vitamins C and E have shown positive results in terms of reducing inflammation and improving memory in aging animals.

Pet Vitamins and Side Effects

Not all animals need pet vitamins and supplements. In fact, an excess of certain vitamins can cause severe side effects. This is why it is always important to consult with a veterinarian before using any pet vitamin or supplement in addition to your pet’s regular food.  Some of the more common side effects associated with an overdose of various vitamin supplements are as follows.

• Calcium – While calcium is necessary for bone strength too much can cause skeletal problems including brittle bones, especially in large breed dogs.
• Vitamin A – Symptoms of an overdose include dehydration and joint pain and can lead to blood vessel damage.
• Vitamin D – A vitamin D overdose can be very serious. An animal may stop eating, and it can cause harm to their bones and can cause their muscles to atrophy.
• Niacin (Vitamin B3) – An excess of niacin can be toxic and fatal if untreated. Symptoms include severe diarrhea, inflammation of the throat and lips, and convulsions.
• Vitamin B6 – This also can be toxic in too large of quantities in pets. Excessive amounts of B6 have been shown to lead to convulsions in animals.
• Sodium – An abundance of sodium will cause excessive thirst.
• Iodine – Too much iodine in an animal’s diet can lead to hyperthyroidism.

Pet Vitamins and Dosage

The recommended dosage for each type of pet vitamin is different and may also depend on the animal’s size, weight, and age. Be certain to follow the guidelines specified on the packaging and recommended by your veterinarian precisely. Giving your pet more than the recommended dosage can lead to many of the side effects mentioned above. On the flip side, giving too little will not produce the desired results and defeats the purpose of giving the vitamin or supplement at all.

Pet Vitamins and Precautions

If you have done your homework and researched the vitamin or supplement you wish to give your pet, and spoken with your veterinarian to make sure you are not doing more harm than good, then you are ready to purchase the vitamin or supplement you plan to give your pet. There are still several precautions you must take.

First, make sure you purchase from a reputable company that has been in business more than five years and is backed by research supporting the quality of the product. Pet vitamins and supplements are overseen by the FDA, but with very minimal standards. Frequently companies do not include the amount of the vitamin or supplement they claim the product contains. Instead many of these vitamins are filled with additives.

After choosing a reputable company and product, read the packaging label carefully before buying it. Make sure anything that is contained in the supplement besides the vitamin itself is all natural. Unfortunately, many companies are in the business to make money and do not care that they are harming innocent animals. There are many circumstances when pet vitamins and nutritional supplements can be beneficial, however, you must know that what you are giving your pet is not of a lower quality than what you would put in your own body. Use the free supplement finder to compare pet vitamins side by side right now!