From powders to capsules, human beings love a good supplement. Whether it’s a multivitamin, protein powder, or essential oil, natural herbal formulations have helped people maintain good health and well-being for thousands of years. But did you know that your pets can benefit just as much from a good dietary supplement as you can? And while lots of nutrients can be found in pet food, giving your four-legged friend a boost through dog vitamins may help support optimal health so they can live a long and healthy life. Read on to learn more about some of the most important dog vitamins and minerals to support good canine health!
24 Essential Dog Vitamins and Minerals for Canine Health
Dogs need their vitamins just as much as people do! Here are 24 dog vitamins and minerals that will help your dog maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Vitamins
Believe it or not, dogs need pretty much the same vitamins that people do. While we work on maintaining healthy vitamin levels with pills and capsules, dog vitamins can help in the very same way. Here are some of the most important vitamins dogs need and where they’re found naturally.
- Vitamin A: carrots, spinach, liver, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, fish oil, and eggs.
- Vitamin B: whole grains, nutritional yeast, liver, beans, green vegetables, nuts, and dairy products.
- Vitamin C: fruits, vegetables, and organ meats.
- Vitamin D: fish oil, fatty fish, egg yolks, dairy products, liver, beef, and cottage cheese.
- Vitamin E: plant oils, leafy green vegetables, seeds, wheat germ, whole grains, and bran.
- Vitamin K: liver, leafy green vegetables, milk, cabbage, and fish.
Macrominerals
There are two kinds of minerals that both humans and animals need: macrominerals and microminerals. Macrominerals are those big name minerals that you’ve probably heard of and probably heard you need more of – they’re the ones that your body needs larger amounts of to sustain your health. And surprise, your dog needs them too! Here are the four macrominerals your furry friend needs on a daily basis and where they’re found naturally.
- Calcium: milk, yogurt, tofu, sardines, raw bones, bok choy, green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower.
- Phosphorus: animal tissues, eggs, fish, and milk.
- Magnesium: spinach, broccoli, green beans, tofu, tomato juice, beans, whole grains, and seafood.
- Potassium, Sodium, and Chloride: fruits, vegetables, milk, and grains.
Microminerals
And then there are the microminerals, also called trace minerals. Although you and your dog don’t need quite as much of these as you do macrominerals, the 12 elements listed below are still vital to promote a healthy and happy life for your canine pal.
- Zinc: spinach, broccoli, yogurt, beef, poultry, whole grains, and vegetables.
- Sulfur: protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, legumes, and milk.
- Iron: red meat, fish, poultry, shellfish, eggs, and legumes.
- Iodine: iodized salt, seafood, dairy products, and kelp.
- Selenium: seafood, meat, whole grains, brown rice, and vegetables.
- Copper: seafood, nuts, whole grains, seeds, and legumes.
- Manganese: nuts, whole grains, and leafy vegetables.
- Chromium: lean meat, vegetable oils, and yeast.
- Cobalt: liver, kidney, fruit, and vegetables.
- Fluorine: some water.
- Molybdenum: legumes, cereals, and organ meats.
- Silicon: fortified cereals, vegetables, beans, and peas.
Does Your Pet Need Supplemental Dog Vitamins?
While lots of commercially-made natural dog foods contain most of the vitamins and minerals your dog needs for a balanced diet, sometimes your four-legged friend will need an extra boost of supplemental nutrient in addition to what they get in their everyday food. That said, there are a few words to the wise to consider when deciding whether or not to incorporate dog vitamins for canine health.
Your Dog Can Get Too Many Vitamins
According to the FDA and leading veterinarians, if your dog is already getting a balanced diet and starts receiving excess vitamins and minerals, it can actually be harmful to their health. For example, too much calcium can cause skeletal problems, too much vitamin A can lead to dehydration and joint pain, and too much vitamin D can harm your dog’s bones and cause their muscles to atrophy.
Make Sure Your Dog Vitamins Match Your Dog’s Diet
Before incorporating supplemental vitamins and minerals into your canine’s diet, make sure they’re actually needed. For one thing, you don’t want them getting too many vitamins and suffering from the harmful effects mentioned above. For another, you may still be missing vital nutrients if you don’t research what your dog actually needs.
The Best Thing to Do? Ask Your Veterinarian!
Whether you’re deciding which dog vitamins and minerals to add to your furry friend’s diet, the best thing you can do is to consult your vet, especially if your dog is already taking medicines or being treated for other issues. Ingredients in some supplements – even if they are natural supplements – can interact with these medicines or treatments causing even more harm than good, while dogs who are already healthy may not need the extra care. Ultimately, your vet will know your dog’s health-makeup better than anyone else. So why wouldn’t you ask the expert?
Try These Natural Dog Vitamins
Once you’ve talked with your vet and determined what supplemental dog vitamins or minerals are needed, there are lots of natural substances that can help you achieve the health goals set for your favorite friend. Here are three of our favorite pet vitamins from Natural Healthy Concepts.
ActiPet’s Digestive Blend for Dogs and Cats
If your dog is having trouble absorbing nutrients and digesting their food, it’s likely that enzyme production is impaired. Symptoms of digestive stress may include allergic reactions, excessive shedding, low energy, or sudden weight loss or gain. Digestive Blend for Dogs and Cats by ActiPet seeks to support healthy enzyme levels and digestion through the assimilation of nutrients like protein, fat, and carbs.
Pet Wellbeing’s Agile Joints for Pets
Just like people, as your dog gets older, chances are it will start to experience signs of aging like achy joints. Support your dog’s joint health with Agile Joints for Pets by Pet Wellbeing. This 100% natural and herbal supplement is designed to promote healthy joints for the the best mobility and comfort in dogs as they age. It supports your dog’s joints, cartilage, ligaments, and joint fluid to help maintain flexibility, mobility, and overall joint health. It may also alleviate discomfort or pain from normal activity and exercise as your pet gets older.
PetAlive’s AmazaPet
Support your furry friend’s lungs and respiratory health with AmazaPet by PetAlive. This dietary supplement works to promote a healthy balance in your dog’s respiratory system and provide temporary relief from seasonal health challenges. Its natural formula is made with all homeopathic ingredients that are non-addictive and can be added to food crushed or kept whole.
Vital Planet’s Vital Dog Daily Multivitamin
For overall canine health support, try the all-in-one Vital Dog Daily Multivitamin from Vital Planet, a nutrient-filled, chewable tablet.
Are you ready to discover how natural dog vitamins can support the health of your best canine friend? Talk with your veterinarian and then shop our selection at Natural Healthy Concepts, and let us know what worked best in the comments below. We can’t wait to see how your dog thrives!