As pet owners, it’s important to ensure our furry friends are getting the best care and nutrition to maintain their optimal health. While most pet owners know to feed their pet a healthy diet and take them in for regular check-ups and vaccinations, there are some additional measures we can take to give our pets an extra boost of vitamins and nutrients. In this blog post, we will discuss the various human vitamins and supplements that can safely be administered to our canine companions. We will cover the types of vitamins, how much and how often to give them, and any potential side effects to watch for. As with any dietary change, it’s best to consult your veterinarian before giving your pet any vitamins. By doing so, you can rest assured that you are providing your dog with optimal nutrition and health.
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Grocery stores and pharmacies are stocked with row upon row of human vitamins. With so many options for us, it is completely logical that we wonder if dog vitamins are the right choice for our pets, too.
What vitamins should you give your dog? Are there any risks? Do dogs actually need vitamins? Here are some responses.
Vitamins are organic compounds that are necessary to sustain life. Most are found naturally in food. Animals’ bodies need vitamins for growth and maintenance.
The majority of the vitamins required by human and animal bodies are likely familiar to you:
Dogs also require these vitamins, but it’s crucial to understand that their requirements may differ from those of humans.
Vitamin A, in case you’ve ever wondered, is the vitamin in carrots that is responsible for that good vision your parents promised you. This fat-soluble vitamin is also responsible for growth, fetal development, immune function, and cell function. There are eye care supplements for dogs that include Vitamin A.
A group of crucial vitamins known as the B vitamins is important for your dog’s health.
Vitamin C is an important antioxidant. It can help prevent inflammation and slow down cognitive aging by scavenging potentially harmful free radicals in the body. Though their livers can produce vitamin C on their own, dogs can benefit from supplements in some circumstances.
The “sunshine vitamin,” or vitamin D, helps your dog’s body balance minerals like calcium and phosphorus for strong bone growth. Without it, your dog wouldn’t be able to grow normally or keep their muscles and bones healthy.
One of your dog’s defenses against oxidative damage is vitamin E. Additionally necessary for cellular function and fat metabolism is this fat-soluble vitamin. Deficiencies can result in muscle and eye deterioration as well as reproductive issues.
A fat-soluble vitamin called vitamin K is essential for making your dog’s blood clot. Certain rat and mouse poisons prevent dogs from using the vitamin K that is already present in their bodies, which results in hemorrhaging and death if not treated.
Choline is a necessary component of the phospholipid cell membrane. It promotes liver and brain health and is occasionally used in the treatment of pets with epilepsy.
Your dog gets his vitamins from dog food. Complete and balanced commercial dog food diets are especially formulated to include all of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your dog requires.
Foods catered toward different life stages, like puppy food, adult dog food, and senior dog food, contain different levels of certain vitamins, depending on the requirements of that life stage. This is especially important for large breed puppy foods, as these breeds can develop diseases, such as hip dysplasia, if their food contains vitamins and minerals, like calcium, that make them grow too quickly.
If dogs are fed a proper commercial diet, they shouldn’t need vitamin supplements unless their doctor specifically advises them to. On the other hand, dogs fed a homemade diet might need supplements to make sure they are consuming enough vitamins with their meals. However, veterinary nutritionist Susan Wynn, DVM, states that these vitamins should be administered in accordance with the diet. Giving these dogs a vitamin with dinner is insufficient.
Human Vitamins Are Not Dog Vitamins
Human vitamins are not intended for dogs, so you shouldn’t give them to your dog unless your vet has approved a specific supplementation schedule, duration, and amount. Most dog vitamins only have about 20% of the daily requirement to prevent overdosing your dog because commercial dog foods are supposed to contain all of the essential daily requirements (although frequently commercial dog foods can fall short). Human vitamins are designed to supply all of the body’s needs each day. Your dog will consume more vitamins and supplements than the daily recommended amounts if it consumes both regular dog food and a human vitamin. Due to the high iron content in prenatal vitamins, which may result in iron toxicity, a dangerous condition for your dog, prenatal vitamins are particularly toxic for dogs. Some symptoms of iron toxicity in dogs to look out for are:
Other potentially harmful vitamins include vitamins B and D, which can cause signs of iron toxicity. The most common cause of vitamin toxicity is accidental ingestion. However, prolonged oversupplementing can be just as harmful to unaware pet owners and is regrettably frequently disregarded by pet owners when speaking with their veterinarian about the causes of their pet’s illness. Since many human vitamins are gummy and chewy and smell good, a pet might be drawn to the bottle, it’s crucial to store them safely at home. There is a greater chance that pets will be drawn to vitamins and supplements because of their appealing shape and texture as more and more products are sold that resemble candy. Always store your vitamins in a location out of the reach of your pets, and be sure to pick up any pills or gummies that may fall to the ground.
When selecting vitamin supplements for your dog, always talk to your vet first and only give your dog the supplements your vet approves. Only use the vitamins for a specific amount of time and for targeted reasons to avoid overdosing and causing more further health issues. There are an array of problems with giving dogs human vitamin supplements. One of the biggest problems is vitamin D. Dogs need vitamin D, or D3, cholecalciferol since they can’t make their own in their skin like humans can. There isn’t much research on vitamin D supplements for dogs, but we do know that not getting enough vitamin D is bad for your dog, and too much of it is even worse.
Dogs do require some vitamin D intake, but too much vitamin D is extremely toxic to them. Most multivitamins for humans contain too much vitamin D for your dog. Currently, veterinarians recommend 500IU per kilo of food. 400 IU is the lowest amount of vitamin D in a multivitamin that is currently sold for human consumption, and only in a few children’s vitamins. Because vitamin D is fat-soluble and builds up in the body, an overdose is difficult to treat and difficult to eliminate. In addition, a dog’s requirement for vitamin D is influenced by its breed, sex, age, and level of activity. For instance, a pug whose main activity is sunbathing will need more vitamin D than sick dogs in the Arctic.
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Vitamins That Are Toxic to Pets
According to Murphy, prenatal vitamins, which are high in iron and can result in iron toxicity in pets, are one of the most dangerous situations. Call your veterinarian right away if your dog or cat accidentally knocks over a bottle of prenatal vitamins and ingests several before you can stop them.
The same goes for vitamin D supplements. According to Murphy, too much vitamin D can raise calcium and phosphorus levels, which can eventually result in long-term issues with the heart and kidneys, among other organs.
According to Murphy, many other vitamins and supplements, such as fiber supplements and many multivitamins, are less harmful, but if taken in sufficient amounts, any human-grade vitamin could be harmful to a pet’s health.
Keep the vitamin bottle on hand whenever you notice your pet eating a vitamin or other human supplement in case you need to visit your veterinarian or an emergency animal hospital. With knowledge of dosage and ingredients, the vet will be better able to treat your pet.
FAQ
Can human multivitamin be given to dogs?
Human vitamins are not intended for dogs, so you shouldn’t give them to your dog unless your vet has approved a specific supplementation schedule, duration, and amount.
Is there a difference between dog vitamins and human vitamins?
Since human supplements can contain 100% of the daily requirement, she claims that “most pet multivitamins are designed to contain just a portion of the daily requirement for that species, typically around 20%.” ”.
Can I give my dog human b12 vitamins?
The answer to the question, “Can I give my dog human vitamins?” is, “Yes, as long as you get your veterinarian’s approval, it will be safe to do so.” However, supplements designed especially for dogs and their particular nutritional requirements might be a better choice.
What vitamins should I give my dog everyday?
- Vitamin A.
- Biotin, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin B-6, and vitamin B-12 are among the B vitamins.
- Vitamin C.
- Vitamin D.
- Vitamin E.
- Vitamin K.
- Choline.