Vitamins/suppliments

[BigDies]

I have always been kind of curious on what types of vitamins and/or suppliments people on her give their dogs, food related or otherwise. . I've heard about the pumpkin and egg added to the food and fish oil pills but I was just curious what else people give their dogs, what it is for, and how much you give. Thanks in advance!

[PrairieSky]

I've been wondering the same thing, as I have seen it mentioned in this forum.I guess I'm particularly interested in joint-health supplements, as I know very little about those.

[laurelheebsh]

Our Chubs gets about 1/4 tsp of Prozyme (powdered digestive enzyme), 1/4 tsp of metamucil fiber (to keep stools firm--anal gland issues), and a chlortrimaton allergy pill with each meal. Kind of a weird assortment, I know. He also had a seasonal alopecia (hair loss) early this spring so we had him on a tsp of fish oil with meals too. The hair grew back and we stopped the oil, but we'll probably put him back on in the winter to try to keep it from happening again. Sorry--no experience with joint supplements.

[gmacleod]

Originally Posted by BigDies

...what it is for, and how much you give. Thanks in advance!

Good question Supplements in general should be used to correct a dietary deficiency or address a specific medical condition. My dog suffers neither, so gets no supplements of any kind.

Things like pumpkin are usually used to help correct stool problems (loose or constipation - the effect is dependent on dose).

And dietary supplements such as glucosamine/chondroitin are usually given to dogs with arthritis and/or hip dysplasia - though I'd argue that they actually address a dietary deficiency for kibble fed dogs. Kibble contains woefully low amounts of these substances, which are naturally occuring and should be present in the diet as a matter of course.

[PrairieSky]

Is that pretty much the general feeling then, that if your dog is otherwise fine, then no need for supplements? My boy has none of the problems or conditions that I've seen described by others (allergies, skin/coat problems), I had just thought it might help to be proactive.
Geez, times have changed. When I was a kid, our family dog got the cheapest kibble in the biggest bag and hardly went to the vet. Now we take care of our dogs as we do our children and ourselves.

[BxrMommieNAZ]

My girl does have issues, but she's given Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM combo pill daily for arthritis, she's given milk thistle for high liver enzymes due to a medication she was on, she's on fish oil and vitamin E as both are natural anti-inflammatories also for arthritis and it's a good supplement for everyone IMO.

My boy has allergies but even before he had allergies he was on Fish Oil and Vitamin E, as I stated above I believe it to be a good supplement for animals and humans alike (I also take it myself).

Both are also on Apple Cider Vinegar and a dog multi-vitamin to help keep their immune systems high so as to hopefully lower the chance that my boy is infected with Valley Fever and to help my girl fight it off since she was infected 3 1/2 years ago.

[gmacleod]

Originally Posted by PrairieSky

... that if your dog is otherwise fine, then no need for supplements?

Weeell, I actually said no dietary deficiencies, not just no health problems IMO the majority of kibble-fed dogs have deficient diets (e.g. unnaturally low meat/bone content leads to the need to supplement with various oils and the glucosamine/chondroitin that *should* have been present naturally in his food...).