Dog Vitamins and Nutrition

When thinking about dogs and nutrition, many people suggest you think about what the dog would be eating if they had been left in the wild: raw, whole foods of meat and vegetables.

A Raw Food Diet for Dogs

Many pet owners are switching their dogs to a raw food diet. Many pet owners who already feed their pet pooch a raw diet say it is full of nutrition and is the most natural diet for any dog.

When purchasing raw dog food, especially meat, some people worry that it may contain parasites, such as worms, or that it will expose their dog to the risk of being infected with mad cow disease (BSE).

It is said that freezing meat for a week will kill parasites.

As for fear of mad cow disease in your dog, there's no evidence that dogs can get the disease. Some pet owners may continue to worry that it's possible.

When dog food has been recalled due to worries that it may contain parts from a cow infected with BSE, it is more to ensure that that food does not make its way back into the food sources of cattle. It's a measure intended to protect the cattle stock, and not our dogs and other pets.

To reassure themselves about all aspects of their dog's nutrition, pet owners can ensure their dog food comes only from organically produced meat and vegetables.

Organic Dog Food

Organically produced meat products would mean that the animals are grain fed only, and never exposed to the meat by-products and SRMs (specific risk materials) that are known to cause BSE (mad cow disease).

An organic diet for your dog's nutrition would provide all of the necessary dog vitamins, minerals and proteins without all of the chemicals and preservatives that are found in many manufactured dog food products.

Dog owners shopping for the best in price and nutrition in dog food may find that a diet of purely organic raw foods is too costly; every dog owner has to weigh their desire to give their dog the best nutrition with what fits their budgets.

A Diet of Table Scraps and Homemade Dog Food

Many dog lovers will tell you they do not always buy dog food, they feed scraps from the table instead. Other dog lovers will tell you they would never dream of doing so - either because of proper dining etiquette or a belief that people food is not healthy for dogs.

The controversy about feeding dogs scraps from the table is probably as old as the domestication of our loyal friends.

Leaving aside questions of 'proper table etiquette' and whether it leads to poor begging behaviour by your dog, do table scraps provide all the dog vitamins essential to your dog's nutrition and health?

There is a strong argument against feeding leftovers and table scraps to dogs: dogs have an entirely different digestive system than people do, and their nutritional needs are different than a human's too. So, if feeding an entire diet of table scraps, it may be a good idea to supplement with a daily dog vitamin.

Many people are making homemade meals for their dogs. It's generally agreed that certain dog vitamins and minerals should be added to homemade dog food, either by sprinkling the vitamin supplements into the food, or by pill form.

Many veterinarians will tell you that a digestive enzyme is essential when there is a lot of cooked food in the dog's diet, whether it's a homemade concoction specifically for your pet, or if you are feeding your dog table scraps and your leftover food.

Dog Food Products

Dog food manufacturers bake, cook, and add missing dog vitamins and minerals back in to the mix when processing dog food. They try for less fat and more protein, which is imperative to the dog's health.

The hard surface of dry dog food is a good natural dental floss for the teeth of dogs. Dry dog food is relatively cheap.

Wet dog food is generally high in water content, protein, and fat, and is also generally more expensive than dry dog food, pound for pound. Filled with nutrition, tinned dog food needs to be refrigerated once it has been exposed to air.

It's always a good idea to read the nutrition labels on food, (whether it's for yourself or your dog). Knowing your dog and nutrition information found on the labels of its food will help you make all the right decisions for your dog's health.

If you're not sure your dog is getting all of their vitamin needs met through their diet, consult a veterinarian for advice about whether to add dog vitamins to their daily diet.