Dog vitamin supplement toxicity is a condition that develops when the pet is given large amounts of vitamins on a daily basis. Although vitamins promote health and increase your pet’s quality of life, they should be administered in appropriate amounts. The amount of vitamins your pet requires everyday would depend upon the type of food you feed him and his overall health.
Some vitamins help sick pets recover quickly. However, if the dog isn’t suffering from any underlying health concerns and if he is being given a nutritious diet, he may not require additional vitamin supplements.
Toxicity
All pets require Vitamin A, D, B and C in certain amounts. If over supplementation of these vitamins occurs, the pet will eventually show signs of toxicity. The symptoms of toxicity vary according to the type of vitamin that was over supplemented and the duration of over supplementation. Dogs suffering from Vitamin A toxicity exhibit signs of loss of weight and constipation. Some pets may start limping and also suffer from sensitivity around the neck.
Out of the B complex group of vitamins, over supplementation of vitamin B6 can cause disorders of the nervous system. You should also watch out for some of the other common symptoms of toxicity that are associated with over supplementation of Vitamin C and D.
Symptoms to Watch For Include:
- Arrhythmia
- Excessive thirst
- Frequent urination
- Joint pain
- Diarrhea
- Stomach bloat
Diagnosis of Vitamin Toxicity
If your pet shows signs of toxicity you must conduct a vet check at the earliest. The vet will perform blood tests, urine analysis and X-rays to find out the cause of the symptoms exhibited. Additional tests may also be performed to rule out other health concerns that have the same symptoms.
Treatment of Vitamin Toxicity
The vet may prescribe certain medications to bring relief from the symptoms the pet is suffering from. The vitamin that’s been over supplemented will have to be discontinued so that the pet comes back to normal. In some cases the dog may require the administration of IV fluids to prevent further dehydration.
If the dog is suffering from toxicity associated with accidental over consumption of vitamins, the vet will try to induce vomiting so that the contents of the stomach are completely expelled from the body. The dog may also suffer from other health concerns if he has consumed a large amount of vitamins all at once. In such cases, the vet will have to use other treatment options to cure these conditions if they’re present.
Tips
As a pet owner you need to take certain precautions to make sure that your pet doesn’t suffer from vitamin toxicity. You should therefore administer supplements only according to the vet’s instructions and keep these supplements away from pets and children. If you’re feeding your pet a highly nutritious diet, find out whether you need to administer additional supplements to your dog by discussing the same with the vet.
If you wish to administer any commercially available supplements to your dog, read and follow the instructions that are listed on the package so that you administer the vitamins in the appropriate manner.