Can Dog Multivitamin Supplements be Given at a Young Age?

Dog multivitamins may be given to dogs even at a young age. Specially formulated for puppies 1-year-old or less, multivitamins promote your puppy's growth and development and prevent nutritional deficiencies. Because multivitamins are chewable and come in meat flavors puppies like, including liver and bacon, they are easy to give.

Health Benefits of Puppy Multivitamins

The right formulation of vitamins and minerals helps puppies grow into healthy adult dogs. For example, Vitamins A, C and E, and zinc neutralize free radicals in your puppy's system that can cause disease; Vitamin B-Complex vitamins get your puppy's nervous and circulatory systems in top condition; and, calcium and phosphorus strengthen your puppy's developing bones and teeth.

Puppy Multivitamin Supplements Help Prevent These Deficiencies

Here's a list of vitamins and their deficiency symptoms:

• Vitamin A, poor growth, skin, hair
• Vitamin C, slower healing, susceptibility to disease
• Vitamin D, Rickets, impaired cutting of teeth
• Vitamin B1, loss of appetite, reflexes and nerve control
• Niacin, loss of appetite, red gums, bloody diarrhea
• Vitamin B2, poor growth, eye problems, heart failure
• Vitamin B5, hair loss, diarrhea, early aging
• Vitamin B6, poor growth, anemia, skin sores
• Folic acid, hypoplasia of bone marrow, anemia
• Vitamin B12, anemia
• Biotin, unhealthy hair, dry skin, diarrhea
• Vitamin E, reproductive problems, brown bowel syndrome
• Vitamin K, slowed blood clotting, hemorrhaging

Though puppy multivitamins cannot replace a healthy diets, they can enhance them. Remember: Never give a higher dosage of supplements than your vet recommends, as too much of some vitamins can be toxic to your puppy.