Many vets recommend that you give a vitamin for dogs to your pet. Just as humans require certain essential vitamins and minerals in order to maintain proper bodily functions and to be healthy, so too do dogs. However, a standard human vitamin or a human vitamin mixture will not be effective for a dog.
Although dogs do generally require the same nutrients that humans do, the balance of those vitamins is quite different. Learn about the essential traits of a good vitamin for dog health before you go to buy a vitamin of this type so that you can maximize the health benefits for your pet and avoid any potential harm that could be caused as well.
1. Healthy Coating
Before you even consider the various vitamins to found inside of a supplement for your pet, it's a good idea to think of the coating that holds the vitamin together. Certain compounds that are used in human vitamins, like gel capsule coatings, are potentially toxic to dogs. A dog vitamin should have a minimal coating. This is also a reason to give your pet only vitamins that have been specially formulated for dogs and to avoid giving him any vitamins that were designed for humans or other animals instead.
2. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a crucial addition to any broad multivitamin for dog health. It is especially useful for pets with skin conditions or coat problems. It is known to improve coat color and lustre. It can also help to improve skin irritation and dry skin as well. Vitamin E is fat soluble, meaning that your pet's body cannot fully process it and that there can be an excess of the Vitamin to build up in his system if you aren't careful. However, the risks associated with excessive Vitamin E build up are not well documented.
3. Vitamin B-complex
The Vitamin B-complex is another crucial element that you should look for in any vitamin that you plan to give to your dog. Vitamin B-complex is helpful in eliminating parasites through natural means and can help to prevent instances of parasitic infestation as well. It can also help to improve your pet's immune system overall, making it a crucial element of any vitamin complex. However, Vitamin B is also fat soluble and can cause damage if it builds up in excess, so it's best to avoid giving your pet too much of this vitamin as well.
4. Not Excessive Vitamin C
Do not pay extra money for vitamin supplements that include Vitamin C for your pet. Your dog actually is able to create his own Vitamin C through natural processes, and extra Vitamin C is not likely to help. However, adding more Vitamin C to his system will not harm him, as this vitamin is water soluble.
Ask your vet for additional recommendations about which vitamin set to give to your pet based on his specific health conditions and issues.