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Vitamins and Minerals: Necessary or Not?

Quality Commercial Food:
  • Balanced.
  • Contains all nutrients.
So: is supplementation needed? Answer: it depends. Let's take a look.

When Food is Enough

Healthy dog on quality food:
  • Royal Canin, Hill's, Acana, Orijen.
  • No supplementation necessary.
Adding "extras":
  • Can cause imbalances.
  • Wasting money.

When to Supplement

1. Specific Diseases

Kidney failure:
  • Omega-3.
  • Antioxidants.
Arthritis:
  • Glucosamine, chondroitin.
  • Omega-3.

2. Homemade Food

Without veterinary balancing:
  • Possible deficiencies.
Necessary:
  • Calcium.
  • Multivitamin.

3. Puppies/Elderly

Specific needs:
  • Calcium.
  • DHA.
  • Antioxidants.

4. Sporting Dogs

High exertion:
  • Omega-3.
  • Amino acids.

The Top Supplements

1. Omega-3 (fish oil)

Benefits:
  • Coat, joints, heart, brain.
Dose: 100 mg EPA+DHA per kg. See dedicated article.

2. Glucosamine + Chondroitin

For joints:
  • Elderly.
  • Large breeds.
  • Post-surgery.
Brands:
  • Cosequin.
  • Synoquin.

3. Probiotics

For gut:
  • Recurring diarrhea.
  • Antibiotics.
Brands:
  • FortiFlora.

4. Vitamin E

Antioxidant. With omega-3 (protects from oxidation).

5. Calcium

For homemade food:
  • Bone balancing.

The Important Vitamins

A

Function: vision, immunity. Sources: liver, eggs. Excess: toxic.

D

Function: calcium absorption. Sources: fish, solar synthesis (limited in dogs).

E

Antioxidant. Sources: vegetable oils, seeds.

B Group

Energy, nervous system. Sources: meat, whole grains.

K

Coagulation. Sources: green vegetables.

The Essential Minerals

Calcium

Bones, teeth.

Phosphorus

Bones, energy. Critical Ca/P balancing.

Magnesium

Muscles, nerves.

Iron

Oxygen transport.

Zinc

Skin, immunity.

The Typical Deficiencies

On quality food: rare. On poor quality or homemade food:
  • Possible.
Symptoms:
  • Dull coat.
  • Lethargy.
  • Skin problems.

What NOT to Supplement

❌ Without veterinary consultation for diseases. ❌ Excess vitamin A (toxic). ❌ Calcium in large puppies without calculation (growth problems).

Veterinary Consultation

Before supplementing:
  • Visit.
  • Blood tests.
  • Assessment of needs.

The Costs

Supplements:
  • 20-80 €/month depending.

The Truth

Vitamins and minerals for dogs: ✅ Quality food = sufficient. ✅ Supplement in specific cases. ❌ Never improvise. Strategy:
  • Balanced food as a base.
  • Supplements only if necessary.
  • Veterinary consultation.
Benefit:
  • Optimal health.
  • No imbalances.
Quality food + targeted supplements = top. ```