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Hills Science Dog Nutrition Article
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Using Vitamin And Mineral Supplements
from: Kyle BesserVitamins and minerals are important components in the diet of every dog. If the the dog's diet is well balanced and includes the proper amount of vitamins and minerals, the dog will have a healthy life and its immunity is not compromised in an unwanted way. This simply means that there the dog will be more disease resistance against various diseases.
Supplementing your dog's diet with vitamins and minerals can be risky if not done correctly. It is always a good idea to seek advice from a professional before supplementing or changing your dog's diet in any way just to be on the safe side. Your vet can help you with healthy dog nutrition.
Dog owners should know that vitamins A, D, E and K are the fat soluble vitamins. Others vitamins are water soluble. Vitamins like thiamine, pyridoxine and cyanocobalamin are important for the functions of nervous system. Deficiency of vitamin A leads to night blindness and skin lesions. Deficiency of vitamin D leads to the softening and weakening of the bones. These are only some of the problems encountered by dog owners when their dogs don't get adequate vitamins and minerals.
Problems can also occur if dogs are overdosed with vitamins and minerals. For example, calcium supplements can be dangerous when used excessively in your dog's diet. Calcium is important to form strong, healthy bones, but too much calcium can create trouble. Large breed pups given too much calcium may grow large bones, but these bones lack the strength they need to support the dog's body.
Dogs may not need supplements of minerals or vitamins to live well for the moment, but minerals and vitamins are important for future well being. If they become sick or aged, supplements may be required for the upkeep of health. Dog owners should follow the instructions of veterinarian in this regard.
Careless supplementations of minerals may lead to diseases. Veterinarians should always be consulted on the supplementation of minerals or vitamins. Minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, iron, copper, etc., are given emphasis in addition to sodium and potassium. Zinc is related to skin health, potassium is related to muscle health, and calcium with phosphorus is related to the bone health.
If you feed the dog with chicken, mutton or beef along with grain and vegetables, the need for artificial supplementation of minerals or vitamins may be highly reduced. Supplements need to be considered when you are not able to maintain balanced nutrition, and this happens with most dogs due to many causes.
Your vet can advise you on the appropriate amounts of each supplement to add to your dog's diet. Both you and your vet want what is best for your dog, and providing healthy dog nutrition is one of the easiest ways to ensure good health for your dog.
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