Author: Freelance Writer
Discount vitamins are a boon for all mammals, whether they have
two legs or four. Some pets have particular ailments that would
benefit greatly from adding supplements to their regular diet.
Even the birds and reptiles in the family can benefit from
better nutrition, and all pets will be happier and healthier
with the proper diet. Although pet vitamins are available,
they are usually more expensive and harder to find than similar
human products, and there's no reason why humans and pets can't
share a regimen of good nutrition.
The first step is to look at what your pet is already eating
without supplements. This seems obvious, but how many people
read the label on a bag of dog food? Most pet food is designed
to pump protein and fiber into the animal's diet, which is
reasonable since they're not in the wild catching mice and
lizards. Unless you are spending top dollar for the most
expensive brands, usually sold only in pet stores, your pet
food probably doesn't have more than a few supplements, such as
vitamins A and D. It may not have any. Since veterinarians
usually recommend keeping pets on the same food, whatever
they're missing nutritionally, they're missing all the time.
Please note that kittens, puppies, and baby guinea pigs are not
good candidates for vitamin supplements. Their pet food already
contains more supplements than adult food, and this guideline
is intended for adult animals, especially older animals that
eat less, are less active, and have more health problems. Pay
close attention to dosages, as discussed below. Also many human
supplements are totally inappropriate for animals, such as Human
Growth Hormone. When in doubt, ask your vet. Most veterinarians
do agree that some important and helpful supplements are
missing in action from traditional pet food:
Glucosamine and Chondroitin
German Shepherds are one of many breeds that suffer from a
hereditary disease called hip dysplasia, which means "badly
formed" hip in Latin. It's a degenerative disease, which just
keeps getting worse with age until the poor creature can barely
get up or go for a walk. Vets often prescribe Glucosamine
Hydrochloride and Chondroitin Sulfate for this condition,
because those compounds promote cartilage development and
healthy joints. They're usually combined into one product that
can easily be adjusted for pets by splitting pills, according
to the pet's weight compared to human weight and dosage.
Vitamin C and the minerals copper, manganese, and zinc are also
important for cartilage and ligament health in older animals.
Thiamine, Riboflavin, and Niacin
These supplements, also known as Vitamins B1, B2, and B3, are
often found in more expensive pet food. They help the body
convert carbohydrates and fat into energy, while they promote
proper function of the heart, nervous, and digestive systems.
Vitamin B2 is needed to form red blood cells and antibodies,
and is essential for healthy skin, nails, and coat. Riboflavin
also helps prevent many types of eye diseases, including
cataracts, which afflict many animals in old age. Niacin is
needed for a healthy liver and metabolism, and it aids in
repairing cells and DNA.
Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, and Garlic
If you were covered in fur, you would probably be more
interested in maintaining a healthy coat, too. All of these
supplements do just that, plus they perform various other
useful functions in a mammal's body, from maintaining a healthy
immune system to good blood clotting and bone formation. Omega 3
and Vitamin E are found in fish oil, which is often easy to give
pets because it's a liquid. All of these are easy to find in
stores and websites that specialize in discount vitamins.
Calcium is for the Birds
There's a good reason to put a cuttlefish bone in the cage of
your favorite bird, because he needs that calcium for his own
healthy beak, bones, and talons. Commercial birdseed is almost
a perfect food for a feathered pet, but it is missing calcium
and Vitamin C. Cats may get enough calcium and Vitamins A and D
if they are regular milk drinkers, but poor dogs have digestive
systems that don't agree with milk. Dogs are very dependent on
having healthy teeth, so they need more calcium in their diets.
Calcium pills are easy to split and measure and are often
combined with other supplements.
Children's Multivitamins for Your Pet?
One brand of generic children's chewable vitamins is virtually
identical in composition and supplements to an expensive brand
of dog multivitamins, even down to the dosages. One is
fruit-flavored and the other is beef-flavored, but is there any
reason to pay three times more for the beef-flavored one? Kids
will seldom eat dog vitamins, but it's not the other way
around. A pet owner can also learn a lot about proper dosages
by studying the labels on children's multivitamins and
vitamin-packed breakfast cereals. These dosages are usually on
the conservative side, and the supplements contained are plain
vanilla, with nothing too exotic. Even reptiles have been known
to enjoy small chunks of kid's chewable vitamins, getting
nutrients missing from their regular fare, especially if they
don't eat much fruit.
Many supplements are sold in liquid form, or tinctures,
designed to be added to food and drink with an eyedropper. This
is often a more precise way to add the proper amount to food and
may fool those finicky felines better than half a vitamin pill.
Obviously the smaller the animal, the more careful his owner
must be in giving him dietary supplements. Only a few are known
to be harmful when administered in too large a dosage. One rule
of thumb: if the animal would consume this nutrient as part of
his varied diet in the wild, then it's okay to give him in
captivity. That's the latest theory why dogs eat grass, because
their ancestors were used to eating grass as hunters and
scavengers in the wild.
Of course, good nutrition is not all a pet needs. Fresh air,
clean water, fun exercise, and love are just as important.
Regular trips to the vet and good grooming rituals are a must,
and fleas and ticks should be vigorously controlled during
their prime season in the summer. A breakout of ticks in one
household might spread to neighboring households. Senior
animals are often the most challenging to deal with as they
lose some of their physical and mental abilities. Like human
seniors, they're the ones who can benefit most from Garlic,
Ginseng, Vitamin E, Vitamin C and the other supplements known
to extend life, increase brain function, and bolster the immune
system.
In truth, humans could benefit from eating a few common
ingredients found in pet food, such as bone meal and chicken
byproducts, but we already have a more varied diet. We know our
pets must be missing some vitamins, but after food, licenses,
medicines, and trips to the vet and the groomer, it's hard to
take on another expense. Fortunately, there's no reason to buy
high-priced pet food or special pet products to give our loved
ones full nutrition. Lots of discount vitamins readily
available for humans are suitable for four-legged mammals, too.
In the long run, good nutrition is second only to love in making
a pet's life long and fulfilling.
About The Author: By a freelance writer for
http://vitanetonline.com/ who sells quality vitamins and herbs
with a wide selection of Discount Vitamins:
http://vitanetonline.com/ that are in stock and ready to ship.
Please link to this site when using article.
