2 Reasons To Give Your Dog Nutritional Supplements
One of the most popular types of dog product on the market are nutritional supplements, and with good reasons when you consider the wide range of issues that these supplements can help you deal with. Listed below are two reasons to consider giving your dog nutritional supplements.
Homemade Food
A trend that is becoming increasingly common among dog owners is creating their own homemade dog food due to either wanting to ensure that only high-quality ingredients are used in their dog's food or out of fear from the many recalls that have struck various major dog food manufacturers over the years. However, an issue that can come up with this approach is that dog food manufacturers will typically pack in a lot of important vitamins into their foods that your homemade dog food does not contain, which can cause issues with your dog's health over time.
These issues can include digestion issues, impaired immune systems, or a lack of energy. The good news is that there are a number of supplements that are designed to help people who make their own dog food by allowing you to pour a vitamin cocktail over the homemade food to make up for the missing vitamins.
Age
One of the most important reasons to consider giving your dog nutritional supplements is to help him or her deal with the issues that can come up as he or she ages. In many cases, elderly dogs will begin to have mobility issues due to arthritis, which can make it so painful that your dog may not be willing to move around as much or be as playful.
However, many supplements are designed to combat this by adding in anti-inflammatory ingredients, such as glucosamine, that can help reduce the pain in your older dog's joints. This supplement can also be used to provide the necessary components that your dog's body uses to create and repair cartilage, which can help your dog regain his or her mobility and reduce discomfort.
Another reason to give your aging dog supplements is that there are some on the market that can actually help with brain functions and improve your dog's immune system, which are both areas where your elderly dog may be experiencing degradation. In that situation, supplements that utilize fish oil containing Omega-3 or Omega-6 fatty acids will be very beneficial.
Speak with your vet or visit a local pet pharmacy, such as Spring Hill Veterinary Clinic, today in order to discuss which supplements would be a good fit for your dog and the benefits that they would provide. Supplements can help you provide essential vitamins to a dog eating homemade dog food or that is reaching an advanced age.
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