Common Nutritional Deficiencies in Dogs that You Need to Supplement

One of the fundamentals to ensuring your dog lives a long, healthy life is to provide him a nutritional, well-balanced diet. A lot of owners trust pet food companies when they claim that their formulas are either recommended or designed by vets and that they have animal nutritionists on their teams. If you feed your dog a nutritionally complete diet that does not mean that he is getting everything he needs.

Although rare, dogs too can become prone to nutrient deficiencies. Here are some of the reasons why this might happen:

1. 1. Your dog does not get enough nutrients to maintain his health
   2. Your dog has parasites that feed off his nutrients
   3. Your dog has a health problem that prevents him from assimilating food into the proper nutrient components to retain health.
   4. Your dog eats homemade food. Heat from cooking destroys nutrients, and can easily result in a vitamin deficiency
   5. Your dog eats too much. Obese dogs can become nutrient deficient as well.

When your dog becomes deficient in a certain vitamin or mineral, a good way around that problem is through giving him supplements. Listed below are 3 nutritional deficiencies in dogs that you need to supplement.

1. Reduced Levels of Vitamin D

Being deficient in vitamin D can lead to a plethora of problems related to his bone health. They can also develop bowed legs swollen joints, and other symptoms associated bone diseases such as rickets. Too much of the vitamin can significantly increase the amount of calcium stored in the canine’s muscles and heart, along with diarrhea, vomiting, excessive urination and thirst, bone pain, lethargy and hemorrhaging. And because vitamin D is very difficult to obtain from the diet, you will want to go for a multivitamin that contains plant-based nutrients and minerals that offers a good supply of vitamin D for your dog.

2. Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats

Omega 3 and omega 6 are essential fatty acids for dogs that help with proper development and growth of organs, joints, tissue, and intestines, and also act as lubrication for the digestive tract, joints, and improve heart health.  Symptoms that your dog might be deficient in omegas include yeast infections, eye and skin issues, allergies, cancer, organ problems, and even behavioral issues. A good way to make for the lack of omega fatty acids is through purchasing good quality supplements from your vet.

3. Vitamin A (Beta Carotene) Deficiency

Dogs that are deficient in vitamin A tend to have a weaker immune system, which means they are more prone to sickness, poor skin quality, and nighttime blindness. If you see that your dog is starting to have drier skin, chances are that he might be deficient in vitamin A. you can easily fix this problem by feeding your pooch vitamin A supplements or even multivitamins.

Before you choose any form of supplements for your dog, make sure to consult with your vet and ask for recommendations and directions about where to buy them.

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