What Are The Essential Nutrients And Vitamins For Dogs By Neil Wasserman
There are a lot of vitamins and nutrients dogs need and do not get in dog food. Vitamins and nutrients are very important in a dogs every day diet. It helps their digestive system, bones, coat, skin and their all around health and demeanor. Vitamins are divided into 2 types water soluble and
fat soluble. Water soluble vitamins are excreted from the body if they are not used, where fat soluble vitamins are stored in fatty tissue. Here is a list
of all the water soluble and fat soluble vitamins your dog need.
Water soluble vitamins
B-complex vitamins help convert food to energy. Thiamine: is found in fruit, vegetables, and raw fish. Riboflavin: is found in organ meats, dairy products.
Niacin: is found in organ meats, kelp, poultry.
Pantothenic acid: is found in organ meats, fish, sweet potatoes, cheese.
Pyridoxine: is found in live, banana, potatoes.
B12 is found in animal protein- liver, organ meats, meat, fish.
Folic acids: is found in greens, peas, sweet potatoes, bean sprouts.
Biotin: found in beef liver, eggs, soy bean.
Vitamin C: found in citrus fruits and vegetables.
Fat Soluble vitamins help in vision, clotting of blood, bone growth, and cell growth and stability.
To much or to little of certain vitamins cause dogs problems for example: To much vitamin A can lead to bone disease to little vitamin A causes eye problems.
To much vitamin d can cause kidney and lung problems to little and it can cause rickets.
Vitamin A (Retinol) is found in liver, eggs, greens, yellow/orange vegetables and fruits.
Vitamin D is found in Sunlight, oily fish, liver.
Vitamin E is found in wheat germ, liver, meat, eggs, peas, spinach.
Vitamin K is found in greens.
Vitamin
Vitamins and minerals are necessary for proper absorption of fats and carbohydrates. Many dogs may need vitamin or mineral supplements
all their lives. Some dog owners give extra Vitamin C to dogs recovering from injury, or if their dog is pregnant.
Minerals: are essential for bone formation, muscle metabolism, fluid balance, and nervous system function. Calcium and phosphorus: are necessary in particular ratio for bone formation and strength. An imbalance in the ratio will cause bone problems. Potassium: is found within tissue cells and is important in cellular activity; a deficiency causes muscle weakness and heart and kidney lesions. Sodium: is found in fluids outside the tissue cells and performs a function similar to potassium. Excess sodium has been linked to hypertension. Magnesium: is found in soft tissue and bone; it interacts with calcium to provide proper heart, muscle, and nervous tissue function.
Deficiency leads to muscle weakness and sometimes convulsions. Iron: is critical for healthy red blood cells and an essential component of some enzymes. Zinc: is good for skin and coat health, enzyme function, and protein synthesis. Deficiencies lead to poor growth, anorexia, and skin lesions. Copper: is necessary in production of melanin, the pigment that colors coat and skin, and is linked with iron metabolism. Protein Proteins are chemicals made up of other chemicals known as amino acids. Proteins from meat and meat byproducts are easier to digest than
proteins from vegetables. Proteins form the enzymes that change food into energy as well as the hormones that guide various body functions. High protein food are recommended for puppies and working dogs.
Fats Fats are essential for good health, particularly for the skin. The addition of Omega fatty acids to dog diets, can help keep your dogs skin healthy.
Fats are essential for healthy coat and skin, reproductive efficiency, and kidney function.