In the same way you and I don’t always get the amount of fruits and vegetables that we really need, our dogs might not always be getting what they need either. It’s not that you’re doing anything wrong! We just aren’t living in a time where our pets have to hunt for food to survive anymore, so we often assume that whatever comes in the package at the grocery store is enough to sustain all of their needs.
However, most pet owners aren’t necessarily dog experts or nutritionists. Whether you have a young, healthy, energetic dog with plenty of years left in them, or a senior dog who is slowing down, there is something you can do to fill in the areas where your average dog food is lacking. Adding supplements such as a multivitamin can benefit most dogs in a big way!
Puppies are a good example of pets who would do well to take their medicine. Their bodies are changing quite rapidly, and they’re expending lots of energy in that process alone. Teeth are falling out while new ones grow in, their bones are getting stronger, and you’ve probably noticed that they don’t quite have full control of their ability to run and walk. All this change requires more energy, and more nutrition than the average dog, making them a good candidate for a multivitamin.
Wherever nutrition may be lacking in their food, a multivitamin will ensure that your pup’s growth is not stunted, and that their brains and cognitive abilities are developing at the appropriate pace.
The thing is, dogs and other living beings seem to develop in reverse as they get to a certain age. Their bones become brittle, their joints are worn down from years of running, catching, and living a happy life with their human. Their adult teeth become weak, and they eventually have to eat softer foods. In fact, your dog’s metabolism has slowed significantly at this point and it’s much harder to chew anyway. Senior dogs definitely need a more specialized nutrition, and would benefit greatly from a multivitamin.
Sometimes older dogs still have the energy and healthy disposition of a younger pup, but it’s still a good idea to prepare their hips and joints for the aging process. You’ve probably heard it from every doctor, vet, and dentist you’ve ever met, but it’s true that prevention is much easier to deal with than trying to fix something that’s already in bad shape or broken.
At some point in our life, we meet people who struggle with things like diabetes and permanent physical ailments that they deal with on a daily basis. Dogs too can be born to acquire things like diabetes later in life as well. Puppies that are born with hip dysplasia deal with arthritis and difficulty getting around no matter what age they are; if this sounds like a familiar situation, consider a multivitamin to improve upon their movement.
