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Providing pets with vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional components is important to pet health and well-being, and the best way to do this is to feed a high-quality, complete, and balanced diet. Supplementing dog food often upsets the balance and might cause health problems.
People supplement their dog's diet for different reasons:
It is important to know that a quality dog food is carefully formulated to meet the caloric needs of the animal. The food provides essential amino acids, vitamin-rich fish oils, and minerals specific to the nutritional requirements of the dog.
Quality foods are complete and balanced for a specific life stage or lifestyle. Adding table scraps or other supplements can disrupt the delicate nutrient balance.
The interaction between minerals is very complex. Fortunately, this area of nutrition has been the focus of extensive research for many years. Research has shown that not only are the individual levels of minerals in a diet important but the proper balance is also. An excess of one mineral might affect the absorption of a second, and lead to a deficiency in that second mineral.
One common way of supplementing is to feed extra meat. However, because meat contains 20 to 40 times more phosphorus than calcium, adding meat to a balanced diet will upset the calcium to phosphorus (or Ca:P) ratio, which is important for proper bone development and maintenance.
This might prompt your pet's body to absorb calcium from the bones in order to reach the right balance. This is often the case in older animals that experience tooth loss due to the reabsorption of bone from the lower jaw. Ca:P ratio should range between 1.1 to 1.4 parts of calcium for each part of phosphorus.
Excess amounts of calcium have been associated with several bone diseases affecting growing puppies. Owners of large-breed puppies, in particular, believe that their puppies require extra calcium for proper development of large bones. Adding yogurt, cottage cheese, or calcium tablets to the puppy's diet will only upset the body's delicate mineral balance.
Remember: Large-breed puppies consume more food and get the calcium their bodies need by eating the recommended portions. The best way to support a normal growth rate is to feed growing dogs a balanced diet using a portion-controlled regimen.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) regulates the pet food industry and has established certain nutritional requirements for dogs. These requirements are published annually in the AAFCO Manual. Only pet foods that have met the strict criteria established by AAFCO can carry the 'complete and balanced' statement on the label.
Nutrients like protein, fat, vitamins and minerals are vital to the skin and coat health of dogs. Your dog’s coat is made up almost entirely of protein. If his diet doesn’t contain enough protein quantity and quality, hair might fall out or become dry, weak and brittle. Likewise, his skin is made up of tightly packed flat cells with tough membranes made of proteins and fats. Without proper amounts of these nutrients, the cell membranes weaken, allowing water to escape and bacteria and viruses to enter more easily.
Make sure your dog is getting the following nutrients to keep his coat and skin healthy.
Proteins are found in both animal-based and plant-based ingredients. However, animal-based proteins contain all the essential amino acids dogs need, whereas plant-based proteins might not contain enough of some essential amino acids.
Fats also are found in both animal- and plant-based ingredients and are incorporated into skin cells as fatty acids. In particular, linoleic acid is essential for a dog’s skin and coat health. Without enough linoleic acid, dogs might experience a dull and dry coat, hair loss, greasy skin and increased susceptibility to skin inflammation.
Linoleic acid is found in chicken fat and vegetable oils (such as corn and soybean). IAMS™ research has also found that the fatty acids in vitamin-rich fish oils help promote excellent skin and coat health.
Your dog needs vitamins and minerals for a healthy skin and coat. The best way to provide these nutrients is by feeding a complete and balanced diet full of essential vitamins and minerals, rather than giving him supplements.
Vitamin or Mineral Importance to Skin and Coat Health
Vitamin A Necessary for growth and repair of skin
Vitamin E Protects skin cells from oxidant damage
Vitamin C Helps heal wounds
Biotin Aids in the utilization of protein
Riboflavin (B2) Necessary for fat and protein metabolism
Zinc Necessary for fat and protein metabolism
Copper Involved in tissue, pigment, and protein synthesis
Diet can be a factor when changes in skin and coat condition occur, but the most common causes are season and life stage. As cold weather approaches, most dogs grow a thick coat to help keep heat in and cold air out. As the weather warms up, they shed their thick, heavy coat.
Most puppies are born with soft, fuzzy hair, but as they age, a coarser coat grows. Pregnant or nursing dogs also might experience a change in coat condition or hair loss. And, as with humans, a dog’s hair might thin out and become coarser and white as he reaches his mature years.
