Are Nutritional Supplements Good For Dogs?
Nutritional and dietary supplements in the United States do not need to meet with Food and Drug Administration approval before being marketed. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 defined a dietary supplement as a product taken by mouth that contains a “dietary ingredient” intended to supplement the diet. These ingredients may include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and some other substances. Under DSHEA, firms and companies are essentially self-regulating. They have to determine that the dietary supplements they manufacture or distribute are safe and that their claims are backed up by some evidence. These dietary supplements do not need FDA approval before they are marketed.
What this means is that there is very little oversight of nutritional supplements in the United States, for people or animals.
Many nutritional supplements are marketed for dogs and owners have been very pleased with their success. Omega fatty acids are used for skin and coat problems, among other things; kelp and algae have been used to provide dogs with iron and minerals; glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate have been used to treat arthritis and joint problems. Many different herbs have been recommended for various ailments, and, indeed, herbal medicine has been an effective way of treating many health issues for centuries. However, when you buy nutritional supplements it’s important to be aware that the quality of the product can vary from one manufacturer to the next, and even from one batch to the next.
Nutritional supplements can be very beneficial to dogs but you should only buy from manufacturers and companies that have a solid reputation for producing a good product. When you purchase nutritional supplements you should find out as much as possible about the manufacturer and the manufacturing process. How is the supplement made? What quality controls are in place? Where do the herbs or other ingredients come from?
Many nutritional supplements make extravagant claims. When you consider purchasing a supplement you should read the labels. What is actually in the product? Do you know what each ingredient is supposed to do? Is there anything in the product that your dog could be allergic to or which could be bad for your dog? Remember that nutritional supplements have both active and inactive ingredients. Your dog might be able to benefit from the active ingredients, such as glucosamine sulfate and MSM, but how would he react to the Hydrolized White Fish and the Organic Garlic in the inactive ingredients? Are those ingredients also acceptable to you? There isn’t anything necessarily wrong with those ingredients, but you should be aware of their presence. Read the label. That particular label, for instance, says “Do not feed if your pet is pregnant or about to be bred.” You don’t want to accidentally feed your dog something that could cause her to abort a litter.
Even something as seemingly harmless as garlic, when used as a supplement, can be controversial. Some dog people swear that when you feed a clove to your dog each day it will repel fleas. Other people claim that since garlic is in the same family as onions it can, like onions, contribute to hemolytic anemias which can be deadly to dogs. Many people recommend rosemary as a good preservative and anti-oxidant. Others claim that it can trigger epileptic seizures in dogs that are prone to them. Vitamin E and flax seed have long been popular among dog lovers but now some people have concerns about whether they may have some negative affects.
It can be difficult to figure out whether your dog needs a nutritional supplement or not. In general, if your dog is healthy and doing well on a good diet, then he probably doesn’t need a nutritional supplement. However, if he has a specific problem, such as a coat problem or joint difficulties, you can talk to your veterinarian first. He may or may not be encouraging about nutritional supplements. He may suggest that you change dog foods to a better food for your dog, which is always a good place to begin. Or, he may be able to point you in the right direction to choosing a good supplement. Look for a supplement that is designed for your dog’s problems and which is made by a reputable manufacturer. When you begin to give your dog a supplement be sure to observe him carefully in case there is any reaction. With luck you will see some improvement, and certainly no worsening of his condition.
Many people go from one nutritional supplement to another, spending a great deal of money. If possible, it’s usually best to see if your vet can diagnose and treat your dog’s problem.
Teeth And Gum Disease In Dogs
June 5, 2009 by admin
Filed under Diseases & Conditions, Health
Your dog may not smile as much as you do but he still has beautiful pearly whites that need regular attention. Doggy dentists (yes, there are doggy dental specialists) say that dogs should have their teeth brushed daily. At the very least you should brush your dog’s teeth on a weekly basis.
Brushing your dog’s teeth isn’t difficult. It’s basically the same procedure that you follow for taking care of your own teeth. Manufacturers make toothbrushes designed to fit a dog’s mouth. They are long with angled handles to help you reach a dog’s back teeth. Or, you may choose to use a small rubber finger that fits down over your own finger. This little rubber finger has a small rubber brush on one side. In either case you simply put a little dog toothpaste on the brush on brush your dog’s teeth.
Speaking of dog toothpaste, make sure that you don’t use your own toothpaste for your dog. Human toothpaste has artificial sweeteners in it that can be harmful to dogs. Instead, use specially-formulated dog toothpaste. This toothpaste comes in flavors that dogs like such as chicken, beef and peanut butter. Believe it or not, most dogs don’t object to having their teeth brushed. Just put a little on the brush and let your dog taste the paste. He will probably like it a lot. Then you can start applying it to his teeth and brushing. He may lick at the brush but that’s okay. Most of the paste and the brush will go on the teeth. It only takes a little regular brushing each week to keep the teeth looking nice.
When you’re brushing your dog’s teeth try to brush to the gum line. Many dogs already have gum disease by the time they’re 3 years old.
When you’re brushing your dog’s teeth you should also check his mouth for any unusual lumps or bumps, broken or cracked teeth, and red or bleeding gums. Look for tartar and notice if your dog has bad breath. Any of these things would be important to talk to your veterinarian about.
Dogs rarely get cavities but they do get plaque and tartar which can lead to periodontal disease. Periodontal disease can result in tooth loss, abscesses and infections.
Regular visits to your vet will include an oral exam for your dog. You can remove the regular build up of plaque at home when you brush your dog’s teeth. But tartar build-up will require cleaning by your vet from time to time.
Hard kibbles have been shown to be somewhat better for the teeth than soft canned foods.
You can also help your dog remove plaque by providing him with toys such as Plaque Attacker dental toys, rope toys and rawhide chips. Avoid toys that can wear down the teeth. If your dog is a very active chewer or likes to bite down on his toys and crack them, you should probably take that toy away from him. Instead, give him a toy that he can’t get his whole mouth around. Rawhide and other chews that get softer as your dog chews on them may be a good option.
With good care there is no reason why your dog shouldn’t have his teeth in good condition into old age. He may have some wear on some of his teeth but he can have pretty white teeth without any disease for his entire life.
Obesity In Dogs
May 28, 2009 by admin
Filed under Diseases & Conditions, Health
An estimated 40 percent of the dogs in the United States are either overweight or obese. Forty percent. There seem to be a lot of dog owners who are unable to tell that their dogs are overweight or who are in denial about the situation. And, yet, canine obesity can be deadly.
Obesity in dogs can lead to numerous health problems which can shorten your dog’s life:
- Heart disease
- Respiratory problems
- Heat and exercise intolerance
- Skin, hair and coat problems
- Immune system problems
- Arthritis
- Increased surgical and anesthetic risks
- Possible disk ruptures
With so many serious health consequences, why do we allow our dogs to be overweight? What are the causes?
The primary cause of obesity in dogs is overfeeding. Many of us are, quite simply, loving our dogs to death. People are expressing their love for their dogs by feeding them more and more food without realizing that feeding them too much food is harmful. For many people, when they see an overweight dog they think it’s a well-loved dog. When they see a fit, lean dog they think, somehow, that the dog is loved less. This is categorically untrue. It takes just as much love to take the food bowl away from a dog as it does to pour in more food.
Many people are also switching foods to very high quality foods without realizing that there is a drastic change in the amount of calories in the food. They may have been feeding two cups of their previous food and they assume it will take two cups of the new food. The truth is that the new food may be twice as calorie-dense. Suddenly the dog is eating twice the calories that he was previously eating. Weight gain is inevitable.
In many cases dogs gain weight because owners follow the feeding directions on the label. Feeding directions are only a guideline but many people follow them religiously. Their dog may start to balloon out but they stick to the directions. Instead, they should cut back on the dog’s food when they notice that he is gaining weight.
Dogs also gain weight because owners frequently supplement their dog’s food with table food and treats. There’s nothing wrong with adding human food to your dog’s diet. You can add up to 30 percent homemade food to your dog’s diet without disturbing the nutritional balance of the commercial food. However, when you add things to the food you must make allowances for the calories you’re adding. Otherwise your dog will gain weight. The same is true of the treats you give your dog. Giving your dog treats and cookies is great but you should add up the calories. Treats and cookies are not calorie-free. Often they’re quite rich in calories. If you want to give your dog treats that won’t affect his weight too much you should give him things like popcorn and carrot pieces.
Finally, dogs also gain weight because they don’t get enough exercise. Some people assume that if they have a backyard their dog will self-exercise. No. Most dogs will trot out and trot back to the house. Dogs need real exercise. The best way to make sure your overweight dog is getting proper exercise is to join with him. Go for some walks with him, go hiking, take up jogging. Do whatever the two of you might enjoy doing together, but do something, even if it’s only light exercise three times a week. If you do the exercise regularly you can help your dog lose a little weight.
Dogs don’t have to be obese and it’s rarely their fault when they are. It’s up to you, as their owner, to keep them healthy and fit. Watch their portions, count their calories and make sure they’re getting some real exercise. It’s not much different than weight control for people.
