Sunday, April 06, 2008
Research
Pets can require vitamin supplements just like their owners, but some extra care might be needed before you start dishing out a lot of pills, says Dr. John Bauer, veterinary nutritionist at Texas A&M.
The size of the animal, its age, its lifestyle and other factors may play roles in determining vitamin use. "In general terms, if the food you give your pet has a label that says 'complete and balanced nutrition,' the pet is probably okay as far as getting the proper amount of vitamins," says Bauer.
"Under most circumstances, there may not be a need to give them extra vitamins. But there are exceptions to the rule."One might be stress. If a pet is also used as a working animal, such as a guide dog, or service or guard dog, and the animal uses up a lot of energy performing these tasks, extra vitamins could well be necessary, Bauer says.
Also, many pet owners prefer to feed their animals home-prepared meals that are similar to food found on any kitchen table. "Under conditions such as these, the owner might not be sure the pet is getting the right amount of vitamins, and he or she may feel the need to give the pet a vitamin supplement," adds Bauer. "And they may be correct - the pet may not be getting all the vitamins it needs."
Vitamins come in liquid drops that are added to food or chewable vitamins that are placed in the animal's mouth. Drops may be the preferred form, Bauer notes.
"Some animals just don't like chewable vitamins, for one reason or another,"he explains."Also, many chewable vitamins contain filler material, and these can cause allergic reactions or even gastrointestinal problems. For example, some dogs are allergic to the beef protein in supplements, too."
What are signs to look for if your pet may need a vitamin?
The animal may have coarse, brittle hair, Bauer says. Or its hair may appear to grow in the wrong direction, and it may appear very dry and dull looking. "The pet's hair should have a certain degree of oiliness to it," he says, "but even overoily hair could be a sign of vitamin deficiency."
Also, the pet's eyes may appear dull and not alert. If the animal is listless, appears to have little energy and is small for its body type, it might need vitamins. "But these could also be the sign of a serious illness, not just a vitamin deficiency," Bauer notes. "Sometimes it's not easy to determine just by appearance that a pet may need vitamins." One example: worms. The parasites compete for food as they enter the animal's body, and this can be a much bigger problem that extra vitamins will not help. A blood test by a veterinarian is the best way of determining if the animal needs vitamins. The animal's age could also be a factor: Puppies / kittens might require higher amounts of vitamins than mature animals. Older animals may need vitamins, especially A, B and possibly C and E as their metabolism changes. Large animals such as horses also may need vitamin supplements, but most complete commercial horse feed has vitamins in it. "A lot of studies show that the antioxidants, such as vitamin A, B, C and E, can slow down the aging process in people and we suspect, in animals, too," Bauer says. "It's really best to check with a veterinarian before you start giving your pet vitamin supplements," Bauer continues. "All other health problems need to be ruled out first, and the veterinarian can tell you the proper dosage of vitamins to give to your pet."
PET TALK is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M.
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