Best Vitamins for Dogs and Cats
Keep your aging pets healthy with a ‘senior’ vitamin
Our dogs are both seniors, and we give them a daily multivitamin. Given they’re on a GI specific kibble with canned soft food, I feel a multivitamin is a wonderful way to ensure they’re getting the nutrients they need.
Even though quality pet food has the amount of AAFCO recommended ingredients used to supply vitamins and minerals that meet the daily requirement for dogs and cats, the food is still processed so adding a supplement to support our animals is important!
With that in mind, pets of all ages benefit from a multivitamin.
Are vitamins really necessary for dogs and cats?
According to experts from Honest Kitchen, multivitamins might also be a good choice for any dog battling illness or recuperating from an injury. Vitamins can also be important for puppies and working dogs. Dogs battling illness will benefit from additional nutrients, according to Dr. Patrick Mahaney, VMD, owner of the California Pet Acupuncture and Wellness (CPAW) clinic.
“This is because most multivitamins contain some antioxidant blend that can help to minimize damage to tissues occurring as a result of disease, stress, or other life circumstances, explains Mahaney.”
What about cats?
Cats evolved as hunters that consume prey that contains high amounts of protein, moderate amounts of fat, and a minimal amount of carbohydrates, and their diet still requires these general proportions today. Cats also require more than a dozen other nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids.
The design of the best cat vitamins corrects nutritional deficiencies in your pet’s diet. Cats with underlying health problems may respond well to vitamin supplementation.
Three categories in which multivitamins and supplements fall:
- Gastro-Intestinal (GI)
- Joint Support
- Senior Pets
Best Vitamins for Dog and Cat Joint Support
According to the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, supplements to support arthritic joints are one of the most commonly recommended supplements for dogs.
“We recommend starting joint supplements before any chronic pain happens to lessen inflammation and to keep mobility prime for longer,” explains Maggie Armijo, lead sales team member, at Fang! Pet & Garden Supply.
1. Liquid Health k9 Glucosamine and Liquid health k9 level 5000
These are best for large dogs or dogs with joint issues. It’s palatable and very easy to use. You pour it onto the food.
2. Earth Animal Aches and Discomfort
We recommend only using this on hard ‘mobility’ days since it has White Willow bark, which is a great pain reliever but is taxing on the liver like aspirin.
3. Connectin Hip & Joint
Connectin Hip & Joint is everyone’s favorite! Most customers notice a difference in their pet’ s mobility within just two weeks. It comes in powder, tablet, and soft chew form. It’s available for cats and dogs. It has glucosamine, chondroitin, hyaluronic acid, and anti-inflammatory herbal complex.
Best Vitamins for Dog and Cat Digestion and GI supplements
Probiotics are supplements used to help build good bacteria in the gut.
“Improper digestion can be a sign of an unbalanced gut biome and or food or environmental allergies. The gut is 80% of the immune system so when that is off balance your animal can have diarrhea, vomiting, gas, itchy skin, yeasty ears, toes, and rashes. When looking for a digestive supplement always make sure it contains probiotics, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes,” says Armijo.
1. Answers Raw Goat Milk
This digestive aid contains prebiotics, probiotics, digestive enzymes, cinnamon, honey, omegas, vitamins, and minerals. It’s also very palatable, so finicky eaters love it! We also recommend this for seniors!
2. Herbsmith MicroFlora plus
Herbsmith MicroFlora plus comes in a capsule that you can open and mix into food. It has probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, cinnamon, ginger, and licorice. Combined with Answers Raw Goat Milk, Maggie’s former foster recovered from terrible stress diarrhea.
3. Optagest
Optagest is a daily digestive supplement for dogs and cats. Though it is missing a probiotic, it does contain prebiotic organic inulin and four plant-based enzymes that support normal digestion that is sometimes upset by food change, travel, stress, separation or the usual aging process. Highly recommended while transitioning your pet’s food.
Best Vitamins for Dog and Cat Seniors
Multivitamins are a good choice for any dog battling illness or recuperating from an injury.
“Most seniors are on some sort of joint supplement and the next addition is usually immune boosters or liver cleansers to keep all of their organs happy. As far as liver cleanses go, we recommend doing them periodically. Liver cleanses are great to optimize digestion and kidney function and lessen inflammatory issues,” says Armijo.
- Animal Essentials Milk Thistle tincture
It’s easy to use. Just drop this into their food. It can be used with cats or dogs.
2. Four Leaf Rover Immunity
This contains a complex of 7 different mushrooms that have a wide range of benefits from slowing tumor growth, boosting immunity, decreasing anxiety and optimizing energy.
3. Animal Essentials Senior Support
Enhances physical and mental well-being of senior dogs and cats. It supports healthy kidney function and promotes normal blood circulation throughout the body.
Summary of the Best Vitamins for Dogs and Cats
It’s important to understand that high-quality food after it is processed, loses some of its nutrients.
In essence, having a multivitamin for your cat or dog will improve their overall health and well-being.
Disclaimer: We only share product information that we believe in and recommend to customers and clients.
Medical Disclaimer: Our staff members are not vets so please check with your Vet or holistic vet when you start your dog or cat on supplements and multivitamins.