Dog Nutritional Supplement Guide: The Essential Vitamins and Minerals

Meet your dog's nutritional requirements by providing vitamin and mineral supplements in each day's diet. Vitamins and minerals work together so your dog's digestive, circulatory, reproductive, immune and nervous systems function normally. Vitamin and mineral supplements are available in liquid, tablet or treat form. You may also incorporate natural vitamin and mineral supplements in food made from scratch.

Here are the vitamin and mineral supplements your dog needs and why:

Calcium and phosphorous-for healthy bone growth, blood coagulation, muscle contraction, and nerve impulse transmission

Copper-for proper formation of bone, tissue, and cells

Fatty acids-for proper function of body organs and control of allergies and inflammation

Glucosamine and Chondroitin-- for maintenance of healthy joints

Iodine-- for proper metabolism and thyroid function

Iron-- for proper function of red blood cells which transport oxygen

Magnesium-- for proper vitamin, mineral and enzyme use, bone development, and protein production

Potassium-- for maintaining healthy muscles and nerves, and proper fluid balance

Selenium-- for protection of cells as an antioxidant

Sodium and chloride-- working separately or together, as sodium chloride, for proper fluid balance, transfer of nutrients, elimination of cell waste

Zinc-- for maintaining healthy hair and skin.

Vitamin A-- for maintaining healthy hair, skin, eyes, muscles, nerves and ovaries.

Vitamin C-- for maintaining a healthy urinary tract.

Vitamin B complex-- for maintaining normal growth and energy levels

Vitamin D-- for proper nerve and bone formation and muscle function

Vitamin E-- for proper cell respiration, fat metabolism and hormone production.

Vitamin K-- for maintaining normal blood functions, like clotting.

 

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