Last Updated: 2 months ago
As a “pawrent”, your main priority for your furry kid is providing it with an active, happy, and healthy lifestyle.
Most pet parents have it locked down when it comes to the active and happy part of their duty to their pets.
They are there to take them on walks, take them to the park, play catch, and buy toys to ensure they are always entertained. Sadly, not everyone knows what to do when it comes to the healthy aspect of their duty to their pets.
Sure, they take them to the vet whenever they notice something off about them. However, it goes beyond that. A good parent would know to go the extra mile to ensure their furry kids don’t even develop illnesses to start with.
Several types of dog supplements would help you achieve this for your pet. For instance, according to
Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center, CBD for dogs can lead to 83% reduction in stress or anxiety-related behaviors and improve their overall wellness.
Aside from this, there are several other types of supplements that you could use to prevent certain conditions in your fur baby. Below, we have listed some common dog supplements and what they are used for.
Multivitamins: Used for General Wellness
Take a trip down memory lane to that time your fur baby was still a kitten or puppy. We bet you’d see a furball that doesn’t stop moving with enough energy for days.
This kitten or puppy stage probably kept your hands full with all the mess and trouble they made. But you’d admit that seeing this level of energy in your dog was nice.
Now that your pet is no longer a kitten or puppy, chances are that their energy level has dropped.
Multivitamins can help. Multivitamins are typically tablets or chews that contain many minerals and vitamins. This makes them a good way to balance any pet’s general wellness.
The minerals and vitamins packed in these tablets or chews often offer several benefits to the pet.
For instance, one tablet may contain iron, B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, and so on. Iron is known to help with blood flow; it also increases energy levels, while B vitamins help with metabolism.
Every other mineral and vitamin the tablet contains will also offer one benefit or another.
Calming Supplements: Used for Anxious Dogs And Cats
Dogs and cats get anxious, and this often increases their stress level. For most pets, sounds like thunder and fireworks often trigger their anxiety, and watching your pet go through this discomfort can be hard as a pet.
Calming supplements can help soothe your pet’s fears and anxiety in several stressful situations, like travelling, going to the vet or grooming salon, thunderstorms, and even when they are in new surroundings.
A lot of these calming supplements for pets contain ingredients that we use too. Some examples are melatonin, used to promote better sleep and relaxation, and chamomile, used to help muscles relax (especially digestive tract muscles).
Joints and Hip Supplements: Used to Increase Mobility and Flexibility
Hip dysplasia is a rather common condition in pets, with several breeds being prone to it. Severe cases can even make the pet lame.
You can reduce the chances of your pet experiencing this condition by giving it joint and hip supplements. Blends of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), chondroitin, and glucosamine are commonly used dog supplements to support pets’ joint and hip health.
Glucosamine can typically be used to promote the normal functions of the joints; this is because it can aid in the repair of damaged cartilage.
Chondroitin, on the other hand, can make new cartilage. Methylsulfonylmethane provides sulphur; sulphur is one of the building blocks for cartilage and joints.
Additionally, these dog supplements help with joint lubrication, which typically helps to improve mobility and flexibility.
Probiotics and Prebiotics: Used to Aid Digestion
Ensuring healthy digestion is very vital when it comes to your pet’s overall health. This is because their stomachs house most of their immune cells.
Probiotics and prebiotics offer pets the same type of benefits they offer humans. You may be wondering how they are different. Well, probiotics are typically living organisms (like yeast and bacteria) that naturally occur in our bodies.
These bacteria are good because they reduce the growth rate of harmful bacteria. Additionally, they assist in balancing the bacteria in the belly so that digestion can be kept on track.
On the flip side, prebiotics are compounds (like fibre) that probiotics feed on. So, when probiotics are taken, prebiotics have to be taken too so that probiotics can feed on them and thrive.
When you feed your pet probiotics and prebiotic supplements, their digestive tract will be adequately supported.
Coat and Skin Supplement: Promotes Lustrous Coats and Reduces Shedding
Everyone wants their pet’s coats to be shiny and soft, and one way to achieve this is through nutrition. Just as it is with humans, omega-6 and omega-3 are vital fatty acids that help to maintain a healthy coat and skin for your pet.
These supplements help dogs with itchy and dry skin.
Click here to read about natural dog supplements that can help dogs with itchy skin. Eliminating hair and fur from your home when you have a pet is not possible.
However, these supplements can stop their coats from getting too dry, which would subsequently reduce how much they shed.
Conclusion
Dog supplements can contribute to your pet’s overall wellness and even reduce the chances of them experiencing certain conditions.
There are several types of dog supplements out there, and each of them has specific purposes. In this article, we have talked about some common supplements and what they can do for your pet.
