A Handful Of Vitamins
Does Your Pet Need Supplements?
We humans are pill poppers, we are supplement junkies. Not accusing anyone of addiction, but as I watch my dear husband swallow a handful of vitamins and supplements every morning, that thought pops into my head – pun intended.
It is our human nature to want to easily take something to benefit our health, such as taking a daily multivitamin to counter our sometimes imbalanced people diets. But, do our pets need regular supplements?
The answer is no for pets, to most supplements and herbal remedies. Even for humans there are some risks and controversies with supplements. There is limited regulation as well as limited research over the quality of production and the volume or dosage of particular ingredients.
And, some supplements can actually be very dangerous – for pets or people – when combined with prescribed medications. The following are a few of the known contraindications:
• Ginkgo affects the blood’s ability to clot. Animal or human patients on aspirin or blood thinners who are also taking Ginkgo run increased bleeding risks.
• St. John’s wort can increase or prolong the effects of certain narcotics or anesthetic agents.
• Echinacea can have a negative impact on immune-mediated diseases, cancers such as lymphoma, or on patients with compromised immune systems.
• Calcium given in excess can lead to skeletal issues while too high of Vitamin D can lead to loss of appetite, harmful changes in bone structure and muscle atrophy.
• Human chewable, sugar-free vitamins, often contain Xylitol (also found in gums and other candies) which is highly toxic to dogs.
Cats and dogs being fed high quality commercial diets do not need additional supplementation for vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Over-supplementation, rather than being beneficial, can actually unbalance a diet and lead to significant side effects and health issues.
Additionally, there are only a limited number of studies in human medicine and even fewer in veterinary medicine that look at the benefits and/or risks of specific supplements – and they are often small studies that make it difficult to extrapolate safety or dosing for the incredible variety of veterinary patients.
That said, there are definitely supplements that are safe and appropriate for many pets such as:
• Glucosamine and/or Chondroitin have been found beneficial in supporting joint health in patients with orthopedic issues or developing arthritis.
• Fish oil or other fatty acids can benefit the skin and hair coat.
• Vitamin C and Vitamin E, well known antioxidants, can help to reduce inflammation and may help senior pets maintain cognitive function.
• Probiotics do show benefits for maintaining gastrointestinal health in people and animals, but there are many other claims for health that are not supported by evidence-based research.
Now before you go off to buy supplements, your veterinarian – not your pet food or health food store sales person – should be your resource for discussing supplementation. They can take into consideration your individual pet’s age, disease or health issues, and diet. And, they will have “vetted” (pun intended) products based on quality of production, ingredients and response by patients.
Dr. Margot can be reached at parkhillvet.com.