Dog Tip Tuesday: Share Supplements with Your Dog
Can we use certain human supplements for dogs? Supplements for humans are human-grade and more strictly regulated than pets’, so sharing may be a good idea!
Who’s like mama who takes forever to finish her bottles of supplements?
While she’s diligent with giving me my supplements, she is often too lazy to take hers. Most of the time she has to throw her supplements away because they have expired.
So what if I can share some of her supplements? That way, we can finish the bottles faster and mama can feed herself while putting them in my meals!
What’s more, supplements for humans are human-grade and more strictly regulated for safety and purity than pet supplements.
Hence, human supplements for dogs may be a good idea but not vice versa.
Here are three supplements that you can share with your dog:
1. Fish oil
Mama has been feeding me good quality fish oil for pets from various brands, such as Dom and Cleo and Nordic Naturals, which I am currently on.
Because they are reputable brands, she is not inclined to switch me to fish oil for humans. But if you already have fish oil for humans at home, you can safely share it with your dog. My vet encourages all his patients to feed fish oil for humans because they are surely human-grade.
I am currently eating one Nordic Naturals soft gel – 315mg (EPA + DHA) per day for overall maintenance.
Here’s how to choose a good omega-3 supplement.
2. Glucosamine and chondroitin
Under the vet’s recommendation, Mama used to give me her glucosamine and chondroitin joint supplement when I first got diagnosed with luxating patella.
I was on 250mg of glucosamine (6kg of weight), which was one-third of her tablet. It’s safe to feed about 500mg of glucosamine for every 10kg of weight.
3. Vitamin C
Dogs produce their own vitamin C naturally so a healthy dog does not need supplementation. With that said, vitamin C may benefit dogs who are suffering from diseases, a weak immune system, or an increase in stress (e.g from moving house, a new baby, etc.).
Do consult your vet on whether it’s necessary and the recommended dosage. Overdosage of vitamin C can cause diarrhea.
The next time your vet recommends a supplement for your dog that you are already using, go ahead and ask whether you can share yours with fido instead.
Do note that some human supplements come with flavouring that may not be suitable for dogs. Avoid sharing those with your dog.
Please check with your vet before introducing new supplements to your dog’s diet, as overdosage can harm your dog.
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