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In today’s modern world our pets are confronted with a whole host of challenges to their health, diet, environment and even the water they drink. Supplements given correctly can add vital nutrients such as minerals, amino acids, prebiotics for gut health, calming for itchy irritated skin, anti-inflammatory ingredients for joint and digestive problems, even ingredients for a doggy detox!
Many diets are launching in vital elements essential for good health and purely down to low grade ingredients or even intensively farmed livestock used in production quality supplements can provide support for a diet and in old age providing comfort for some on achy joints or seasonal changes such as moulting with extra omega 3 & 6.
Many supplements not only provide health benefits but also provide added protection against internal & external parasites. Supplements such as brewers yeast or garlic. As with any supplements balance is essential and they are a support for a diet or lifestyle and over use needs to be avoided.
Supplements provide essential, but often hard-to-come-by ingredients in your dog’s diet. These may not be necessary for every dog, but for some dogs, they can really help improve their quality of life. Supplements are often used to treat the following:
Joint and mobility
Digestive and immunity
Skin and coat
Allergy relief
Heart health
Behavioural problems
Antioxidants and more
Of course, just as with people, different dogs will have different supplement needs. Age, breed, lifestyle, overall health/ existing medical conditions, and the quality of food they are eating all can have a great effect on what supplements a dog may benefit from.
From strong-smelling tablets to fussy eaters, it’s not always easy to give pets anything extra in their diet. A big question we get asked is “how do I add them to my dog’s diet?” Whether it’s our powders, tablets or capsules, here are our top tips on how to give supplements to pets.
Powder supplements can sometimes smell quite strong, particularly for pets that are not used to herbal supplements. It is best to introduce them gradually to the diet and increase towards the recommended amount over the course of a week or so. For example, start by adding salt-and-pepper style pinches of the supplement to each meal to allow your pet to get used to the smell and taste.
For those that are particularly fussy eaters, giving the supplements separately to the main meal can be a good idea as this will reduce the risk of them being put off from eating their food, and makes the supplement seem more like a treat!
Mixing powder supplements with a soft-textured treat can help to make giving supplements to pets stress-free for those who are fussier, and this can also be put into boredom-buster toys to give your pet some extra enrichment. Some fan favourite options include are live natural yoghurt, small amounts of mashed up banana, or liver paste on a licki mat.
From Dorwest Keeper’s Mix to Kelp Seaweed Powder, herbal supplements for pets mix really well into raw or wet food diets, but they are suitable to give those that are fed kibble-based diets as well. If giving with a kibble, we recommend dampening the food slightly then adding the supplement and giving a mix. This way, the powder doesn’t just sink to the bottom of the bowl where it can be easily left.
Giving tablets to our pets can sometimes be difficult, particularly if they are skilled at eating around the tablets or spitting them out! Some tablet supplements can be crushed and mixed into the food to make them easier to give to those that are not keen taking tablets whole. Plus, for smaller pets that may not need a full tablet, this makes administering the correct amount a lot easier.
If you are using a capsulated supplement, you can pierce the capsule and empty the contents onto the food if this is easier for your pet. If the capsule feels a little hard, you can warm it up in your hands for a bit to help soften the capsule and make them easier to pierce. Remember, some supplements come in a powder, tablet and even liquid form!