By domesticating the dog we have slowly and drastically changed their everyday lifestyle in terms of the way they eat and exercise
By domesticating the dog we have slowly and drastically changed their everyday lifestyle in terms of the way they eat and exercise. Just as in us humans the lack of physical activity, departure from nature, more reliance on chemicals, synthetic nutrients, and processed foods has made it difficult for our dogs to maintain a healthy body. In general the amount of calories they need from their natural environment has decreased which means we have to figure out how to supply them with all the nutrients they need to maintain a healthy body from less food. Unfortunately this is happening as the dog food industry is using more food processing, packaging, and storage techniques that are depleting many of the nutrients that are dogs need. It would be optimum to return to natural, fresh and raw foods that are dogs are genetically prone to but in most instances this is just not feasible. Most of us do not even do it for our own diets so we cannot expect to do it for our dogs. This dictates that for your dog’s best possible health, it is necessary to provide nutrients via dog supplements.
Just as in our choice of whether we eat natural whole fresh food or processed prepared food, we have a choice in the type of supplements we use in provide needed dog vitamins and nutrients. There are natural vitamin supplements and synthetic supplements. The latter are manufactured in laboratories from bio-chemical processes that produce the same molecules and organic substances found in nature.
Natural vitamins on the other hand are derived from food sources. This underlying fact is crucial in the effectiveness of the vitamin supplement. Vitamins are a critical element of the essential body metabolism that supports life. They do not act alone but in conjunction with other nutrients that occur in their natural food environment. Much of this interaction is still not understood. There actually could still be nutrients and vitamins that have not even been identified in this complex molecular structures. Therefore as the synthetic vitamins are chemically the same as natural vitamins and can supply any basic deficiency in the body for that vitamin your dog does not get any of the whole food catalytic processes which initiates the body’s chemical reactions or enables it to proceed under different conditions.
In addition synthetic supplements are usually packaged with filler which can contain preservatives, starches, glutens, coloring, or other additives. Vitamins obtained through natural whole foods are “packaged” by being bonded to proteins, carbohydrates, and bioflavonoids. This is also why it is suggested that if you provide dog vitamins in supplement form you do so with their normal diet. This could supply the necessary other natural enzymes that are needed by your dog’s body to effectively absorb the maximum benefit of the vitamins.
The following gives both natural food and herbal sources for the 13 identified vitamins:
Vitamin A
(Animal sources contain significant more than other sources)
animal livers, fish liver oil, apricots, asparagus, beet greens, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, collards, kale, kelp, dulse, garlic, mustard greens, papayas, peaches, pumpkin, red peppers, spinach, spirulina, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, turnip greens, yellow squash, egg yolks
alfalfa, borage leaf, burdock root, cayenne, chickweed, dandelion greens, eyebright, fennel seed, hops, horsetail, lemongrass, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, peppermint, plantain, raspberry leaf, red clover, rose hips, sage, uva ursi, violet leaves, watercress, yellow dock
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
brown rice, chia seeds, egg yolks, legumes, wheat germ, whole grains, rice bran, pork, liver, fish, yeast, dried beans, peas, peanuts, poultry, soybeans
asparagus, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, dulse, kelp, oatmeal, plums, dried prunes, spirulina, watercress
alfalfa, bladderwrack, burdock root, catnip. cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, hops, nettle, oat straw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, clover, rose hips, sage, yarrow, yellow dock
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
cheese, chia seeds, egg yolks, fish, legumes, meat, milk, poultry, spinach, whole grains, yogurt
asparagus, avocados, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, currants, dulse, kelp, mushrooms, nuts, watercress
alfalfa, bladderwrack, burdock root, catnip. cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, dandelion greens, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, ginseng, hops, horsetail, mullein, nettle, oat straw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, red clover, rose hips, sage, yellow dock
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
asparagus, beef liver, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, carrots, chia seeds, cheese, corn flour, dates, eggs, fish, kelp, milk, peanuts, pork, peanuts, tomatoes, wheat germ
alfalfa, burdock root, catnip. cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, dandelion leaf, eyebright, fennel seed, hops, licorice, mullein, nettle, oat straw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, red clover, rose hips, slippery elm, yellow dock
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
beef, brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, eggs, kidney, legumes, saltwater fish, liver, nuts, torula yeast, mushrooms, pork, whole rye flour, whole wheat
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, carrots, chicken, eggs, fish, meat, peas, spinach, sunflower seeds, walnuts, wheat germ
avocado, bananas, broccoli, brown rice, cabbage, cantaloupe, corn, dulse, plantains, potatoes, rice bran, soybeans, tempeh, whole grains
alfalfa, catnip, oat straw
Vitamin B7 (Biotin)
Brewer’s yeast, chia seeds , cooked egg yolks, meat, milk, poultry, saltwater fish, soybeans, whole grains
Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)
Asparagus, barley, beef, bran, brewer’s yeast, brown rice, cheese, chia seeds, chicken, dates, green leafy vegetables, lamb, legumes, lentils, liver, milk, mushrooms, oranges, split peas, pork, root vegetables, salmon, tuna, wheat germ, whole grains, whole wheat
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)
Brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, clams, eggs, herring, kidney, liver, mackerel, milk, dairy products, seafood
Dulse, kelp, kombu, nori, soybeans, soy products
alfalfa, bladderwrack, hops
Vitamin C (Asorbic acid)
Asparagus, avocados, beet greens, black currants, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, collards, dulse, grapefruit, kale, kelp. lemons, mangos, mustard greens, onions, oranges, papayas, green peas, sweet peppers, persimmons, pineapple, radishes, rose hips, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnip greens, watercress
alfalfa, burdock root, cayenne, chickweed, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, hops, horsetail, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, pine needle, plantain, peppermint, raspberry leaf, red clover, rose hips, sage, skullcap, violet leafs, yarrow, yellow dock
Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol Ergocalciferol)
butter, cheese, cod liver oil, eggs, fatty saltwater fish, fish liver oils, halibut, kelp, liver, milk, oatmeal, salmon, sardines, sweet potatoes, tuna, yogurt,.
alfalfa, dandelion leaf, horsetail. nettle, parsley
Vitamin E (Tocopherols Tocotrienols)
Brown rice, dulse, eggs, kelp, milk, oatmeal, soybeans, sweet potatoes, wheat germ, watercress, corn, nuts, legumes, flaxseed, spinach, seeds, asparagus, vegetable oils
Alfalfa, bladderwrack, dandelion, dong quai, nettle, oat straw, raspberry leaf, rose hips
Vitamin K (Phylloquinone Menaquinones)
asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, egg yolks, leaf lettuce, liver, kelp, oatmeal, oats, rye, safflower oil, spinach, soybeans, wheat, yogurt
Alfalfa, green tea, nettle, oat straw, shepherd’s purse