Supplements for Raw Fed Dogs

It is a known fact that dry kibble food satisfies all dog’s nutritional requirements. Although there are differences in the quality of nutrients’ source; all dry dog food is regulated by law which guarantees that all dog’s nutritional needs will be met.

Even though kibble food covers all your dog’s nutritional needs, more and more people are advocating a raw food diet. Enjoying new flavors of real, raw, food is more interesting to your dog than eating the same food every day. Still, feeding raw isn’t as perfect as it might initially seem. There are certain benefits to feeding raw, but some downsides of it are often overlooked

Raw Food Today

Nowadays, the production of meat is not as it was before. Depleted soil, as well as environmental toxins, affect the quality and the nutritive value of the food we eat. That’s why feeding a raw diet doesn’t necessarily mean that you are providing your dog with the best possible nutrients. To prevent any health conditions from developing, it’s crucial to ensure your dog gets sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins.

Skipping just one ingredient in your dog’s meal, might put his nutrition out of balance and lead to potentially serious health issues that are caused by deficiencies of certain nutritive compounds. But, this doesn’t mean that you have to switch to dry kibble food. It will be more than enough to ensure your dog gets all essential nutrients by including some essential supplements to your dog’s diet.

However, not all raw diets require the same supplements. Based on the number of bones you include in your dog’s diet, choice of meat, and other ingredient variations, your dog might need different supplements to have well-balanced nutrition. Therefore, it is crucial that you identify what might be all potential nutritional gaps in your dog’s raw diet before introducing supplements.

Let’s take a closer look at natural supplements that might be essential for your raw-fed dog.

1. Essential Fatty Acids

Omega 3 fatty acids play an important role in your dog’s overall health by supporting brain, heart, kidney, and liver function. They also decrease inflammation processes in your dog’s body and protect your dog’s skin, gut, and joints.

Essential fatty acids are very delicate and can lose their nutritional value after being exposed to air or freezing temperatures. That being said, it is usually a good idea to supplement your dog’s diet with some extra Omega 3 even if the food you feed to your pup already contains a fair amount of these essential compounds.

Essential fatty acids are contained in various types of oils such as Mackerel, sardine, krill, flax, chia, hemp, etc.

Here are some omega-rich supplements that you can add to your dog’s food in order to ensure that fatty acid needs are adequately met.

Welactin Natural Omega-3 Supplement

Welactin’s omega-3 fatty acids are derived from cold water fish. The bottle comes with a flip top lid and a scoop that enable a proper dosage measurement for each dog. It’s very easy to use them, all you need to do is to pour it over your dog’s food.

Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Pet

Nordic Naturals product offers a rich omega-3 dietary supply derived from anchovies and sardines oil. Store the bottle in a dark and cold place and use it up within three months after opening.

2. Vitamins, Minerals, and Antioxidants

Even if you’re making sure your dog gets a sufficient amount of veggies and fruits in his diet, adding a boost in vitamins and minerals might be an excellent way to ensure your pup has a strong immune system that is capable of fighting against different diseases, viruses, and bacteria.

Dogs that are fed with a no-bone raw diet need a supplement of calcium to maintain their bone strength, while puppies would need a calcium and phosphorus supplementation in the same case. Similarly, dogs that don’t eat a lot of vegetables daily, should receive extra dosage of vitamins and minerals.

However, do not exaggerate when introducing new vitamin/mineral supplements into your dog’s diet because abnormal levels of certain minerals or vitamins might also lead to health issues in dogs.

Vita-Tabs Silver

Vita-Tabs silver is a supplement that is suggested as an addition to a senior dog’s diet. Its formula contains 28 different vitamins and minerals that support your dog’s skin, bones, teeth, and regulate his energy levels, metabolism, and overall condition of the immune system.

With Vita-Tabs Silver older dogs get added Glucosamine and Chondroitin that support the structural integrity of joints and MSM that supports connective tissues.

3. Calcium and Phosphorus

These macrominerals already exist in your dog’s body in large amounts. However, your dog still needs more Calcium and Phosphorus compared to other minerals because they play an essential role in the nervous system and cardiac health.

Usually raw bones have a sufficient amount of calcium and phosphorus, so if your pup has enough bones in his diet, his macromineral requirements might be completely satisfied. However, other pets with protein sensitivities or other digestive issues might not be able to include bones into their nutrition. To compensate for the lack of Calcium and Phosphorus in a bone-less raw diet, an adequate supplement might be needed.

Sure Grow 100 – For Puppies

Sure Grow 100 contains everything your puppy needs to have a proper physique development. This supplement contains rich sources of calcium, phosphorus, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D. This formula is created to support bone strength and health.

This supplement can also be used in pregnant female dogs and lactating mothers.

4. Probiotics

Probiotics are an essential part of a healthy diet. These good bacteria aid our metabolism and promote overall health and wellness of your dog. Adding an adequate addition of probiotics to your dog diet won’t only make his digestion and immunity stronger, but it will also prevent many potential diseases and conditions that may develop due to imbalanced gut bacteria.

You should make sure you add probiotics to your dog’s diet when your dog is stressed, exposed to environmental toxins, or having an antibiotic therapy. Also, dogs that have food sensitivities should always have their dosage of probiotics in order to ensure their guts are healthy and properly functioning.

Pet Naturals Daily Probiotic for Dogs

Pet Naturals created this Probiotic formula that supports gut health balance and healthy digestion. It contains special bacteria that aids the regularity of bowel movements to ensure a stronger immune system.

Although all dogs will benefit from taking their daily dose of Pet Naturals Daily Probiotic. Dogs that have food sensitivities, irregular bowel movements, as well as digestive issues will feel the biggest difference in their overall health after introducing probiotics to their diets.