Thursday, July 27, 2017

Should Pets Have Vitamin D In Their Diets?

By Robin Setser


To say that vitamin D is important to human health would be an understatement. It houses a number of benefits, ranging from bone protection to cancer prevention, making it one of the most essential nutrients. The same cannot be said for dogs, as it's stressed by veterinarians to not have these animals take vitamin D supplements. If you'd like to know why this is the case, whether you're a concerned pet owner or not, read on.

If you want to know the dangers behind feeding dogs vitamin D supplements, the potential hardening of soft tissue is a good place to start. The main reason why this is worth noting is that it can affect the organs that said tissue surrounds. This includes the liver and heart, both of which can slow down or even shut down altogether. This is just one of several reasons why companies like Assisi Animal Health will stress against the intake of these supplements.

Make no mistake about it; vitamin D is still important to a dog's body. However, one of the dangers is ingesting too much over a short period of time. Vitamin D poisoning can cause a series of problems, including vomiting and a lack of appetite. If you know how to monitor this nutrient in your pet's diet, you won't have to worry about the aforementioned poisoning. Nonetheless, it's a concern that has to be addressed.

Despite the concerns of canine intake of vitamin D supplements, there is still a level of importance to consider with vitamin D itself. After all, dogs cannot produce it in their bodies through sunlight, which is an ability that most people take for granted. Nonetheless, pet owners must be conscious about how much of this is present in the food they feed their dogs. If you find that there isn't enough, the proper adjustments must be made as soon as possible.

Vitamin D supplements are used by many people for a variety of health reasons. As you've learned, though, such supplements can negatively impact the health of dogs, as their bodies cannot process them. Vitamin D is still important, but it has to be implemented in such a way that it's safe for canines to regularly consume. The more mindful you are of this, the better your dog's health will be as time goes on.




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