Ideally, every nutrient your dog needs should be present in its dog food. However, nutritional research is generally far ahead of the dog food regulatory standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). To gain marketing advantage, many dog food manufacturers are supplementing their foods, but with no AAFCO standards the amount of supplementation is variable and often times minimal.
Below are recommendations of some common supplements and age groups that would benefit from them.
Ages: 6 weeks and Above:
Antioxidant Vitamins:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
- DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
- EPA (eicospentaenoic acid)
Antioxidant vitamins help counter the harmful effects of “free radicals” that are a naturally occurring during oxygen metabolism, protective immune responses and liver detoxification of chemicals. DHA and EPA help regulate the immune response and aid in reducing allergic responses. These fatty acids also aid in skin and fur health. Research…
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