To supplement or not to supplement

In speaking to many of you at the Tradeshow this year, a lot of you were confused about what pet supplements are best for your pets and which pet supplement was the most important.

For happy, healthy dogs and cats it is important to take them to the vet on a regular basis, keep them up to date on their vaccinations, keep their teeth clean, keep their ears clean and dry, feed them a good quality pet food, give them plenty of water and plenty of exercise.

A supplement is designed to be added to the diet on a regular basis to make up for any deficiencies, improve the overall health and vitality of pets or to aid in targeting a specific health issue. Not all pets need a supplement – to determine if a supplement would be beneficial consider the following: Are they eating a high quality pet food? Do they have a soft shiny coat? Do they have healthy skin? Do they adapt well to stress? Do they have normal energy levels? Pets that obtain adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals through a proper diet and supplementation, if needed, tend to have a healthier coat, normal energy levels, a stronger ability to adapt to stress and stressful situations and improved overall health and well-being.

Key vitamins and minerals are essential to maintain optimal health in your pet. Some key factors that effect a dog or cat’s ability to absorb nutrients from food includes age, activity level, environment, genetics and breed. Because of the unique nutritional requirements of cats and dogs, even high quality pet foods cannot fulfill the unique nutritional requirements of every individual pet. High quality pet foods do however, meet the majority of pet’s nutritional needs. Supplementing a pet’s diet can help bridge the nutritional gap between what dogs and cats need at every stage in their life and what they actually obtain and absorb from their diet.

Something else to consider is that some breeds are more prone to certain health issues. For example many breeds are known for having cardiovascular issues, among those are American Cocker Spaniels, Bouvier des Flandres, Border Terriers, Bulldogs, Chihuahuas, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Dachshunds, Doberman Pinschers, Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, Irish Setters, Keeshonds, Miniature Poodles, Miniature Schnauzers, Newfoundlands, Pomeranians, Pugs, Saint Bernards, Shetland Sheepdogs, Smooth Fox Terriers, Toy Poodles and Wire Fox Terriers. For a better listing of health issues for specific breeds check out this site.

For a solid micronutrient foundation, Market America offers PetHealth Multivitamin Formula for Dogs and PetHealth Multivitamin Formula for Cats. For an antioxidant defense, respiratory health, and joint health and support, Market America offers PetHealth OPC Formula with Glucosamine for Dogs & Cats. For cardiovascular health and support, Market America offers PetHealth Cardiovascular Formula for Dogs. For more information about the pet supplements that Market America offers, check out pethealth.marketamerica.com or visit www.marketamerica.com.