Important vitamins and nutrients for dogs

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· Vitamin B complex: vital for certain biological processes, a complex of B vitamins twice a day will benefit your dog greatly. Small dogs should be giving a regular B complex, medium dogs a high potency B complex and large dogs a high potency stress B complex formula. And don’t worry - B vitamins are water soluble so any excess passes through the body via the bladder.

· Vitamin E: an important vitamin for physiologic effects and a potent anti-inflammatory, dogs under the age of two should be given 400 IU daily while those dogs over two can have the dose increased to 800 IU daily.

· Vitamin C: an antioxidant that works with Vitamin E, dogs under the age of two should be given 250 mg daily while those dogs over two should be given 500 mg daily.

· Beta-carotene: an important antioxidant found in carrots, beta-carotene has been linked to protecting against certain cancers in both humans and dogs. The easiest way to dispense this nutrient to your dog is by giving him a raw carrot as a snack. If your dog doesn’t like carrots, slip 10,000 IU into his food each day.

· Omega-3 fatty acids: these acids found in fish oils can help dogs with autoimmune disorder or arthritis. Again, these acids can be found in supplements but it is easier to feed your dog some cooked salmon or sardines occasionally. If these don’t suit your dog’s palette you can add one teaspoon of ground flax seeds, flax oil or kelp oil to his food.

· Gammalinolenic acid: if you can’t pronounce it, that’s o.k. because it is found in evening primrose, black currant or borage oils. A fatty acid that promotes hair, nail and skin health, it has been found to aid skin conditions, arthritis and auto-immune disorder when a couple of tablespoons are added to your dog’s food.

· Gingko biloba: a great supplement for dogs with nervous system disorders, Gingko biloba increases blood flow to the brain. Give your nervous Nellie a capsule a day to keep anxiety at bay.

· Green tea: an energy booster, green tea can be given to older dogs that have lost their pep. In addition, it is very good for the digestion. Green tea can be dispensed either in tea form mixed in to your dog’s drinking water or via one capsule per day.

· Siberian ginseng: a supplement that helps to reduce stress while increasing endurance and improving your dog’s immune system, this is a key nutrient to give to working dogs. For best results, give your dog one capsule per day.