subject: Some simple supplements to improve Spot's diet - and enrich his life [print this page] Some simple supplements to improve Spot's diet - and enrich his life
More and more premium pet foods are including probiotics, glucosamine,antioxidants, and other dietary supplements in their formulas. There's a good reason why: these ingredients have been proven to work on both pets as well aspeople, improving everything from digestionto joint mobility.
We know that salmon oil contains beneficial Omega-3swhile blueberries and cranberries are powerful antioxidants. But when we're talking about non-food-derived nutrients, it'snotalways easy to figure how much to give our animals. So happily, new pet-food formulas are taking the guesswork out of supplements for pets - it's almost as if your pet has a personal nutrition counselor to customize his food for optimal nutritional benefit!
If your pet food brand does not contain the life-enhancing nutriceutical additions described below, look for one that does. There's simply noexcuse not to harness thelife-enhancing power of supplements on our pets' behalf.
A spoonful of yogurt is a great addition to a pet's diet, especially if he has recently completed a course of antibiotics. Probiotics are live cultures that restore calming order tothe intestinal flora, which is disrupted by antibiotics.
However, some pets have such sensitive stomachs that they can't digest yogurt (like lactose-intolerant people). If that's the case with your best friend, try giving him powdered acidophilus, the dairy-free probiotic available at any health food store (and while you're at it, take some yourself).
If you feed a dry (kibble) diet, you can make things interesting for your pet by adding a drop or two of flaxseed, olive, or fish oil tohis diet.Not only do these taste great to Spot, they boost his Omega-3 intake, so important for joint health andmental alertness, not to mention skin and coat health. Doing this every day will encourage you to keep one or more of these beneficial oils on hand at all times, which is good for you as well. Your senior pet especially appreciates how effectively Omega-3s reduce inflammation in the body.
Is your pet in his or her golden years and having trouble with the stiffness caused by arthritis? Thenby all meansmake surehis dietincludes glucosamine and chondroitin, which combine to help lubricate the joints for improved mobility.
Finally, Coenzyme Q10 - CoQ10 for short - is taken by more and more people to support heart health and dental health, and is a smart addition to a healthy pet's diet too. Oral disease is a silent killer of pets, so look for pet food that contains this supplement to help maintainoral wellness.
