Many first time pet owners generally believe that acquiring a pet is basically buying it and purchasing a few other items from a pet check list. This list often contains food, a dog dish, a crate, a leash and maybe a bed or blanket. They soon realize that owning a pet is a major undertaking with many unseen expenses.

Often times once a new pet owner gets home reality sinks in. They have taken upon the challenge and responsibility of giving their pet everything they require to live well. An abundance of toys, accessories and sacks of flavored pet food is often the first thing that comes to mind. However, animals have the same needs as humans when it comes to proper diet and health care.

The bottom line is many pets need vitamins. Generally known, vitamins are organic ingredients, which are needed by the body in specific doses to support the bodily functions and ensure a balanced metabolism. Vitamins are also bio-molecules that act as catalysts and substrate for chemical reactions within the body.

Pets absorb vitamins and nutrients through the food that they eat. However there are certain nutrients that your pet needs that may not be prevalent in their food. An example of this would be: Vitamin K which is naturally produced by micro-organisms found in the stomach and Vitamin D which is converted through the skin by the absorption of ultra-violet rays. Others like Vitamin A are made by absorbed carotene and niacin that is converted by amino acids.

Pet vitamins, just like human vitamins are either water-soluble or fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins are easily absorbed by the body and expelled in the case they are unused by your pets. Fat-soluble vitamins are those that are absorbed through the intestines by the lipids from the fat stored in your pets’ body.

A pet’s healthy and productive life does not solely depend on excellent pet food. Pets have specific needs that food alone cannot provide. Pets with congenital deficiencies need vitamin supplements to help their body function properly.

For example, big dog breeds are susceptible to hip dysplasia, which means the deterioration of its joints and ligaments. In order to restore joint function and strong connective tissues, doses of calcium ascorbate or Vitamin C combined with Calcium mineral, which supports collagen production will help provide ample fortification against connective tissue impairment. To fully aid a dog suffering from on-set hip dysplasia, Vitamin E can also be taken to improve blood circulation for proper tissue building.

In cats, Vitamin B12, which aids in proper blood manufacturing and circulation that in turn helps maintain the health of the catsí lungs. Taken with anti-oxidant vitamins (A, C & E) would help in the prevention of a fatty liver, pneumonia and other respiratory sickness, which are common among felines.

Pet nutrients and supplements differ according to the kind of animal classification your pet belongs to. Different kinds of pets have varying deficiencies and vulnerabilities to diseases which can be averted by proper diet and taking of vitamins that would strengthen their bodies weak points.

Before you go hoarding on pet vitamins, there are also side effects to be wary of. Buying and giving your pet vitamins it may not need can cause a waterfall of deficiencies, which may end in sickness.

Being a pet owner means being in the know of what vitamins are safe for your pets. It is best to leave the prescribing of vitamins to your veterinarian. Pet Vitamins are given according to your pet’s age, weight, and sickness they are prone to have.

Hellen Meren is the pet health writer for Pet Super Store. Pet Super Store is a pet accessories store featuring dog beds and elevated dog feeders. Visit their site for great savings today.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 12th, 2007 at 8:45 pm and is filed under Pets General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.