Can I give my dog vitamin c?





Can Dogs Take Vitamin-C?Vitamin C is a super supplement, yet people get conflicting info about giving it to their dogs. It’s obviously healthy for people, but canines only benefit when providing extra is necessary which is rare.

Dogs normally produce their own vitamin-C. This is in contrast to humans. We don’t have that ability. As such, people require this vitamin more so than their pets. There are, however, cases where supplementation makes sense.

If your dog doesn’t have a healthy glandular system then perhaps their ascorbic acid requirements aren’t being met. Let’s go into detail about the use of vitamin-C as it applies to a deficient four-legged friend.

Can I Give My Dog Vitamin C? Answer: Yes, but only when necessary

It makes sense when there’s a good reason to provide extra. The sodium ascorbate version is preferred.

Video: How To Feed Dog Vitamin C

We recommend Ester-C Canine because of its antioxidant properties, and also due to the fact that it likely won’t irritate your dog’s GI tract. In any case, people often relate oranges to vitamin-C. But kale, kiwi, grapefruit and many others also contain high doses of it. For the sake of simplicity, we will focus on pure Vitamin C and its proper use for dogs that may have this vitamin deficiency.

Use of Vitamin C for K9s

Certain medical conditions, especially as they relate to older dogs, may respond well to vitamin-C supplementation. For a serious deficiency, it can be injected by a vet if need be though it usually comes in powdered form.

Video: Vitamin C, Dogs and Cats don't need it

If your dog is under stress they could have low levels of vitamin C and may need a supplement. This is difficult to determine and a professional may need to confirm it.

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that can treat dogs for cataracts, joint inflammation and arthritis, glaucoma, kennel cough, certain infections, abscesses and upper respiratory conditions.

It can also help in the recovery of injuries, boost the overall immune system and even treat canine cancer. So, some dogs benefit from additional vitamin C.

Some Potential Side Effects

Be careful about giving vitamin C to your dog. Often they don’t need it. It could harm their ability to produce their own, perhaps permanently. Some dogs may become internally stressed, meaning their organs may be working extra hard, as a result of inappropriately providing this vitamin.

After all, too much means they have to rid their body of it. This could easily result in diarrhea which is a sign of excessive vitamin-C levels. More serious complications from over-use include the development of kidney stones and organ failure, specifically the liver and kidneys.

S. Ascorbate vs. Ascorbic Acid

Confusion also surrounds vitamin C because partly because there are different forms on this amazing supplement. Dogs, the way their systems function, may be better suited for sodium ascorbate. In fact, ascorbic acid is probably an inferior form of vitamin C for both man and canine alike.

Video: Nutrition 101: What Supplements are Best for My Dog?

The concentration and highly acidic nature of ascorbic acid can badly affect your dog’s kidneys and liver. This makes the non-acidic sodium ascorbate, in theory, much more desirable for dogs. Besides that, there is also evidence to suggest that it is more effective because it’s absorbed better.

Conclusion on Vitamin-C

Supplementing a dog’s diet with vitamin C is appropriate assuming they are deficient or need it for a medical condition. It’s questionable for healthy dogs since they produce their own vitamin-C. Too much could be harmful, so discuss adding extra vitamin C with your vet. In the meantime, learn about other supplements, such as iron and calcium, as they apply to dogs.

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