# Do you give vitamins?



## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

Our dogs get fish oil capsules and vitamin C tablets every day with their breakfast and dinner. I have never found it necessary to go with a multivitamin. If you are feeding a good quality food, that should contain all of the vitamins and nutrients they need. We do use fish oil as a coat and skin supplement and vitamin C is a great antioxidant.


----------



## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I give my dogs fish oil and use a probiotic supplement, but no vitamins.


----------



## Enzos_Mom (Apr 8, 2010)

Enzo gets a tablet that contains glucosamine (for his hips - I think he sits funny) and vitamin C, as well as a tablet of brewer's yeast to help with his skin and coat.


----------



## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Nu Vet equates to snake oil IMO. If you go to their website it lists ingredients but no amounts, and of course it's a cure for everything. Some less than scrupulous breeders use this as a condition of purchase... an easy way to void the guarantee if you don't keep up with it and if you do, they get kick backs. IMO, get some good probiotic/enzyme product ( such as the dogzymes digestive enhancer) and some qualtiy high dose fish oil ( high in EPA/DHA).


----------



## HudsensMama9 (Dec 17, 2009)

How many milligrams of fish oil does everyone give? I was cutting open and sprinkling 3 or 4 capsules on Hudsen's food each morning (ended up being around 1000mg), but I just found capsules that are 1000 mg each so I use just one. Is this enough? He weighs 63lbs. 

For those of you who use glucosamine/chondroitin... do you use the ones for humans or the ones for dogs? I was giving Hudsen the doggy ones because they are chewables and the dosage has been figured out already, but they are more expensive. If you use human ones... how much do you give and do you have any tricks for administering them since they aren't chewables?


----------



## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

According to a sports medicine vet here she recommends a dose of combined EPA/DHA of 300 mg per 10 lbs. It's important to note that not all omega 3's are EPA or DHA. You need a high dose product to achieve this level easily. Personally, we've been using the liquid Carlson's Finest Fish Oil which my DH and I take too.


----------



## crh131 (Jun 1, 2010)

nu vet here


----------



## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

The only thing I'll give Gibbs is fish oil. Glycoflex once he's a little older. I think Nu Vet is a gimmick just like Penny&Maggie's mom mentioned. It doesn't mention the quantities of ingredients. In my experience, it seems to be pushed heavily by BYB and HVB as a condition to void the warranty if you don't keep it up through the dog's life... and these people get a percentage of your purchase. Of course they'll tell you to buy it!


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

NuVet is a pyramid marketing scam, and generally used by millers and HVB's to void their "health guarantees" if you don't buy it, they void the guarantee. And NuVet tracks sales for the "breeder" so they can keep an eye on you. Miss your monthly purchase and too bad for you...
Additionally, as mentioned, it's "snake oil". Claiming to prevent cancer, and cure everything...


----------



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Seeing that a breeder sold NuVet or recommended it would actually make me think twice about buying a dog from them. Hey look! PG and I are in total agreement on something! Woo!

I only give supplements that have a sound basis in research of safety and benefits for dogs and that are recommended by my vet. The dogs get a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement for joint health, because their benefits are widely proven and they have no known side effects. They also get a fish oil supplement, since fish oil has no known side effects in moderate doses and has a clear benefit to the coat (the dogs got shinier after I started giving it). It also _may_ have benefits in reducing damaging inflammatory processes in the body and _may_ lower the incidence of some cancers.


----------



## Jleway (Mar 15, 2010)

I give my pup and have given my dogs vitamin oils on top of their food. It's a mixed vitamin oil that you can buy at most stores... I think it has vitamin C, B's, Fish Oil, and other things for joint health as well. I love it and have been using it for years.


----------



## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Never have given vitamins to any of my dogs.


----------



## MillysMom (Nov 5, 2008)

Pointgold said:


> NuVet is a pyramid marketing scam, and generally used by millers and HVB's to void their "health guarantees" if you don't buy it, they void the guarantee. And NuVet tracks sales for the "breeder" so they can keep an eye on you. Miss your monthly purchase and too bad for you...
> Additionally, as mentioned, it's "snake oil". Claiming to prevent cancer, and cure everything...


I knew it was a pyramid scheme, but wasn't sure why it was so popular with millers and HVB until this. I always wondered how'd they know if someone didn't use it... this makes much more sense.


----------



## crh131 (Jun 1, 2010)

aww.. I don't think my breeder was a BYB, but V did come with Nuvet. I don't know if it is in his contract or not. I don't think I plan on buying anymore of them,..but since they are here, I give them to him. He likes them.

I either asked or did a search on them on here before I got him and didn't see anything harmful about them (that I can remember.)

Anyway, by breeder seems very caring and involved,..excellent pedigree's, clearances, etc. I do see it as a scheme all around to get more money,..but since I know that breeding is mainly "for the love"..I get they have to find a way to make a little more. 

I don't know,..I am not necessarily FOR Nuvet,..but I didn't make it a strike against my breeder for endorsing it.


----------



## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I had never heard about the vitamin c before reading this thread. I have given fish oil capsules to Brooks for years and recently bought a bottle of vitamins but then wondered if I should even give them to him as his food should provide all he needs.
I am going to start the glucosamine, am about to order from Puritan's Pride (recommended to me on another thread) as they are having a buy 1 get 2 free sale


----------



## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

My dogs get salmon oil, glucosamine, MSM, and Vitamin E, which aids in the absorption of the salmon oil.


----------



## MyCodyBoy (Sep 27, 2008)

vitamines are a scam in my opinion, especially if a dog is kibble fed.
I feed raw and would not even consider giving any vitamine to my dog.
The humans our the house don't take them either.


----------



## Golden123 (Dec 6, 2009)

What age should glucousamine start to be given and what dosage?


----------



## xSLZx (Jul 25, 2010)

Thanks for the replies!! The breeder only recommends it, we don't actually HAVE to purchase it from her. She just suggested vitamins and those were what she uses. But after reading this thread, i will definitely go with something else! Thanks everyone.


----------

