The best multivitamin for dogs – Chicago Tribune

If your dog’s diet needs a nutritional boost, consider adding a multivitamin made just for dogs. Canine multivitamins can promote better health by improving levels of essential vitamins and minerals in your canine companion’s diet. This guide will tell you all you need to know about the best multivitamins for dogs. Our top choice is Buddy & Lola Multivitamins for Dogs. These chicken-liver vitamin tablets taste great to dogs and contain a perfect balance of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
Considerations when choosing multivitamins for dogs
Formulation
The majority of multivitamins for dogs come in tablet form. More often than not, these are chewable tablets with a meat flavor to encourage dogs to eat them. Otherwise, make sure the needed nutrition is already contained in your dog’s food or in a high-value treat. You can also find powdered and liquid dog multivitamins, which are designed to be mixed with food.
Vitamin and mineral content
Check what vitamins and minerals are contained in any dog multivitamins you’re considering. Some are tailored toward dogs with particular needs, such as senior dogs or dogs recovering from an illness, but others contain a blend suited to dogs of all life stages.
Other beneficial additives
In addition to vitamins and minerals, some canine multivitamin tablets have more beneficial ingredients. Common additions include probiotics, digestive enzymes, omega fatty acids, and antioxidants. It makes sense to choose a multivitamin with some of these ingredients instead of giving your dog multiple supplements.
Features
Palatability
What’s the use of a multivitamin for dogs if your four-legged friend won’t eat it? Choose a palatable option, preferably with a meat flavor or similar. Otherwise, you may struggle with getting your dog to eat it regularly.
Dosage
Always check the dosage before you start giving your dog a new multivitamin supplement. Since dogs vary widely in size, so does dosage. With multivitamin tablets, you may give your dog anywhere between half a tablet and two tablets, depending on their size.
Dairy-free
Lactose intolerance is extremely common in dogs. As such, dairy ingredients — milk, whey, or lactose — can cause unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms. Choose dairy-free multivitamins unless you’re certain your dog doesn’t struggle with dairy.
Price
Multivitamins for dogs can cost anywhere between $5 and $50, depending on the quality and the size of the pack. It’s best to compare the cost per tablet or per dose (if not in tablet form) to get an idea of the value for the money.
FAQ
Q. Do all dogs need multivitamins?
A. Not every dog will necessarily benefit from multivitamins since commercial dog food contains a blend of vitamins and minerals already — if you feed your pet a high-quality commercial food, they should be getting all the nutrients they need. However, dogs on a raw or home-cooked diet may benefit from a multivitamin to make sure you’re covering all the nutritional bases. Some senior dogs or dogs who have been unwell might require a boost from vitamins and minerals. Dogs can have too much of some vitamins, so consult your vet before you start your dog on their new multivitamin tablets.
Q. Can I give a dog human multivitamins?
A. No, only give canine multivitamins to dogs. Too much of certain vitamins can be dangerous for dogs. Human multivitamins are designed to meet the nutritional needs of humans, which are different from those of dogs. What’s more, they could contain sweeteners or other additives that may be harmful to your canine companion.
Multivitamins for dogs we recommend
Best of the best: Buddy & Lola Multivitamins for Dogs
Our take: Contains a blend of vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, and antioxidants in a palatable package.
What we like: Great for dogs of all ages, but especially seniors. Features 34 vital nutrients for dogs. Can improve joints, digestive health, and more.
What we dislike: Some small dogs struggle with the tablet size.
Best bang for your buck: ProSense Multivitamin for All Life Stages
Our take: These affordable canine multivitamins are suited to dogs of all ages, from puppies to seniors.
What we like: Approved by the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC). 90 tablets last up to 180 days, depending on the size of your dog. Palatable chewable tablets.
What we dislike: These vitamins contain dairy, which can upset some dogs’ stomachs.
Choice 3: Wholistic Pet Organics Canine Complete Multivitamins
Our take: An all-in-one supplement containing a selection of enzymes, antioxidants, probiotics, and fatty acids in addition to vitamins and minerals.
What we like: Made in the USA using raw, natural ingredients. Regulated by the NASC. Powdered formulation can be mixed in food.
What we dislike: Pricier than some similar options.
Lauren Corona is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money. BestReviews never accepts free products from manufacturers and purchases every product it reviews with its own funds.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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