Most commercial pet foods provide the minimum amount of nutrition to maintain adequate health. Factor in the contamination of our environment along with the chemical additives in many commercial products and it is clear that excellent health cannot be sustained with minimal nutrition. Many home prepared diets are not well-balanced and the amount of nutrition the body requires is hard to get through food alone. In addition, our soils are not as fertile as they once were. Thanks to commercial farming and agrochemicals the soils have degraded over time.
Many recent studies show that individual nutrients at supplemental dosages (higher than those found through diet alone) have significant effects on the prevention and treatment of a number of diseases and even serious illnesses such as cancer and heart disease.
A supplemental program should be based on the individual needs of the animal and it’s always best to get input from a qualified practitioner because it is possible to create health problems due to over supplementation. The breed, overall health, age, activity level, diet, stress and other factors must be considered when designing the program. Supplements come in powders, capsules, and tablets. The easiest way to give supplements to animals is to mix it into the food at the time of feeding. Powders are mixed directly into the food at the time of feeding. Capsules can be opened and mixed into the food, and tablets can be crushed and mixed into the food. In addition, if the animal will take it, they can be given directly by mouth.
Remember, when thinking about making changes to improve health, the first step is to improve the diet because high quality, wholesome foods are the basis of nutrition and overall health. A healthy, balanced diet is the foundation which will be supported by everything else.