Does my dog need vitamin D3 supplements when there's less winter sun?

It is very rare for dogs to suffer from lack of vitamin D provided they are fed a good quality complete diet. Unlike in humans, who can synthesize Vit. D by getting enough sunshine, dogs usually get all their needed Vitamin D via their diet. Insufficient Vitamin D levels can lead to congestive heart failure. There would be an increased risk of complications due to heart disease and bone disorders such as osteomalacia and rickets. So feed a good quality complete feed and your dog should be getting adequate amounts of Vitamin D in his diet.

As long as your dogs are getting a high quality dog food, you do not need to give them any vitamins. Their food will provide all the vitamins they need. You can give them glucosamine, which is a dietary supplement that helps with joint health. Typically it's given as 20 mg/lb of body weight, and you can find canine glucosamine tablets at the pet store. One of the most important things to do is have yearly vet health checks for them to make sure everything is ok. Be sure to keep up to date with their vaccines, flea treatment, deworming treatments, and heartworm treatments. Also have regular dental cleanings done with the vet. Just like humans, dogs need their teeth cleaned, and severe dental disease can lead to other problems such as liver abscesses and endocarditis from bacteria traveling from the mouth via the bloodstream. I hope this helps!

Truth be told, no pet needs multivitamins if they are on a high quality dog food. Because unlike people, pets eat a well balanced diet day in and day out; therefore supplementation without any underlying deficiency present, will lead to over-supplementation and possible negative effects. I would refrain from giving your pet any vitamins or vitamin b complex unless he has a detected iron deficiency anemia or other known deficiency that has been verified by your veterinarian. Also just to add, most true supplements don't contain any harmful chemicals. I hope that your pet Baloo does well moving forward. Best wishes and take care!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! As you pointed out, they may be eating poop due to a deficiency of vitamins and minerals. Please remember that sometimes this is behavioral in nature. You can consider adding a multi-vitamin to their daily regimen. You may find these online or at your local pet store. If adding this, you would not have the need to feed them more which would likely result in weight gain. Good luck!

If you feed a good quality puppy food, you shouldn't need to supplement with additional vitamins. Any excess will typically be excreted in the urine. If you feed a homemade diet, vitamin supplementation is recommended. Review the ingredients with your vet to confirm proper dosing.

Good morning Ms Yeung! I would not give this supplement to Mochu if it contains D3. Too much vitamin D can be toxic to dogs, as it causes hypercalcemia (increased blood calcium) which can lead to kidney failure, haemorrhage, and tissue mineralization in the heart, liver and kidneys. She will be getting all the vitamin D she needs from her food, and too much will not be good for her. It's fine to give her Omega 3 supplements, but make sure they don't contain extra vitamin D. With the omega fatty acids, she can have 1,000 mg fish oil containing 300 mg of EPA/DHA combined for every 30 pounds of body weight. I hope this helps :-)

Yes, if you switch your dog to a home cooked diet you will definitely need a vitamin supplement. The skin and coat supplement is fine to continue using. https://www.amazon.in/Drools-Absolute-Vitamin-Tablet-Supplement/dp/B01L1MTXNU/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3VRQLI5YGJ4FA&dchild=1&keywords=dog+vitamin+tablets&qid=1587911262&sprefix=dog+vitamin%2Ccomputers%2C599&sr=8-6