One of the things that intimidated me about this diet initially was reading long, detailed lists of what some people supplemented wth on a daily basis. Discussions about whether powdered Icelandic kelp was better that Pacific kelp, or the proper temperature to store flax seed oil, or what vital nutrient would be missing if one fed Brand A fish oil versus Brand B didn’t help one bit! Once I realized the huge array of bio-available nutrients supplied by the raw foods alone, I relaxed and started to apply some common sense to supplementation.
I use supplements in moderation to be sure I am covering all the nutritional bases. Most of my dogs take whole fish oil and E gel caps readily like treats. I use ground meat for phoebe’s supplements, making up a couple of days worth of little supplement-filled meatballs at a time. I feed all supplements with their meals.
For the supplements I do use I buy house brand, human supplements rather than pricier, boutique-y types and find they work just as well. Whenever possible I purchase natural rather than synthetic. One caution: don’t use one of those canine vitamin/mineral all-in-one supplements, especially with a growing puppy – at least not until checking out a particular brand carefully. Many contain calcium, and you don’t want to overdo that because it can cause joint problems with growing puppies.
Certain health issues, like Phoebe’s arthritis, may warrant extras. She gest added glucosamine/chondroitin with MSM with Her evening and it works well to relieve pain. But remember: there is an incredible array of beautifully balanced nutrients in a fresh raw diet. The diet along provides a wealth of nutrients and unlike commercial food and supplements; they are fresh and easily assimilated. Do not be tempted to overdo supplements, you can actually do harm by feeding too many added artificial vitamins and minerals.
Just know that you do not have to give your dog 59 vitamins a day. Many raw feeders use none at all.
To learn more about the benefits of a raw diet for your dog, purchase Raw Dog Food from Whole Dog Journal.
