What Vitamins are Important for My Pet? – Scientific Diet Service at Cummings College

Whereas you’ll have heard us say “pets want vitamins, not components,” what precisely are these important vitamins? Right here’s a breakdown of all of the important vitamins based on the  Affiliation of American Feed Management Officers (AAFCO) which might be required for meals to be referred to as full and balanced for grownup and rising cats and canine. Included are additionally hyperlinks to different weblog posts that describe a few of these vitamins and why they’re important.

Protein and Amino Acids

Whereas the quantity might differ between canine and cats, and between adults and seniors, all pets have a minimal requirement for protein to make muscle within the physique and assist in many vital physique features. Amino acids are the constructing blocks of protein and there are roughly a dozen important amino acids along with a minimal of total protein that every one pets want:

• • Arginine
  • Histidine
  • Isoleucine
  • Leucine
  • Lysine
  • Methionine
  • Cystine
  • Phenylalanine
  • Threonine
  • Tryptophan
  • Valine
  • Taurine (cats)

Fat and Fatty Acids

All pets have a minimal quantity of whole fats that they want of their weight loss plan and there are additionally some particular forms of fatty acids which might be additionally required for various lifestages. Total fat and particular forms of fatty acids assist your pet preserve a wholesome pores and skin/coat, regulate irritation, and assist in growth in rising pets.

• • Linoleic Acid
  • Arachidonic Acid (cats)
  • Alpha-Linoleic Acid (development)
  • EPA + DHA (development)

Minerals

 Minerals, a few of that are additionally referred to as electrolytes, are important to holding fluid steadiness, rising and sustaining bones, and serving to to manage many processes operating in a pet’s physique, corresponding to motion of muscular tissues. The quantities required can differ between rising and grownup animals, and there’s additionally a required ratio of sure minerals corresponding to calcium and phosphorus for optimum well being, particularly for rising giant breed puppies.

• • Calcium
  • Phosphorus
  • Potassium
  • Sodium
  • Chloride
  • Magnesium
  • Iron
  • Copper
  • Manganese
  • Zinc
  • Iodine
  • Selenium

Nutritional vitamins

 Cats and canine require lots of the identical nutritional vitamins as we do (apart from Vitamin C, which they’ll make themselves!), however the quantities may be very totally different. One instance is Vitamin D, the place canine want lower than 1/10^th the quantity that people do, so we’ve to be very cautious about utilizing human merchandise (or any dietary supplements for that matter!) in pets to keep away from poisonous quantities of vitamin D. Nutritional vitamins carry out many features within the physique from supporting the immune system to breaking down meals for vitality, and are both water soluble (the B nutritional vitamins) or fats soluble (nutritional vitamins A, D, E and Okay). The important nutritional vitamins for canine and cats are listed under with frequent alternate names that you could be see in your pet meals ingredient lists.

• • Vitamin A (retinol)
  • Vitamin D (cholecalciferol)
  • Vitamin E (tocopherol)
  • Vitamin Okay (phylloguinone, cats)
  • Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
  • Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
  • Niacin (Vitamin B3)
  • Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
  • Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
  • Folic Acid/Folate (Vitamin B9)
  • Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
  • Choline

 The place Can I Go To Be taught Extra?

 In case you’d wish to be taught extra concerning the precise quantities required of those vitamins in several lifestages and species, booklets are additionally obtainable on-line from the Nationwide Useful resource Council with extra particulars on every of those important vitamins for canine and cats.

How Do I Know My Pet Is Getting All These Vitamins?

Meals which have AAFCO dietary adequacy statements that state they’re full and balanced have to incorporate all these important vitamins and keep between the minimal necessities and any maximums. Offering further by way of dietary supplements may very well hurt your pet as a result of it’s possible you’ll unknowingly be offering a poisonous quantity of some vitamins which have slender security ranges! We suggest solely giving dietary supplements with any of those important vitamins when beneficial particularly by your veterinarian.

Deborah E. Linder, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Diet)

Dr. Deborah Linder, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, is the top of the Tufts Weight problems Clinic for Animals and has had articles seem in Consuming Nicely, the Boston Globe, AARP, SHAPE, and XM Sirius Radio Physician Channel. She has spoken at nationwide and worldwide conferences and a Capitol Hill briefing, and is an skilled in pet weight problems, diet communication, and within the human-animal bond.