Hi I have an 11 week old lab puppy and was wondering what supplements I can give him, hes on wainswright puppy wet food 1 1/2 packs a day and gets hill's science plan dry food 1 bowl a day. Was going give him a tin of sardines a week or if anyone has any better suggestions as to a supplement for him? Thanks Darren
Re: supplement Why do you give them supplements ? First time puppy owner here and I am clueless to it all ! Lol
Re: supplement The food you're giving him is probably just fine from a nutritional perspective but if you wanted to add variety then tinned sardines are certainly a good option My dog has always had a tin a day for his dinner (he is 2 though, not a puppy). Another thing you could add would be a raw, whole chicken wing a few times a week. That's great for their teeth (for teeth cleaning).
Re: supplement If you want to give very small amounts of sardines etc using these as training treats is very effective - eg, reward a great puppy recall with a bit of sardine from a tub. If you mix tasty things into kibble you soon might get a puppy that won't eat kibble on its own.
Re: supplement First time puppy owner too thank you for the replies - couple of my friends have older dogs and one of them gives them cod liver oil and another gives them a tin of sardines every week - might try the tin of sardines a week and see how he likes it
Re: supplement I feed supplements to my nearly grown up dog, and lots of older dogs get them. Puppies don't really need them, I don't think. But he'll love sardines, for sure!
Re: supplement I squidge salmon oil on Tatze's food - one squidge per meal. It gives her a super shiny coat.
Re: supplement I also add a 5 ml spoon of Cod Liver oil once a day on Hattie & Charlie's food, great for their joints, coats and general well being x
Re: supplement [quote author=Boogie link=topic=6064.msg78790#msg78790 date=1400410478] I squidge salmon oil on Tatze's food - one squidge per meal. It gives her a super shiny coat. [/quote] It most certainly does.... I started giving Dexter the My Beau supplement ,my friend gives it to her dogs and I was just being a bit of a sheep really and following her... He did ok on it but after a runny tummy bout,I got him right and when I reintroduced it he was upset again,it was probably only a coincidence but I cut it back again and never retried.....the RC has got omega 3 and 6 in it so I'm relying on that as sufficient .....whilst he's got a beautiful coat the blondes just don't get that choccie and black shine !x
Re: supplement Ha Angela, that's true isn't it? Never noticed it to be honest. Meg now has glucosamine and chondroitin, and Denes greenleaf tablets. It's for stiffness, arthritis, removes toxins and because she has itchy skin sometimes, its good for that too. Did run it past our vet before I gave it to her and she gave the ok. Must say since she's been on it she has got loads of energy and doesn't scratch any more.
Re: supplement I am guilty of probably over supplementing my two doggies. They both have: cod liver oil/omega 3 oil capsuals (i vary it depending what is cheapest to buy at the time) for healthy coat and skin apple cider vinegar with garlic juice for general health and wellbeing Salmon oil for coat and skin again Seaweed powder for good pigmentation and thick coat growth Billy no mates which is their herbal flea repellent Barley also has: Riaflex for his joints vetzyme conditioning tablets for his coat and maintaining a steady weight Piriton for his allergies Puzzle also has: Fresh breath tablet especially needed after she has eaten tripe Multi vitamin tablet just to make sure that she is getting all the essential vitamins and minerals she needs as she is fed on DIY raw Sp i still stand by the fact that i probably do over supplement them, but at the moment puzzle's coat is in great condition, it has a lovely shine to it and feels ever so soft and subtle so all the supplements must be doing something good. And barley, well he is still currently in full moulting mode so his coat is not the best.
Re: supplement Annabel, sorry - can't help myself. You're right, you are over supplementing. A balanced diet is all any dog needs (medical reasons aside); exactly this same same as humans. Apart from health reasons (allergies etc) you're wasting your money and not improving your dogs health one jot. Sorry to be blunt, I'm not too good at being pink and fluffy - no offence meant I assure you. Even if you're feeding raw, if you're giving enough meat, bones, offal and vegetable material you'll be fine Darren; balanced diet = no supplements required. Any fish oil may make their coats shinier but it's aesthetic, it has absolutely no bearing on their health. And nothing wrong that I hasten to add. And don't feed fish oil until,they're 6-9 months old. There are a lot of good resources on the Internet on supplements; canine and human they all say the same thing.
Re: supplement [quote author=gad link=topic=6064.msg79017#msg79017 date=1400440217] Darren; balanced diet = no supplements required. Any fish oil may make their coats shinier but it's aesthetic, it has absolutely no bearing on their health. There are a lot of good resources on the Internet on supplements; canine and human they all say the same thing. [/quote] I disagree, fish oils are extremely good for dogs health as advised by our vet Doctors recommend fish oils for humans too for joints etc.
Re: supplement Annabelle, what does Puzzle and Barleys raw diet consist of, maybe you don't need so many supplements? How are your GCSE's going? x
Re: supplement [quote author=charlie link=topic=6064.msg79026#msg79026 date=1400441374] [quote author=gad link=topic=6064.msg79017#msg79017 date=1400440217] Darren; balanced diet = no supplements required. Any fish oil may make their coats shinier but it's aesthetic, it has absolutely no bearing on their health. There are a lot of good resources on the Internet on supplements; canine and human they all say the same thing. [/quote] I disagree, fish oils are extremely good for dogs health as advised by our vet Doctors recommend fish oils for humans too for joints etc. [/quote] Sorry, but you're simply wrong. There have been no long term studies (over one year) that support fish oil supplements, specifically Omega 3 Fatty Acids, that support your vets claims. In fact, the long terms affects are highly questionable. Omega-3 fatty acids play important roles in brain function, normal growth and development, and inflammation. Deficiencies have been linked to a variety of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, some cancers, mood disorders, arthritis, and more. But that doesn’t mean taking high doses translates to better health and disease prevention. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines are rich in these omega-3s. Some plants are rich in another type of omega-3 fatty acid and good sources of these are flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and canola oil. For dogs, give them the fish as part of their diet. So, to reiterate, balance diet - no supplements required.
Re: supplement So do I not believe a qualified vet and doctor? Are you either of those Gordon? I did not say I give high doses, I give 5ml each day, and I am not naive enough to think it translates to better health and disease prevention but it might just help a little and if I am happy to pay for it then that's my choice and it doesn't make me wrong.
Re: supplement [quote author=charlie link=topic=6064.msg79029#msg79029 date=1400441630] Annabelle, what does Puzzle and Barleys raw diet consist of, maybe you don't need so many supplements? How are your GCSE's going? x [/quote] Only puzzle is on raw at the moment but barley will be on it eventually once he has finished the backload of food we have. Puzzle has a 2 week rota of her raw diet for her evening meals: Monday 1: beef with a bone such as chicken carcass, lamb ribs or spines, pig trotters, they are the main bones she has from the butcher Tuesday 1: Other meat, depends on what we have at the time, at the moment it switches between venison and hare, this is accompanied by wither rabbit ears, wing tips, pigs ears, pigs tails, pig snouts or cow ears Wednesday 1: tripe, we vary from which animal as it depends on where we get if from, the variations are beef, lamb or buffalo Thursday 1: White meat such as chicken or turkey with a bone, different from the bone she had on monday Friday 1: Fish, either herring or sprats Saturday 1: Beef with a bone, same again different from thursday so she has more variety Sunday 1: Hearts, again depending on where we get them from it vary's between chunks of beef heart, chunks of buffalo heart, chicken hearts or lamb hearts along with a bone Monday 2: Pre-made stuff such as Natural instinct, Nutriment and nurturing by nature is what we switch between using at the moment Tuesday 2: White meat with a bone Wednesday 2: Tripe Thursday 2: Beef with a bone Friday 2: Fish, different from the type she had the previous week Saturday 2: white meat with a bone Sunday 2: pre-made stuff/ other meat depending on what we have in the freezer This does change as we can not guarantee that the stuff we want is in stock when we want to get it, but that is a rough guide as to her evening meal menu. For breakfast she has the same each day: 1 chicken foot, 1 duck foot, 1 fruit cube, 1 vegetable cube, 1 minced offal cube. And just to list the benefits of each supplement now that i have them infront of me: the seawed powder (kelp powder) has amino acids that support tissue repair and strengthens the immune system. The apple cider vingear is for general all round health and helps with mobility The vetzyme conditioning tablets help maintain a good coat, ideal for use during time of illness and stress, helps support the immune system and helps guard against nervousness The riaflex premotes mobility, improves joint comfort and supports musclar condition Salmon oil also strengthens the immune system, gets barley to eat his food as he is a fussy eater ( and helps flavour his pills) and premotes general all round health The Billy no mates is a natural alternative to chemicals for flea repellant. barley has had bad reactions to normal spot on treatment before and our vet recommended this to use to keep flea's at bay The cod liver oil/omega 3 also helps with joints which was also vet recommended. And gordon i disagree with you on what you have said, i am improving my dogs health and it is doing them good, and certainly is not doing them any harm. Fish oil is not just aesthetic for people, it is good for dogs as it can help relieve dry itchy skin in dogs which makes the dog more comfortable. And helen, i have only had one exam so far, but the rest are all kicking of this week (and so is study leave)
Re: supplement I think Gordon was saying we can provide these 'supplements' in the diet without needing to add oil to the food? Having worked for a vet I am wary of supplements as I know too much can be damaging to health, ie too much calcium for puppies and cod liver oil. Helen, not all vets know everything
Re: supplement The evidence for supplements (I am referring to certain fish oils as joint supplements) is, I believe, mixed. It may be a mistake to claim it definitively one way or the other. And certainly not strong enough to be combative about. I spent a great deal of time asking the opinion of a very experienced canine physiotherapist, the staff at Greyfriars rehabilitation, my vet (who also runs an orthopedic referral service) and Charlie's orthopedic surgeon. I summarise the views as - it's a bit like buying good quality face cream, you may regret it if you don't. And for a dog with a particular risk (as my dog is), everyone one of them said if he were their dog, he'd be on supplements. So, he is.
