According to the APPA (American Pet Products Association), supplements and over the counter medicines account for nearly $15 billion of the $62 billion pet industry.
Though many consumers see supplements as an easy way to feed their dogs their vitamins, a healthy diet is the optimum way to meet your dog’s nutritional needs.
Any vitamin or mineral that your dog needs in his/her diet can be found in raw meats, bones, organs, eggs and animal fats (for instance, magnesium is found in raw eggs). The raw diet alone provides everything essential for your dog to live a long, healthy life.
Let’s take a look at some of the pitfalls of feeding commercial supplements.
Poor Quality Ingredients
Non-organic ingredients have far less potency and are simply not worth investing money in. For example, turmeric’s potency is greatly lowered when it’s grown using pesticides and herbicides. The same is true for any natural supplement that wasn’t organically grown, allowed to fully mature before being harvested, and that wasn’t sourced responsibly.
A Lack Of Necessary Inhibitors
Turmeric is also an example of an ingredient in commercial supplements that needs inhibitors (pepper and a source of fat) to be absorbed properly by the body instead of being flushed by the liver.
Without pepper and fat turmeric is discarded once it reaches the liver. This means that supplements that contain turmeric yet don’t contain its inhibitors are rendering the turmeric ineffective and it simply becomes a filler.
Unnecessary Ingredients
Plant matter (such as herbs) wreaks havoc on a carnivore’s digestive system because the acids within their gut lack the ability to break down a plant’s cell walls. Yet, many pet companies add a variety of plant matter to their supplements (and foods).
Plant matter is an ingredient that is cheaply sourced by companies and has become common within the dog’s diet, yet doesn’t do the body good.
Note: Turmeric powder is an exception to the plant matter rule because of its ability to incorporate itself into cell membranes. Dried kelp is another exception.
Less Healthy Than Food
Supplements cannot provide all of the benefits and nutrients derived from whole foods. All vitamins and minerals should be consumed through their natural sources.
Whole foods also provide unique combinations of nutrients that support digestive function and heart health.
Side Effects
Commercial supplements can also pose adverse side effects. For example, feeding unnatural amounts of vitamins can cause health problems as serious as liver damage.
Unknown Risks
Supplements are not held to the same safety regulations as medications. The manufacturers are responsible for ensuring each supplement’s safety before it is available to consumers. Because of this your dog may experience unexpected side effects, particularly if the supplement contains questionable ingredients or was marketed in a misleading way.
What then can you feed your dog instead in place of commercial supplements? A raw diet of meat, bones and organs (along with plenty of variety) is the single best way to ensure that your dog is getting the nutrition they need to live a long, healthy life.
I do also recommend making your own turmeric golden paste out of organic ingredients, feeding deep sea dried kelp, giving a healthy amount of omega-3s through a quality fish oil and feeding eggs for a natural boost of vitamins and minerals.
RECIPE: Turmeric Golden Paste Recipe