Have you ever wondered where vitamin B for dogs eating a raw diet comes from?
Let me put your mind at ease with these top 13 sources of vitamin B for dogs, listed below. So long as you’re feeding a proper raw diet full of rich sources of B vitamins and your vet confirms that your dog is in good health, then you’re on the right track.
“Vitamin B” actually refers to more than one vitamin, since there are a total of eight different B vitamins.
B vitamins are important for their ability to help turn other nutrients into energy, supporting nerve function, liver function, skin health, eye health, etc.
Types of B Vitamins
B vitamins are water-soluble vitamins that are considered “essential,” meaning that your dogs must get them from their diet because their bodies cannot make them on their own.
The B vitamins that make up the vitamin B complex include:
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
- Vitamin B3 (niacin)
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B7 (biotin)
- Vitamin B9 (folate)
- Vitamin B12
These eight B vitamins have similar roles and chemical properties, yet unique functions. For example, vitamin B6 is needed for memory, energy and blood flow, while vitamin B12 is needed for adrenal health, metabolic functions, DNA synthesis and hormonal balance.
Benefits of Vitamin B for dogs:
- Formation of Blood Cells and Nerves
- Help Fight Heart Disease
- Energy and Metabolic Support
- Healthy Brain and Nervous System
- Skin Health, Muscle Tone and Hair Growth
- Formation of Blood Cells and Nerves
B vitamins like vitamin B12 are essential in the production of blood cells in your dog’s bone marrow and for forming nerve sheaths and proteins. Vitamin B is also needed for neurotransmitter signaling, which helps your dog’s muscles contract and gives them energy.
- Help Fight Heart Disease
While heart disease isn’t common in raw fed dogs, vitamin B9 (folate), vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 have been found to play a role in the prevention of heart disease, as well as other chronic diseases like certain cancers.
- Energy and Metabolic Support
B vitamins are needed for cellular metabolism and energy production, and the repair of DNA and RNA throughout your dogs’ lives, and for utilization of proteins and fats, which fuel your dogs’ bodily processes, and various metabolic processes, such as the synthesis of fatty acids.
- Healthy Brain and Nervous System
B vitamins are needed to help to produce neurotransmitters in your dog’s brain, which carry chemical signals throughout their entire body.
B vitamins like vitamin B7 may be able to boost a positive mindset, energy and increase concentration. B6 vitamin benefits also include helping with proper brain development and brain function.
- Skin Health, Muscle Tone and Hair Growth
Because B vitamins support cellular rejuvenation, they are beneficial for your dog’s skin, nails and hair. B vitamins can boost your dog’s skin health by reducing redness, dryness, inflammation, dermatitis, eczema and acne blemishes. They also help repair wounds and support your dog’s immune system.
Top Foods for Vitamin B for Dogs
Which foods are rich in vitamin B? The top 13 vitamin B foods include:
- Organ meats (liver, kidneys, etc.)
- Wild game meat (elk, deer, etc.)
- Grass-fed meat
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Halibut
- Sardines
- Other wild caught fish (the smaller the better)
- Eggs from pastured hens
- Pastured chicken
- Pastured turkey
- Lamb
- Raw milk (never processed in any way)
Feed your raw fed dog the following foods to provide them with each specific B vitamin:
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine) foods —liver
- Vitamin B2 foods — liver, grass-fed beef, mackerel, eggs
- Vitamin B3 foods — liver, chicken, beef, salmon, sardines
- Vitamin B5 foods —meat, organ meats, salmon, beef, raw milk, and eggs
- Vitamin B6 foods — chicken, turkey, fish, grass-fed beef
- Vitamin B7 foods — meat, eggs, liver, salmon
- Vitamin B9 foods — eggs
- Vitamin B12 foods — fish, organ meats, poultry, meat, eggs, raw milk
Vitamin B deficiencies, symptoms and conditions:
- Anemia
- Anxiety
- Bleeding gums
- Cognitive impairment
- Confusion
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Dry skin
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Mouth sores
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath
- Weakness
Risk factors developing vitamin B deficiency can include:
- Feeding low-quality meats and organs
- Chronic stress
- Feeding and overall poor-quality diet
- Poor absorption of nutrients due to impaired gut health
- Age impaired digestion
- Malnutrition
- Intense training and exercise
- Life changes or events that may cause stress, like traveling, moving, etc.
How to Avoid Vitamin B Deficiency
This single best way for your dog to get the level of B vitamins that they require each day is through eating a nutrient-dense, raw, whole-foods. A raw diet consists of 80% muscles meat. Grass-fed meats will provide your dog with higher levels of nutrition. A raw diet also consists of 10% secreting organs. Organs are the single best source of vitamin B for dogs. When feeding a proper raw diet of these foods, supplementation is not needed.
If your dog is lacking B vitamins in their diet, you need to increase the quality of the meats and organs that they’re eating, instead of adding a synthetic supplement.
Correct Dosage of Vitamin B for Dogs
How much vitamin B does your dog need to prevent a vitamin B deficiency?
Always check with your vet before making a change to your dog’s diet, especially if your dog suffers from any illnesses or diseases.
While different sources note different dosages, below are some general estimations that you should confirm with your vet.
- Vitamin B1(Thiamin) – 0.01 mg/lb.
- Niacin – 0.12 mg/lb.
- Vitamin B2(Riboflavin) – 0.05 mg/lb.
- Vitamin B5(Pantothenic Acid) – 0.1 mg/lb.
- Vitamin B6(Pyridoxine) – 0.01 mg/lb.
- Folic Acid – 0.002 mg/lb.
- Vitamin B12(Cyanocobalamin, cobalamin) – 0.00025 mg/lb.
- Biotin – 0.001 mg/lb.
Precautions of Vitamin B for Dogs
Feeding high-dose supplements of vitamin B for dogs should be avoided, since this can potentially lead to side effects, including nerve damage, numbness, tingling, elevated liver enzymes and potentially increased risk for certain types of cancer.
I don’t recommend supplementation for several reasons including the fact that pet supplements are unregulated.
The single best way to provide your dog with the vitamins they need is through whole, raw, meats, bones and organs.
As stated above, if your dog is in need of more B vitamins, you need to search out higher quality meats and organs from grass-fed animals. The nutritional values of animal products that are from grass-fed animals as compared to commercially raised animals, is astounding.
If you’re feeding eggs, you should be feeding eggs from pastured hens. Cage-free hens are confined, not pastured. They live the same lives as caged hens. They just have a little more room to move around. Eggs from pastured hens are a must in my book. My dogs get them daily.
As for feeding fish, you want to feed the smallest fish in the food chain. The larger the fish, the more mercury and other chemicals they contain. So, the smaller the better.
As always, variety is a key element of a superior raw diet. Feed as much high-quality variety as you can!