Do you know what vitamins are in your dog food? How about what vitamins are NOT in your dog food and do you need to supplement with additional vitamins and minerals. Even if the dog food says "complete" is it really? Also, if you are using a supplement is it complete and provides everything your dog needs?

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Vitamins are essential to life - they regulate metabolism and assist the biochemical processes that release energy from digested food and are the foundation of body functions. Some are water soluble which means they cannot be stored in the body so therefore they must be taken into the body daily - including Vitamin C and Vitamin B-complexes. Fat soluble vitamins can be stored for longer periods of time in the body’s fatty tissue and liver - include vitamins A, D, E, and K. Even though these vitamins are stored in the body, if the dog is on a restricted diet or is missing some of these essential vitamins in their feed the body will use up the storage and it must be replenished. If the vitamins are not replenished to adequate levels the dogs will begin to show signs of sickness and lackluster.

Most of the time all we hear about is Vitamin D, however Vitamin A is very important to a dog’s health and well being. One of the main benefits is it enhances the immune system and helps to heal gastrointestinal ulcers. It is needed for the maintenance and repair of epithelial tissues on the skin and mucous membranes especially if there is a wound.

Vitamin A in an antioxidant - helping to protect the cells against cancer and other diseases and necessary for new cell growth and slows aging. The protein in the feed cannot be utilized by the dog’s body without vitamin A. Vitamin A is very important in the formation of bones, teeth, aids in fat storage and protects against colds, flu, respiratory infections and infections of the kidneys, bladder, lungs and mucous membranes.

Does your dog have any of these skin problems such as: dry hair, dry skin, air loss, scaling and bacterial and fungal infections of the skin?

In dogs progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a genetic retinal eye disease common to all breeds and causes blindness and can lead to cataracts, but may be prevented and halted by the addition of vitamin A to the diets. To test for vitamin A deficiency pull out one of your dog’s hairs, if the hair has a sticky, goopy substance on the end, this is a strong indication your dog has a vitamin A deficiency.

Does your dog deserve a happy, healthy life free of sickness, illness and diseases that can often times be prevented by the addition of a complete natural supplement? I know my dogs do and so do yours.

Audra Jensen sees the effect of supplementation and what it does for her dogs. For more information on attaining a healthy dog visit http://www.totalsupplements.com/dogindex.htm

Socrates once said. "There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance." Our actions should be guided by this statement, especially where our dog’s health is concerned. When an illness strikes we rely on our doctors to cure us, however we fail to realize that "the cure" come from within. Nature has provided us with a wondrous immune system and all we have to do is feed this system and it will heal and maintain us for life.

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Research has shown that each part of the body contains high concentrations of certain nutrients, A deficiency of any one nutrient will cause the body part to malfunction and eventually break down - like dominos, other body parts will follow. If we do not give our dogs the proper nutrients, we can impair the body’s normal functions and cause great harm. Even if there is no sign of illness it doesn’t necessarily mean the dog is healthy, it simply may be that they are not exhibiting symptoms of illness yet. Often you will not see the signs of deterioration as they are so subtle and develop so gradually that they go unnoticed until the problem becomes serious then they want a "quick fix" which may fix the symptoms however not the problem.

What symptoms does your dog display? Are they signs of well-being or illness?

1. Do they have good energy levels with an even temperament even if the dog is old or are they legarthic, slow moving and lack energy and are irritable?

2. Are their skin and hair coat shiny with good elasticity or is the skin dry and scaly with a dull coat containing patches of hair loss?

3. Do they have bright clear eyes or are their eyes sunken, dull, and cloudy?

4. Do they digest their food completely with no stomach problems or do they have chronic diarrhea, feces have foul odor, difficulty maintaining weight, high stomach acid content causing ulcers, acid reflux and bleeding?

5. Are they able to withstand the rigors of weather and have stamina or do they have increased diseases and infections affecting their well being and comfort levels?

Many dog owners feed foods that are processed and/or cooked (as most senior feeds are) thus destroying most of the nutritional value. The use of pesticides and other toxins in the environment compromises the dogs health along with the over use of antibiotics, the use of corticosteroids, vaccinations, wormers and just the air we breath (smog and exhaust fumes).

Much of the feeds are stored for a length of time and the nutritional value is decreased as many of the nutrients are lost due to age, heat, and time. Good nutrition is the foundation of good health. Everyone needs the four basic nutrients - water, carbohydrates, protein and fats - as well as vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other micronutrients. The first four are the basis for a good diet, by getting the other nutrients - which are essential for life - the body can utilize the first four for maximum performance and functioning.

Take a look at your dog and decide if they are missing something in their diet and need a good supplement to supply the missing nutrients and give them the quality of life they deserve.

Audra Jensen sees the effect of supplementation and what it does for her dogs and the decrease in feed costs and vet bills. For more information on attaining a healthy dog, visit http://www.totalsupplements.com/dogindex.htm 

Are you curious whether or not your pooch is pregnant? Good thing there are a few signs and symptoms that are available for you to find out. Have you been noticing that your dog has been on heat? Normally, dogs obtain sexual maturity as early as 6 months or as late as 16 months, depending on the dog and its breed. This often means that they will be able to get pregnant. However, professionals advise that before a dog should get pregnant and give birth, she should be no less than 18 to 24 months old. That’s the best time to see the pregnant dog symptoms on your pet.

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Outward signs can monitor two stages of heat, although the degrees of success may vary with different situations. When the dog’s ovaries are preparing to release eggs, it is called pro-estrus and that is the first stage. If you notice that her vulva, which is her external sex organ becomes swollen. Normally, this is coupled by a bloody discharge. If you see these pregnant dog symptoms, then that means your dog is in the first stage. At this time, the males will want to mate, but she won’t allow it. Licking herself will also be more prominent, and this will go on for around 9 days, give or take 3 days.

The stage that follows is when she becomes fertile. This will be prominent for around 2 to 20 days. Eventually, her discharge will come in a lighter shade and her vulva will be less swollen. The most prominent difference is that she will now allow the male to mate with her. This phase will be over when she no longer allows the male to mate with her. This may also means that she is already pregnant or probably, the heat phase of her cycle has passed. Female dogs cycle twice every year on an average.

It is difficult to tell if your dog is pregnant. So the best way to find out is to visit your vet and make sure. For about twenty days before conception, an experienced vet will be able to tell if your dog is pregnant by feeling the dog’s abdomen. Around 25 days after breeding, fetuses will be detectable by a vet via an ultrasound. Forty-five days after breeding, the number of puppies can be determined with the help of an x-ray machine. Normally, a dog’s pregnancy will last 63 days on the average. Although there could be a variation at times, some dogs may give birth as early as 54 days. Some may do it as late as 74 days.

If you’re asking what the pregnant dog symptoms are, one prominent change you’ll notice is their affection towards the family and other people. A number of pregnant dogs will become very affectionate and clingy. Some may even become very possessive. There are dogs that do the opposite too. They become anti-social, a big difference when they were normal. Still others become cautious with regards to strangers and even to some familiar non-family members, despite the fact that they were once very friendly.

Another change in your dog will be its appetite. For newly pregnant dogs, it is normal for them to lose their appetite for some time. Then later on, after around 3 weeks, they might vomit and go off their feed for around a week or less. After around 5 weeks into the pregnancy, the dog’s appetite will rapidly increase. By the time she is ready to deliver, she will be requiring twice as much food. Then, even as she is newly pregnant, she may want to adopt certain things around the house. This is normal, as she tends to become possessive, not only with humans but with inanimate objects as well.

Lastly, a number of dogs, just like most people, find pregnancy to be very tiring and exhausting. This is the reason why most of them will go to sleep or rest more often than usual.

A few dogs may undergo false pregnancy stages too. This happens even if they have not mated. Up until birth, the symptoms will be the same, with the possible exception that their abdomen won’t become round, unlike when they are pregnant. Around 10% of dogs will need hormone treatment in order to resolve their false pregnancies. Therefore, the best way to find out whether or not your dog is pregnant is by going to a vet.

More exciting information about dog, please head on to http://www.guarddogtrainingonline.com where you can also find the shocking truth about dog food allergies

Everyone has heard that dogs shouldn’t eat chocolate but has anyone heard of onion toxicity?

There are a number of foods that can create serious health problems for your dog and unfortunately not many people of aware of this. These foods include cooked as well as uncooked chocolate, onions, bones, mushroom, macadamia nuts, garlic, avocados, grapes, raisins, and all spicy or greasy foods.

Photo: worldcommunitycookbook.org

Most pet owners have, at one time or another, fed their dog foods containing onion such as pizza, hamburger, general table scraps or gravy. A small amount is not likely to cause a problem since onion toxicity depends on the quantity of onion ingested. However, onions in any form including cooked, raw, dehydrated or powdered can create a serious life-threatening form of hemolytic anemia in dogs.

All red blood cells carry a protein called hemoglobin which delivers oxygen to our tissues and organs and our dog’s tissue and organs. Onions contain a substance called thiosulphate which dogs and cats are unable to digest. Garlic also contains thiosulphate but in much lesser amounts. Thiosulphate causes oxidation of hemoglobin in your dog’s red blood cells, which then forms lumps and weakens the cell membranes. These lumps, called Heinz bodies, protrude from the cells and eventually cause the cell to rupture and die. When enough red cells are destroyed the body becomes starved for oxygen and goes into a state of anemia.

A decrease in the red blood cell count can cause a multitude of health problems for your dog including heart failure. The number of cells destroyed usually depends on the quantity of onion consumed. However, some dogs have developed serious reactions even after eating just a small amount of onion. Furthermore, small amounts of onion fed over an extended period of time can create illness just as a one-time larger dose can, due to the gradual accumulation of Heinz bodies.

Sometimes it takes several days for symptoms to begin to appear. Symptoms include but are not limited to: vomiting, weakness and lethargy, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, cyanotic (pale or bluish) gums, blood in the urine or feces urine, decreased appetite, jaundice, and rapid heart rate. Severe onion toxicity can be fatal for your dog.

If you suspect your pet has onion toxicity contact your vet immediately. If the onion ingestion was recent, intravenous fluids are generally a sufficient treatment. If the state of anemia is severe, a lengthy hospital stay and a blood transfusion might be needed.

Using common sense is the best way to prevent onion toxicity in your dog. Onions are very common in many human foods including even baby foods. Onions can be found in everything from sandwich meats, fast foods, spaghetti sauces, salsas, gravies, to vegetable juice. Check the ingredients carefully in any table scraps before giving them to your dog. Never add onions in any form to homemade dog food recipes. Lastly, make sure your garbage is kept covered and dog-proofed.

Please visit my website for more information on dog nutrition and homemade dog food recipes.

Jen Moore is a pet health expert on ezinearticles. Look for other pet health related issues at http://my-dog-has-fleas.com/