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