Pet Corner

Should you give your pets mega doses of supplemental nutrients or is it better to offer them smaller amounts closer to what is seen in nature and which over time will maintain better health? There are advocates on both sides of the question.

I have worked with specialists who use supplements, but don’t start until they can prove there is a deficiency. Following the diagnosis, the doses of supplements are much larger than anything I would normally consider using. At the point of a proven deficiency, I think the mega doses are worthwhile. I just prefer using smaller doses before such a deficiency can develop.

In the apparently healthy animal that just doesn’t seem to have the same hair coat or the same energy that it once had, small doses seem to be a great way to go. This approach can provide necessary nutrients to the cells and the mitochondria that may be missing in some of the dog foods, since not all foods are created equal.

We see more of the problems with the cheap dog foods since the ingredients, while providing the basics, may not have all the antioxidants and other molecules that support real energy and that slow aging.

In the human animal we are now told that we should eat 9 to 13 servings of vegetables and fruits daily. Even with that knowledge, our population is suffering from obesity on a never before seen level. The sad part is I see the same thing in our pet population. If the food is a little low on one essential amino acid, the animal will eat enough to satisfy that need, which means it will get much more than what it needs of the other nutrients. Supplementation can make a real difference in the life of your pet, even when feeding higher quality foods.

With small-dose or large-dose approaches, either can be done by using single source supplements such as acetyl-L-carnitine, Co-Q10 and taurine, or it can be done with formulas that put multiple supplements together in one package such as RejuvaPet. With a product such as RejuvaPet, low-dose therapy is easy and covers a multitude of problems. Consider that this supplement can support increased energy, provide antioxidants, support detoxification and support hormonal metabolism. The first three supplements (acetyl-L-carnitine, Co-Q10 and taurine) support muscle function, cardiac function and cognitive function. Having had very good results in many dogs, I can recommend either of these approaches, the single supplement given separately or the combined supplement formula for ease of administration, depending on what is needed.

Consider the low-dose approach to supplementing for those pets that have some problems showing up on their blood profiles, but nothing specific that can be treated with typical Western medicine. So many problems that age seems to create are helped with low-dose supplementation and may help slow the aging process.