Healthy Dog Blog

Published on Thu Apr 25, 2019 - 3 min read

Published by:

Bryan Bradford

Just as diet and nutrition play an essential role in our health, they do the same for our pets. Pets are family too so we know how important picking the right supplements can be but with so many to choose from picking the right one can be challenging. The proper diet and supplements can make all the difference to your pets’ health by taming allergies, maintaining a healthy coat, while also protecting their heart, eyes, and joints.

Many times, people and pet supplements look similar, but you should resist the temptation to use people supplements for pets. Pet supplements often have specific dose requirements and specialty ingredients to help with your pets’ unique needs. Here we look at the top supplements for dogs with proven benefits they can feel.

Use all-natural pet food. The pet food industry has had much controversy in recent years stemming from the greater focus on quality ingredients in both people and pet foods. For quite a while, pet products were full of preservatives, artificial flavors, and instead of quality protein, they contained animal by-products, ground up bones, corn gluten or worse. At the Sunflower Shoppe, we go beyond even premium pet foods and offer a comprehensive line of natural and organic pet foods. Looking at the label, you’ll notice meat, often human grade, in the first ingredients instead of fillers. The benefits of top-quality pet foods are the same you’d expect from eating an all-natural diet yourself: better digestion, fewer food allergies and fewer allergies in general, better weight management, less inflammation, as well as a longer and over-all better quality of life1.

Multivitamins give your dog the building blocks they need to be healthy. Soil depletion of nutrients is a real problem for people and pets. As the vitamins and minerals no longer in our food in adequate quantities to remain healthy, a multivitamin is a great choice no matter your dog’s size or age. Dog fact: Smaller breeds need more vitamins because of their much faster metabolic rate2.

Fish oil was initially used for pet allergies, but we now know it does so much more3. The omega-3 fats in fish oil are anti-inflammatory and help make cells more permeable4. Without omega-3 cells become rigid and inflamed and are unable to absorb nutrients or get rid of toxins5. An omega-3 deficiency can abolish the benefits every other healthy thing you do for a pet6. Getting enough omega-3 ensures your pet has healthy joint function7, a healthy disease-free coat, lower stress, and anxiety while protecting nerves, eyes and the heart^8,9.

Hip and Joint Formulas support joint health and ease stiffness. If you notice your dog, especially as they age, struggling to move as they used to a joint supplement may be what they need. Look for formulas with glucosamine which can slow down joint wear, stimulate joint rebuilding, and decrease pain10. Chondroitin and MSM may also help by stimulating collagen and hyaluronic acid production10. Anti-inflammatories such as turmeric11, boswellia12, and ginger13 can round out a great hip and joint formula.

Probiotics can help if your dog is suffering from digestive issues like diarrhea, constipation, gas, or food and seasonal allergies14. A recent study showed that probiotics strengthen dogs’ immune systems and help prevent infections15. You’ve seen some of the things dogs can stick their noses in…let’s just say their stomachs are a constant battleground between good and bad bacteria – probiotics are an excellent way to help win that fight.

CBD. Yes, your dog will love it too! Just like in humans, all mammals have an endocannabinoid system where CBD does all of its healthful magic. With its seemingly endless benefits, CBD has the capability of enhancing all the other beneficial supplements your dog is taking. For instance, CBD helps to 1. Reduce fearfulness and anxiety16.
2. Reduce pain17. 3. Help with bowel diseases and digestion18. 4. Treat epilepsy and seizures19. 5. Help treat cancer20. There are several mechanisms at work here, but CBD has these benefits primarily because it balances the immune21 system and reduces inflammation22.

You do have to be careful where you buy your CBD. Not all CBD is equal with several companies not having what they claim on the label23. With all the buzz about CBD oil lately Sunflower Shoppe is glad to offer a complete lineup of tested and verified authentic CBD infused pet products.

We hope our healthy tips keep your fur kiddos in tip to shop for years to come.

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Published By:

Bryan Bradford

Bryan Bradford is the lead nutrition specialist, Certified Health Coach and Chief Nutrition Officer and one of the founding family members of Sunflower Shoppe.

Healthy Dog Blog

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