Cat Supplements and Vitamins - Does Your Cat Really Need Them? Written by Moses Wright - Submitted by Member Kathy M.

As long you provide a well balanced and healthy diet for your pet, it is rare that your cat would need additional vitamins. Your cat's nutritional needs can be easily obtained from good quality lean meat and a small percentage of plant based fiber and therefore it is unlikely that you would even need to give your cat fiber supplements. Veterinary experts report that there is an increase in the number of diseases and illnesses reported in domestic cats over the last few decades since more owners turned to cheap, mass produced cat food when it was introduced on the market. Thus, it is worth your while to spend just a little more on a diet which sustain a cat's genetic feeding needs, compared to the alternative of hefty price tags that vets charge.

You should also bear in mind the ingredients and manufacturing process that would affect the supplements your cat takes. For instance, with manufacturers that maintain a policy for only using organic ingredients, there will be greater assurance that the supplements you are giving your cat contain no dangerous chemicals or hormones, compared to supplements manufactured from products from intensively farmed animals or sprayed crops. Although you may have the good intention of boosting your cat's health with cat liquid vitamin supplements or Brewer's Yeast, it's important to know what vitamins your cat lacks before administering them.

Should your cat fall ill, there are many healthy options available to boost your cat's immunity to combat disease. Supplements are also readily available and help improve your cat's coat and skin as well as boost the general well being of your cat. However as with any other treatment or care, it is essential to consult your vet before you give your cat any supplements.

It would be useful to give the vet a detailed record of your cat's daily diet to help ascertain what vitamins your feline might be lacking in. The vet would be able to make a more informed clinical analysis on what ails your cat.

Secondly, the dosages for various supplements can vary from product to product and it's important to know if any supplement you're thinking of giving is likely to make any existing condition worse or mask the condition's symptoms.

Factors such as the age of your cat will be taken into consideration when vets prescribe supplements. For example, with cats that are getting on in years, it may be necessary to think about treatments and supplements for arthritis or bone conditions. This will provide mature cats with a better quality of life in their later years and keep pain under control. On the other hand, kittens would benefit more from products designed to boost immunity and encourage bone growth and density.

Moses Wright is the webmaster of CatCustomer.com. He provides more information on Cat Health, Cat Veterinary Diseases and Cat Nutrition that you can learn in the comfort of your home. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

Visit your veterinarian annually for an exam and vaccines.

Give your dog a heartworm pill once a month, year-round.

A high quality diet of 80% dry food, supplement with vitamins is recommended.

Give your dog a treat of a tough, dry biscuit; low-calorie is better for your dog's tooth hygiene. Brush and rinse teeth at least twice a week.

Clean ears once a week.

Use dog shampoo for the body and human baby shampoo on the head. Control fleas and other external parasites. Check your pet for ticks, and remove them immediately.

Exercise your dog 3 times a day.

Start training your puppy at 10 weeks of age.

Pilling a Dog: Holding pill between index and middle fingers, press down on lower jaw; place thumb of other hand behind large fang tooth and press up on roof of mouth. Push tablet far down dog's throat. Remove fingers, close mouth quickly; tap underside of chin.

Giving Liquids: Put one dose of medicine in small bottle. Pull out lip at corer to form pocket. Pour in liquid, in small amounts; as patient swallows, add more medicine to pocket. Elevate nose only slightly to prevent liquid from entering air passages.

Choosing the Right Dog Food: Today dogs still require a balanced diet, and the best dog foods provide a lot of different ingredients, carefully supplemented with all the required amino acids (protein), fats, and carbohydrates, as well as essential vitamins and minerals. A high quality diet of 80% dry food is recommended. Commercial foods are far superior to diets composed of ingredients found in our kitchens. Ask your veterinarian for the best-recommended food for your dog.

Dry Dog Food: These foods contain eight to ten percent water and are a mixture of cereals, meat by-products, and vegetable protein (soy) combined with vegetable and animal fats, vitamins, and minerals. The best dry foods are expanded foods. That's because dogs taste the fat on the outside and like it better because of their content. They also feel full sooner because the food is bulky. Their dry, rough texture helps keep the dog's teeth and gums in good condition. To accustom a dog to self-feeding, keep a large pan of food in his/her feeding place at all times.

Semi-moist Foods: These foods contain 25 to 30 percent water and are balanced with high-protein foods. Although they look like meat, they are composed mostly of meat by-products, soybean, cereals, and chemical agents added to prevent spoilage and keep the product moist. They cannot be used for self-feeding, dogs may overeat.