Has your dog just shifted to a raw diet? If they’re eating raw muscle and organ meat along with bones, they are enjoying a healthy meal. But do they need something extra to enhance their current diet?
Many pet parents have raised such concerns. If you’re in a similar boat, you’ve come to the right place.
Most dogs can strive off meat-based diets with bone just fine. You don’t really need to add the supplements, but doing so will only enhance their diet and make them healthier.
If you want to add that oomph factor to your pup’s diet, keep reading to learn about which supplements can enhance their meals.
4 Essential Supplements to Enhance Raw Diet
Here are the top 4 supplements that you can give to your dog alongside raw food to ensure they get extra healthy nutrients in their bodies:
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Fruits
Fruits are essential sources of vitamins that can help boost the immune system. And since they contain polyphenols, fruits make excellent supplements for dogs.
Adding seasonal fruits to their diet ensures they remain safe from environmental stress and toxins. And because of the presence of polyphenols, fruits can reduce chronic inflammation, which often leads to several health conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, and allergies.
But be sure only to use dog-safe fruits, and steer clear of avocados, cherries, tomatoes, and grapes.
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Vegetables
Vegetables are an excellent way to enhance your pup’s diet. As more and more benefits of vegetables for dogs come to the forefront, experts are leaning towards the conclusion that adding them as part of your dog’s daily diet is the best way to keep their health in check.
Besides offering vitamins and minerals, vegetables also contain high quantities of fiber. Fiber is known for being an excellent supplement that improves your pup’s digestive health.
More specifically, it feeds the gut flora in the large intestine, ultimately improving digestive tract health.
Without veggies, your dog will be missing out on some of the most vital nutrients needed for a healthy life. Ideally, vegetables should take up approximately 5 to 10% of the entire diet. There is a long list of healthy vegetables that your dog can enjoy, but kale and broccoli should be at the top because of the presence of a large number of polynutrients.
Fun fact: most dogs in the wild usually eat the stomach contents of their prey, which contains a substantial amount of vegetation.
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Omega Fatty Acids
Both omega-3 and 6 fatty acids are essential supplements for dogs that keep the immune system in check.
Omega-6 is known for increasing inflammation in the body to promote cell growth. However, this inflammation should be controlled. If it rapidly increases, it can lead to some dangerous health conditions, such as diabetes, arthritis, and obesity. That’s why omega-3 fatty acids are used, as they help reduce and control the inflammation produced by omega-6 fatty acids.
While your dog can get their fill of omega-6 fatty acids from the raw food they consume, balancing it out with omega-3 supplements is important.
Fish is the best source of adding omega-3 fatty acids to your dog’s diet; that’s why many pet owners prefer using fish oil.
There are other options you can try if the smell of fish gets too much for you or your dog isn’t a fan. Hemp seed and flax seed are other equally effective substitutes.
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Eggs
Dogs require 10 essential amino acids, and eggs contain all 10.
It is perhaps one of the best supplements to enhance raw diets. These are especially useful for dogs that aren’t too keen on experimenting with different kinds of proteins. Since eggs also contain protein, they can add all the nutrients your pup needs to live a healthy life.
But the benefits of eggs don’t stop there. Eggs contain a long list of vitamins, including:
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Riboflavin
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Folate
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Vitamin A
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Vitamin B12
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Selenium
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Iron
The eggshells are also great sources of calcium. You can give them to your dog in powdered form to avoid choking hazards.
Find Natural Supplements at Raw Paws Emporium
Raw food for dogs is the safest choice, but supplements are important to ensure your pup gets all the essential nutrients.
At Raw Paws Emporium, you can find a wide range of natural and healthy supplements that will enhance your doggy’s diet. Call 01707 952160 for more details.