Like humans, even our fur family needs the right nutrients to live a healthy life. While feeding dogs a raw diet is a great place to start, simply relying on raw meat and bones isn’t enough. Your pup needs a well-balanced meal containing essential supplements to ensure they get their dose of nutrients.  

While other components are also necessary, vitamin E is one of the beneficial ones.  

Vitamin E oil offers countless health benefits to dogs. But how does it affect your canine’s body? Which sources are the best? And how should you feed it to your dogs? Read on to find out everything about vitamin E for dogs.  

What is Vitamin E?  

Vitamin E is an essential supplement for both humans and dogs. It is a fat-soluble nutrient and a natural antioxidant.  

In oil form, vitamin E is known for healing wounds and injuries with topical application. Some other names for this nutrient include:  

Vitamin C is also known for preventing oxidation in polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats are also an essential supplement for dogs. More commonly, they are known as omega-3 fatty acids.  

A major source of omega-3 fatty acids is fish oil. But you might have noticed that most fish oils come with vitamin E. The main reason for incorporating vitamin E is that they prevent oxidation.  

You can also find vitamin E as a preservative in various dog treats that contain natural ingredients.  

What are the Sources of Vitamin E?  

Vitamin E can be sourced from so many edibles, such as almonds, avocados, wheat germ oil, salmon, etc. However, not all human foods are safe for your canine friends.  

Fortunately for you, we have compiled a list of safe sources of vitamin E for dogs. Let’s take a look:  

While the cod liver and salmon are excellent sources of vitamin E, they contain heavy metals, which aren’t healthy for your dog. The best option is to use wheat germ oil, which contains the highest vitamin E concentration.  

Sardines are also a good option, as they contain a blend of nutrients that can benefit your dog’s health in the long run. As per anecdotal evidence, using sardines as a supplement improves your dog’s skin and coat.  

Some other natural sources of vitamin E that can easily be found in your kitchen pantry include the following:  

How Vitamin E Impacts Your Dog’s Health 

Now that you know about the safest sources of vitamin E oil for dogs let’s understand why this supplement is essential for your fur babies.  

Let’s start by getting a basic understanding of the relationship between free radicals and antioxidants. 

Lipids and proteins are essential supplements that every dog needs. When your dogs get the right ingredients into their system, their cells remain healthy. However, when there is a chemical imbalance, free radicals form, which eventually starts destroying nutrients.  

As a result, oxidative stress is created. With prolonged oxidation, the cells start sustaining damage. This can trigger several diseases in dogs, including the following:  

Since vitamin E is an antioxidant, it can limit oxidative stress. The components of vitamin E oil slow down the cell injury process, which helps prevent the diseases listed above.  

Health Benefits of Vitamin E for Dogs 

Now that we know how vitamin E helps lower oxidative stress in dogs, let’s take an in-depth look at all the health benefits of vitamin E for dogs:  

Improves Vision 

Free radicals are known for damaging eye tissue which can lead to macular degeneration and cataracts. But using vitamin E oil prevents this process from occurring, thus protecting your doggo’s eyes.  

In most dogs, ageing is also a factor that takes away their vision. As your dog grows older, you might notice that its eyes start getting cloudy. This is a sure sign that your canine is getting cataracts. But if you start giving your dogs antioxidants (read: vitamin E) from a young age, it will automatically slow down the ageing process.  

Nourishes Skin and Coat 

Vitamin E is a nourishing ingredient that can add sheen and lustre to your dog’s coat. So, if your dog’s fur is starting to look a little dry, vitamin E oil can help.  

Additionally, vitamin E can provide temporary relief if your dog has contracted any allergies that make it itchy. So, if you see your dog scratching uncontrollably, you can use vitamin E oil. But remember that it will only provide a soothing effect temporarily; you will need to visit your vet to find the root cause.  

One of the main reasons vitamin E is preferred for relieving dry and itchy skin is its moisturizing properties. The hydrating soothes dry and flaky skin and also helps with healing scars. Vitamin E oil targets visible rashes and dry, itchy, and sore spots on your pooch.  

Thins Blood 

The effect of vitamin E on your dog’s cardiovascular health is still under research. However, limited evidence suggests that it can thin the blood to prevent clotting. As a result, the heart’s ability to pump blood throughout the body becomes more efficient.  

However, if your dog already has thin blood, consult your vet before you start adding vitamin E to their diet.  

Boosts the Immune System 

The health and well-being of your dog completely rely on the immune system. Without a well-functioning immune system, your pooch is more likely to fall sick.  

Providing essential supplements is necessary to ensure your doggo’s immune system stays strong. While you can use several supplements, vitamin E oil is among the best.  

We already went over how oxidative stress can cause diseases. In doing so, the defences of the immune system are also lowered. Other factors, such as pollution, harmful food ingredients, etc., also play a role in elevating oxidative stress.  

Fortunately, using vitamin E prevents oxidative stress because of its naturally antioxidant nature. So, if your dog isn’t getting enough vitamin E in their diet, it’s high time that you start adding it to its meals to ensure its immune system stays strong and functional.  

Improves Fertility  

Low fertility in dogs may be a result of vitamin E deficiencies. For pet parents ​with low fertility pups​​​, vitamin E oil is the ultimate supplement that may ​​help improve their sperm count.  

According to studies, supplementing your dog’s diet with vitamin E for 60 days straight in appropriate dosage can improve fertility considerably.  

​​The results are even better if​​​ vitamin E is introduced alongside other antioxidants, such as vitamin C, beta carotene, and selenium​​.  

Enhances Muscular Function 

One of the biggest signs that your dog is happy and healthy is when they’re up and about and ready to play. But a deficiency of vitamin E can lead to muscular dysfunctionalities, such as white muscle disease. In this disease, the cells die prematurely, which affects your dog’s muscular function. But getting the right dose of vitamin E oil can prevent the peroxidation of lipids, thus enhancing muscle function.  

Tips for Using Vitamin E Oil for Dogs 

Although vitamin E oil offers countless health benefits to dogs, using vitamin E oil made for humans isn’t recommended. Instead, you should try to find formulas that are made specifically for dogs. In this case, oral consumption is harmless, provided the oil is administered using the appropriate dosage.  

As for topical application, here are some tips you can follow:  

What is the Right Vitamin E Dosage for Dogs?  

If you’re planning on supplementing your dog’s diet with vitamin E, ​you must get​​​ the dosage right.  

Ultimately, the amount of vitamin E appropriate for dogs depends upon the size and weight of your pup. But if your dog’s food already contains vitamin E, there is no need for any more addition.  

Typically, it is recommended to give dogs 200 to 400 IU of vitamin E oil in one day.  

Concerns Regarding Vitamin E Oil Use 

Now that we have established that vitamin E is beneficial for dogs and can be used topically and orally let’s look at some important factors that must be considered when supplementing dog food with this nutrient.  

Never use synthetic vitamin E oil. While artificially created vitamin E oil may work on humans, it can have the opposite effect on dogs. Only supplement your pup’s diet with a vitamin E formula made especially for dogs.  

As mentioned earlier, vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient. That’s why it is important that you always provide the supplement to your dog with food.  

If you’re using fish oil for dogs, consider using one ​containing​​​ vitamin E. If fish oil lacks vitamin E, it might not be able to function as it should. In fact, it might even cause harm. This is also the reason why most fish oils for dogs already contain vitamin E.  

Never exceed the recommended dosage of vitamin E oil for dogs. Since it is fat-soluble, it is stored in liver fat. Consequently, an overdose can lead to bleeding disorders and blood clotting. Some common symptoms of vitamin E overdose include the following:  

If you notice any of the symptoms listed above, contact your vet right away.  

Find the Best Natural Vitamin E Supplements at Raw Paws Emporium  

Vitamin E oil for dogs is amongst the most widely used and beneficial supplements of all. Since it is a natural antioxidant, it prevents oxidative stress, which helps improve vision and keeps your dog’s health in check by strengthening the immune system.  

Research also indicates that vitamin E oil also thins the blood to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, its hydrating properties provide relief to dry and itchy skin. The nourishing components of the oil also revitalize your pup’s coat, making it appear shinier and healthier.  

If you’re looking for a place that has dog-safe vitamin E supplements, your search is over! Raw Paws Emporium contains high-quality vitamin E supplements. Whether you need wheat germ oil or fish oil with vitamin E infusion, we have it all.  

We only partner with high-quality brands that offer organic products for cats and dogs. Our store also contains raw food, healthy treats, toys, and more. Shop now to get all your doggy essentials delivered to your doorstep for free. You can also visit our store at Unit 2, The Point, Swallowfield’s, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL7 1WL.