Conker's Food Prep: Supplements!

 Last post was about grain meals and how I plot and prepare one.

Today's subject is supplements.
An often debated topic in the canine nutrition world is supplements; what to use, how often, how many, or even at all. For a dog eating kibble, unless they show signs of a problem, they usually don't need a supplement. (If they do have a problem, they probably shouldn't be eating that kibble anyways.)

Conker gets a couple supplements for various reasons. Some of them are because I think they will help in the future, and others are for current conditions.
Right now Conker gets:

Salmon/fish oil: Supplies omega-3's which are basically non-existent in factory farmed meats. Also act as an anti-inflammatory and has been shown to promote heart health, amongst other things (Dunno how true those claims are, though. I have yet to read enough studies on it.) Conker gets one 1,000mg capsule a day. That seems to work well for keeping his skin and coat nice.
I have actually run out of these and ordered a ton from this place. They should get here relatively soon.

Vitamin E: If you supplement fish oils and there isn't Vitamin E in it, you need to add it. Omegas deplete the Vitamin E in the body and can cause problems if the two are not given together. I use low-dose capsules (around 100 IU) since I don't like to over-do stuff. Vitamin E is also an antioxidant.

Chicory Root: I saw an experiment on DesertWindHounds about chicory (contains inulin, a type of prebiotic) and did a little reading on it. I liked what I saw, so I gave it a shot myself. The results were spiffy; increased digestion with smaller and less smelly poop! I don't talk about it much but I really like this addition to Conker's diet.
Note: I tried two different kinds of chicory. Raw ground and roasted ground. There was very little change in digestion with the raw, so I tried roasted, and digestion improved greatly. It's cheap, and works best when grains are included.

Lithe Tea: I currently give Conker this stuff to see if it helps with his joints. It's an herb mixture, and honestly, I have no idea if it works or not. I still have more than half of the tin left, so a long time to continue the experiment before I make a decision. It smells nice though, and Conker doesn't think it's nasty so I make his oats with it.

Sardines/mackerel: I consider the canned fish a supplement since I include it for only one reason: Vitamin D. This vitamin is important for proper bone growth and regulates calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood. It's not something you should leave out. Conker needs about 1.25 ounces of canned fish a day to meet his Vitamin D requirements.

Coconut Oil: I use this when I feed The Honest Kitchen or a meal with little fat. It contains Omega-6 (not O-3) and I use it to boost fat content in a meal. Conker needs a lot of fat, and just 1 teaspoon adds enough.

Heavy whipping cream: Also a fat-booster. I add this to grain meals, or to THK, or to something Conker isn't quite fond of eating. I usually give him about 1 tablespoon or slightly less.

K-9 Glucosamine: I used this for some months last year as an experiment in how well it protected Conker's joints. I liked it and will probably use it again. You can see the review I did on it here.

Probiotics: When I switched Conker to raw foods I gave him one of these. I used one called Gentle Digest and it worked nicely to help get Conker's digestive system under control. I do not use one anymore since he is doing fine, but I keep some on hand for those just-in-case moments. You can read the review I did on this product here.

PlaqueOff: I didn't actually use this with Conker, it was for the Girls, but it worked in softening up the nasty tartar buildup on their teeth.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Not exactly a supplement, but I used this when Conker magically got two fleas from another dog as an experiment in prevention. I killed them before they could make more fleas though, so it's not exactly got a purpose anymore. I still use it, to see if it can actually do anything to repel them or not, but I am doubtful that it actually works.

And those are the supplements I use.


Tune in tomorrow for a post detailing how to use Nutritiondata to balance home-made dog food.