In this next installment of Pet Care Tips During Tough Economic Times I discuss the use of vitamins and supplements.
Of course you want your pets to be in the best health possible, but with these tough times where you have to pick and choose what is absolutely necessary, you may be wondering if all those expensive vitamins and supplements you purchase monthly are necessary? Well, this depends on many factors.
The first step, as always, is making sure your pet is healthy by scheduling an exam with your veterinarian. Based on this evaluation, your vet will determine whether or not it is worthwhile to purchase any of these "extra" supplements. If your pet is deemed healthy and is eating a good quality appropriately balanced diet, they are already getting all the vitamins and nutrients they need to be in top health. A healthy pet does not need any extra supplements. If you do give extra supplements, your pet will just get rid of all the extras in the urine or feces and all the money you spend on these supplements is literally going to waste. This is likely the case for most young to middle aged pets.
Now, for those of you that have self diagnosed your pet with a disease based on the signs you see at home and what you read online and think you are saving money by not going to the vet, think again. Self treating with what you can find in the pet care aisle is likely not saving you any money in the long run and most importantly you may be jeopardizing the health of your pet. The longer you wait before going to the vet, the more your pets disease worsens and the less chance there is for an easy fix or recovery.
Finally, many of these products do not contain the quality or quantity of the nutraceutical they claim to have. This has been proven before when these products have been randomly tested. Your veterinarian can provide guidance as to what products you should trust. They may be a little more costly but this is because they actually contain the quality product you expect to give your pet and have extensive quality controls to make sure it is consistent.
So the next time you are walking down the pet store aisle or looking at pet products online and something catches your eye, write down the name and ask your veterinarian whether it is worthwhile to give to your pet. You wouldn't spend your hard earned cash on something that is not needed, may not even work or even worse, may be harmful to your pet, right?
