When it comes to buying supplements for your greyhound, there are dozens of brands and different supplement kinds on the market.
You simply need to look through any popular greyhound magazine or website to see the myriad of products being advertised to help your hound to become a prize winner!
Many supplements are designed specifically for working dogs that participate in races, while others are intended more for stay-at-home pets. Either way, there are countless multi-vitamins, electrolytes, and amino acid supplements available, and we are here to tell you how to choose between them.
Getting your dog back to good health can be as quick and easy as playing a round of Australian online pokies!
Why Supplements are Necessary
The primary reason that you would want to use a supplement is to treat dietary deficiencies that may arise through an insufficient or processed greyhound diet. These dogs’ bodies need a full complement of vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and trace elements.
If they do not receive enough of all of these nutrients, their bodies may not function at their optimal capacities and could leave them open to health issues later in life.
How much of each nutrient your dog needs will depend on numerous factors. They include its age, workload, current health, stress levels, and also its general physical condition. Puppies or growing dogs might need certain concentrations of minerals or vitamins, and a brooding female will also require different nutrients.
It is a good idea to speak with your vet or an animal nutrition professional to determine exactly how much of each major nutrient group your dog needs to thrive.
Multi-Vitamins and Minerals
A very common supplement you will find for greyhounds is a multi-vitamin and mineral combination. Multi-vitamin and mineral supplements can prevent most deficiencies and ensure that a dog is getting enough of all of the necessary nutrients easily.
Ultimately, such a supplement can also save you money as you won’t have to buy many separate supplements or treatments. Dog trainers often use vitamin injections, calcium supplementation, and electrolytes for their animals when just a multi-vitamin will do the same job!
Electrolytes for Active Dogs
Not many animals need supplementation with electrolytes, and giving a greyhound too many electrolytes could result in dehydration. Make sure that you detect any possible deficiencies before you supplement by performing a simple blood test on your dog. This will tell you which electrolytes it is lacking so that you can feed it those specific nutrients to correct the imbalance.
It is usually potassium that is low, and this is a crucial mineral for good muscle function and recovery. Dogs that have electrolyte imbalances are often in poor shape, struggle to run distances, breathe heavily after running, and drink and urinate quite a lot after physical activity.
Essential Fatty Acid Supplements
The fats available in dog food are not always the best sources for your greyhound. Hounds with lacklustre coats or skin conditions like eczema can often benefit from taking an oil-based supplement that contains omega-3 and omega-6. Many professional trainers will simply use animal fat in their dogs’ diets, but there are many proprietary formulas out there that contain improved fatty acid concentrations.
Specific Supplements for Deficiencies
Nutritional deficiencies in greyhounds can also be treated with some very specific supplements. Occasionally, a professional might use iron, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium in isolated preparations.
You may also consider supplementation if a blood test shows that your dog is deficient in any of these components – but remember to check before supplementing! Giving a greyhound an excess of nutrients can be just as harmful as a deficiency, so always take the road of caution when it comes to your hound’s health.