Being curious creatures dogs might ingest your vitamins which might be a problem. Multivitamins can be harmful to your dog when ingested in larger amounts. Consuming a human vitamin can give your dog an excess of that vitamin which may not be good for the dog.
Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Iron are some components in the multivitamins which cause poisoning.
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Common Symptoms of Human Vitamin Ingestion by Dogs
There are some common symptoms that the dog will show on ingestion of a multivitamin. Those are:
- Vomiting or nausea
- Drooling
- Lack of Appetite
- Abdominal Discomfort and constipation/ Abdominal swelling
- Increased thirst and urination
- Weakness/ fatigue
- Muscle tremors or seizures
- Fever
- Shock/Collapse
- Agitation and rapid heartbeat
- Lameness/ Paralysis
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These are some symptoms which may vary depending upon the type of vitamin that has been ingested by your pet.
What to Do If Dog Ate Multivitamin
The dog may require different treatments depending on the poisoning. He may need hydration followed by medication, fluids, and antibiotics.
It is thus important to call a vet in any such case.
Prenatal vitamins are the most dangerous for dogs. These are high in iron and can lead to iron toxicity. Likewise, vitamin D supplements can increase calcium and phosphorus levels. These increased levels can lead to permanent heart and kidney problems. Thus, Vitamin D supplements are equally dangerous too.
However, some other vitamins and supplements like fiber are less serious. It is, thus, important to know which multivitamin has your dog ingested before you visit a vet.
Precautions to Follow
To avoid any case of vitamin poisoning, the following steps should be taken.
- Do not feed any human vitamin supplement to your dog.
- All multivitamins should be kept at a height which is not accessible to your dog.
- The top of the bottles should always be closed to prevent any spilling.
- Always know the names and strength of all your vitamins.
- The above is applicable to all the other medications too.
- Do not try and induce vomiting on your own.
- Take your dog to the vet immediately.
Vitamins for Dogs
Before you decide a supplement plan for your dog, it should always be supervised by your vet. Supplements can upset the nutritional balance in dogs in some cases. Proper research is always recommended. See what your dog really needs and check the ingredients.
A dog only needs a vitamin supplement when he has been diagnosed with a deficiency. A dog who is on a homemade diet or eats less can also be in need of supplements.
Dogs who consume a good well-balanced diet will not need multivitamins. All the dog food which are available in the market provide good nutrition. Multivitamins can cause more harm than good in dogs who eat a proper well-balanced diet.
Multivitamins can even cause toxicity in the body. It is important to do thorough research before setting your dog up on a multivitamin. And no, your dog can not supplement on human multivitamins. Those are poisonous for your little pooch.
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Can Probiotics cause side effects in dogs as well?
Probiotics may cause a side effect in dogs but in rare cases. Some dogs may be allergic to these probiotics. Notice for signs and symptoms like itching, difficulty in breathing or swelling of the tongue. Take your dog to the veterinarian immediately.
Also, probiotics which are of low quality and manufactured by inferior companies may be harmful to your dog. They are much cheaper and may cause some serious problems like dehydration, vomiting, and diarrhea in dogs.
Clearly, probiotics do have health benefits and if chosen properly may help in promoting the dog’s health to a great extent.
However, Multivitamins do have benefits as well. Read below to see what good can multivitamins do to your dogs.
Positive Effects of Multivitamins for Dogs
Multivitamins help in boosting your pet’s overall energy. They benefit your dog’s heart, liver, eyes and overall immunity.
Your pet will be able to fight off diseases with the increased immunity from these multivitamins. Multivitamins often contain fish oil or biotin which improves the skin as well and gives a healthier coat. This reduces shedding and gives a shinier coat.
Multivitamins, in short, promote the overall well-being of your dog.