Dogs require 14 different vitamins.With only a few exceptions,dogs don’t make the vitmins themselves,which means the vitamins must be supplied in the food .

Vitamins participate in numerous chemical reactions that help to release the needed nutrientsfrom the dog’s food and help the dog’s body to put those

nutrients to use.Vitamins can be either water-soluble or fat-soluble.

WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

The water-soluble vitamins have to be supplied on a daily basis,because they are continually broken down and excreted.They include the following.

• Thiamin(vitamin B1): Promotes a good appetite and normal growth.Required for energy production.
• Riboflavin(vitamin B2): Promptes growth.
• Pyridoxine(vitamin B6): Important in the metabolism of proteins and in the formation of red biood cells.
• Pontothenic acid: Required for energy and for protein metabolism.
• Niacin: A constituent of many enzymes that process carbohydrates,proteins,and fats.
• Vitamin B12: Necessary for normal DNA synthesis and intestinal function.
• Folic acid: works together with vitamin B12 and in many of the body’s chemical reactions.
• Biotin: A compount of several important enzyme systems.
• Choline: Require for proper transmission for never impulses and for utilization of sulfur containing amino acids.
• Vitamin C: Participates in the formation of bones,teeth,and tissue.

The daily requirements for each of these vitamins are supplied in premium dog foods.Generally,an excess of these water-soluble vitamin is harmless beacouse

they are readily excreted in the urine.But as long as your dog is eatting a high-quality complete and balanced commercial dite and is completely healthy,you

don’t need to worry about supplementing her diet with water-soluble vitamins.

FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

The fat-soluble vitamins don’t have to be supplied in the food every day beacouse excess levels are stored in your dog’s body fat.Beacouse they are stored for

months in the body,these vitamins can accumulate to toxic levels.However this is very rare.

Here are the fat-soluble vitamins our dog needs:

• Vitamin A: Necessary for proper vision,especially night vision.Important in bone growth,reproduction,and maintenance of tissues such as the lungs,

intestines,and skin.

• Vitamin D: Critical to the dog’s ability to use calcium and phosphorus for bone and cartilage growth and maintenance.
• Vitamin E: An antioxident that protects the cells(and dog food) from oxidative damage.Especialy important for muscular and reproductive function.
• Vitamin K: Essential for normal blood clotting.

The Controversy over vitamin C

Possibly the most conroversial water-soluble vitamins is vitamin C.   severe illness.For example,in one study,racing sled dogs supplemented

Many breeders and dog owners claim that vitamin C helps reduce  with vitamin C were able to run father and remain more stress-free then the incidence and severity of bone and joint problems such as hip    their partners who received a placebo.So,in growing,ill,or hard-working dysplasia in large,fast-growing breeds of dogs,but there is currently                    dogs,supplying vitamin C as a supplement may be helpful.

no scientific research to confirmthis.Unlike humans,dogs synthesize their own vitamins C,so many nutritionists believe there is no reason . The only problem is we don’t know how much vitamin C a dog requires

to add it to a dog’s food.   for health and how much a healthy dog is able to synthesize.if you decide to give your dog vitamin C,don’t feed her megadoses.A dose On the other hand,there may be circumstances in which dogs are not               of 500 milligrams a day is fine for small dogs and 1000 milligrames a able to synthesize sufficient vitamin C,either genetically or in cases of      day will suffice for large dogs.