Does your Dog need Supplements?
Today I have a post from Eric, who is just as much a dog lover as me. Here he talks about his dog Rex and how the whole family came to love him and find that he needed just a little extra TLC.
I am not sure the words have yet been created that can properly describe the joy, comfort, and love that our family dog, Rex, has brought into our lives. Although he has always been considered a family dog, I like to think the bond he shares with my son has developed into more than what he has with anyone else.
Throughout the last twelve years, I have personally experienced many ups and downs in life. The loss of both parents, uncertainties concerning my career, and the marriage that looked as if a divorce might be the outcome on two separate occasions.
One detail they each had in common was the comfort I would receive from my four legged child.
When our family adopted Rex as a puppy, my wife and I had a three year old daughter and a son who was quickly approaching the age of two. At the time, I think our children annoyed the dog more than anything, but he learned to tolerate the kids and even showed them as much love as he could in return.
A boy’s best friend
As my son grew older and learned how to climb the stairs to his bedroom on his own, it became Rex’s routine to follow him to his room every night and go to sleep at the foot of his bed. As the ages of four and five turned into ten and 11, Rex would begin to pout as bed time approached and he realised his companion was off at a sleepover with one of his friends.
To watch the happiness and excitement that would overtake the dog upon my son’s return home would leave my wife and I in laughter every time. You would have believed that Rex had thought his buddy was never returning and he received the surprise of his life the following day.
As the years continued to pass by, Rex and my son grew even closer. Once he had turned 13, my wife and I would allow our son to walk down to the park at the end of our street, as long as Rex was with him.
We live in a small community that shields our children from some of the dangers of city life, and our dog was all the protection that was needed.
The two of them would play fetch and chase each other around the jungle gym equipment for hours. Every afternoon that summer they would both arrive back to the house exhausted from their time together.
However, by the end of August, things started to be different.
When health becomes a concern
My son noticed Rex would become tired earlier than normal. He would stop and lay down for several minutes at a time.
It even became normal for the dog to start limping on the walk homme. Something clearly was not right.
After fearing the worse, I loaded Rex up one day and took him to the vet he had seen his entire life. Much to my relief, what Rex was experiencing was completely normal for his age.
The veterinarian suggested we begin giving the dog glycoflex iii to help his ageing joints.
After just a few short weeks, Rex was more active than he had been in years. With daily supplements and a change in diet, the dog clearly demonstrated the effects of a healthier lifestyle.
Because of this, I can’t wait to see my son drive away in his pickup truck in a few years, Rex right next to him riding shotgun.
Having a pet at home is like having a kid. We need to provide them care and check their health and needs at all times.
And the best part is receiving unconditional LOVE.
I think if you are going to get any pet, you should make sure you take care of them. If you can’t then leave them be.
My dog is 4 years old, so that may mean he is nearing middle age. I have to be vigilant in looking for signs of vitamin deficiency. Thanks for letting me know what to look out for. I love my dog and I him to be healthy and happy always.
It is good to know that someone is taking care of their pet.
This is helpful info for dog owners. I don’t have a dog right now but I’ll keep in mind of this tips.
Amazing information! It is important to keep our dogs healthy. I did not know that there were supplements for them. Thanks for the information.
Really good tips, we always had dogs at home at they are another member from us so it is natural to keep them healthy too.
We don’t have dogs but this is a good information and having a dog was needed to take care their health too.
Fur babies health is important to stay on top of it. I have a friend that’s so great with her fur babies. Always making sure they have the best food and always up to date with their check-ups.
We are very mindful of our dogs’ health and any changes in their demeanor or behavior. I think it’s an important sign to watch for.
Not enough owners of canines are aware of these issues, so thank you for raising awareness! This article could very well save a dog’s life one day.
Our dog’s health is really important! Thank you so much for sharing these useful tips!
I am glad that there are these supplements available to provide for the dogs! We need to make sure that we are taking care of our pets the same way we are taking care of ourselves – it is always best to prevent health issues than treat them.
We just took our dogs to the vet for a check up a couple of weeks ago. They recommended we switch their dog food since they seemed to be allergic to it. Other than that, our doggies were in pretty good health.
We love our fur babies very much. They are well fed, loved, and cared for. Thanks for tips on nutrition for my pups.
It’s so important to keep our dogs healthy. This is some really good information. Thank you for sharing.
I feel bad when you see a dog that obviously isn’t being given enough exercise by their owners. Owning a pet is a commitment not something you only take care of as it suits you. Nice tips!
that’s great that you have written this informative post, some people just don’t know about the health of their dogs and this may help them pay closer attention and see the signs, as well as ‘take action!’ great post!
Our dogs need a little more care especially as they age. They are like us and their body will have different needs as the time goes by. I think this is a lovely guide for dog owners.
They really are amazing aren’t they – I’m not sure what I would do without Sal now as she really does keep me going.
It is very important to take care of your pet’s health. We have 3 dogs and the youngest is 7 years old. It worries me as they get older how their health will deteriorate with age.
It is really hard watching it isn’t it 🙁 our Sal is going deaf and it always makes me sad that she can’t hear me like she used to.
Thanks for sharing. I need to make sure my pup is in shape with her health now!
Aww I hope she is, what sort of pup do you have?
No wonder a dog is man’s best friend. We are cut from a similar cloth.
While I’m not old, I’ve certainly slowed down a bit with age. I get how and why dogs do the same thing.
It is amazing how similar we are with our four legged friends.
It’s so important to make sure we do all we can to ensure our pets are healthy. This sounds like a great supplement brand!
It really does make all the difference making sure you have the right supplements for your dogs needs.
I really missed my dog, when he was with me before, I always make sure that his health is okay. His monthly checkup is important. These lists are really helpful.
Making sure you keep on top of their check ups is definitely a must, Sal is on long term meds so has to go more often than normal.
I think my dog is pretty dang healthy!! She goes for all her shots, takes her heart worm medication, eats good food, gets plenty of exercise and is probably healthier than me. HAHAHA!!
Aww it sounds like they are being well and truly pampered and taken care of!
My dogs are my babies that is why it’s so important for me to keep them healthy. These are awesome tips.
Aww yay – dogs are amazing, I never realised quite how healing they can be till I got one.
These are very important things to be aware of. I knew a few of them but not all. Our fur baby is a member of our family, its important to keep them healthy so that they live a long healthy life.
They really do make their way into your heart don’t they and become a real family member.
Unfortunately, our sweet dog is not as healthy as he could be. He was diagnosed with epilepsy last year and now has to be on 2 different medications for the rest of his life. Thankfully he seems to still be in good spirits.
Oh no I am so sorry to hear that about your sweet pooch, I am glad he keeps in good spirits with it though.
Amazing information for dog owners. Some of these I didn’t even know. Our pet is a huge part of our family and her health is very important to us. She’s already 10!
Aww bless her what an awesome age to have got to!
I have never thought of giving my fur baby a supplement. Now that she is getting older I think it is a great idea. I will have to look into it.
It really is worth looking into the vet can often tell you what might help 🙂
I don’t have pets so it never really occurred to me that dogs could have vitamin deficiencies too. This is great advice for dog owners.
It is amazing how they can have so many things like us isn’t it.
Thank you for spreading awareness of the needs of our furry friends! Our dog is older and has joint and muscle issues. Making sure your dog gets regular vet visits is a must.
Aww bless him, Sal’s the same, we have had her on some joint tablets since she had a knee opp many years ago though and they seem to have worked wonders.
We definitely take our dogs (and horses) health very seriously. We treasure them a great deal and for all the peace they bring us – they deserve to be cared for properly.
I think all animals are amazing and we definitely need to look out for them, we even have our guinea pigs insured.
I miss having a dog. We always took him to the vet to make sure he was up to date on all his shots.
Aww there is something about having a dog that means you never feel alone.
This is great information to bear in mind. While I imagine that keeping your dog on a good food will give them what they need, you never can be too careful. Thanks!
I think a really good diet can make all the difference, Sally has been on a vets diet for many years now and while it is more expensive, people can never believe that she is 16 years old.
I need to check out these animal supplements because I want my dog to live a long life. Thanks for the heads up on these and for the great tips.
We give Sal a joint supplement which really has made such a huge difference to her.
It’s so important to keep our dogs healthy! Thanks for the reminder and the great tips of what to look for with certain deficiencies!
No problem at all 🙂 they are such important parts of our lives aren’t they.