Vitamin C for Dogs

Vitamin C is one of the most debatable nutrients for dogs. It has long been debated that vitamin C may not be as important for dogs as it is for humans. Vitamin C is a water soluble nutrient which is stored only in small quantities in the body and therefore, is required as a daily supplement. The dog utilizes the vitamin C that it needs in the body, excreting the rest in urine, therefore making it impossible for vitamin C to be toxic to the dog.

Unlike most other nutrients, vitamin C is not bound to any proteins and can easily be destroyed in a short period after the consumption of the nutrient. There have been many researches in the past which have proved that vitamin C for dogs is an important nutrient. There are several diseases that could be caused due to the deficiency of the vitamin. Vitamin C has many crucial functions to perform in your dog’s body. It is critical in the binding of connective tissues, tendons, muscles, and ligaments for proper movement of the body. Apart from that, vitamin C also helps bind the blood vessels, bones, and skin of the dog. Vitamin C also helps stimulate the production of a protein called interferon which is an important part of the immune system and is also required in the production of red blood cells as well as for triggering adrenaline.

Vitamin C affects the immune system in many different ways. It can improve the activity levels of lymphocytes and inhibit other immune cells, making the dog’s immune system more robust. There are three different kinds of vitamin C which are good for your dog’s health. The three main types of vitamin C that the dog requires are ascorbic acid, dehydroascorbic acid and finally, sodium ascorbate. Though researches have shown that these three vitamins are important for the dogs, not much is known about which of these is the most useful. There are numerous benefits of these three kinds of vitamins. If the dog has a mild form of scurvy, vitamin C is excellent for treating it. The vitamin is also excellent for treating hip dysplasia in dogs and arthritis. However, as the dog ages, these vitamins do not have as much effect as they would when the dog is still younger. Dog vitamin supplements usually contain healthy doses of vitamin C. Vitamin C for dogs can also be found in dog multi vitamin pills.