Premium dog foods and NuVet?

[Krista, Angel, and Toby]

Hi again! I have another question for you. If I plan on feeding premium dog foods, do I still need NuVet? My breeder highly recommends it, but she feeds ProPlan, a low-end dog food. Thanks!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Krista, I'm sure I won't be popular with the breeders here for telling you this, but the NuVet vitamins are a multi-level marketing thing...the breeders get money back from the company for selling them. When you order them, you give the breeder's number, and she gets credit for the sale. They are absolutely no different from any other multivitamin on the market, and also absolutely unnecessary for a normal dog who is eating a good quality food. Very few dogs, especially young ones, need to be taking multivitamins. Don't waste any more of your money on them.

[Krista, Angel, and Toby]

Thank you! But just for the record, my breeder told all her clients about the money-back deal and offered to send us a check for however much she got back if we used her number. But it's good to know that the vitamins aren't a necessity anyway. That means that I can actually afford the good foods! lol Thanks!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Krista, the commercial dog foods all have the canine equivalent of the RDA for all the vitamins and minerals in the proper proportions for dogs. (People who are feeding home-cooked do need to add vitamins.) Adding a multi-vitamin does two things: One, makes your dog's urine very expensive, (any excess water soluble nitruents, like vitamins B & C, will leave the body) and two, creates a possibility of an excess of the fat-soluble vitamins like A & E, which are stored in the body. Excess minerals can also cause problems. (The Nuvet vitamins are also very expensive, even if your dog does need a supplement.)
Certain nutrients, such as Omega 3 fatty acids, and glucosamine/chondroitin, can be added by supplement form, if the amounts in the food are lacking.
I'm glad I could help.

[Sally Rollins]

My vet told me not to speed money on the NuVet, that I what I was feeding them is fine for them.

[Tricia]

Actually, my breeder didn't recommend them. I found it on another breeder site while I was in my search. Raved about them etc... My breeder says that other breeders recommend them so when you buy them with the code# they give you...The breeder gets kickbacks, that amounts to free vitamins etc...for their breeding dogs. Are there particular brands that are really good and that dogs like?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

As mentioned, you don't need vitamins if you are feeding a good food. All AAFCO approved formulas (which is pretty much everything out there, even the crap) contain all the vitamins and minerals needed. When you give more than the maximum amount the body can absorb of any nutrient, it either goes out in the urine, or in the case of fat-soluble vitamins like A and E, it's stored and an excess, though unlikely, can be toxic.