You and your pet adore each other, right? If you’re on this website, I’m pretty sure the answer is “yes!” Then you’re going to want to give your pet the longest, happiest, healthiest life possible, so proper vitamin supplements are key.
Ah, vitamins — the easiest, and sometimes hardest, way to sneak nutrients into your dog or cat’s life. Just when you think you’re clever by burying that tablet into a mound of peanut butter or mixing it into their food, your pet proudly leaves a clean bowl behind them — except for that one key item you were hoping to hide.
Alright, so you may have to give up on outsmarting your pet. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on giving them their vitamins. Here are a few tips!
Taste Matters
Cats and dogs have finely tuned taste buds, thanks to evolution ensuring their ability to detect if something is fit to eat.
This seems hard to believe when you find your furniture or shoes suspiciously chewed up, or your trash overturned. But it seems evolution also gave our pets a gift for mischief.
It’s possible your pet isn’t just being clever by avoiding that pill. Maybe they just can’t stand the taste of it.
Fortunately, there are many options and flavors of vitamins available. Not all dogs or cats are the same. Try out some different varieties to find a flavor they can tolerate or maybe even love.
Make It Fun
Imagine if the ball of peanut butter or lump of tuna around the vitamin wasn’t the Rubik’s Cube game for your pet. Imagine if taking the vitamin itself were the fun activity.
Vitamins don’t just come in tasteless pills; there are all sorts of varieties. For example, some vitamins come in a squeezable tube variety, where you can squeeze the tasty paste onto your finger for an interactive, nutritional experience. Although the paste may taste like a treat, it’s chock-full of vitamins and suitable as a daily supplement, rather than just an occasional treat.
Additionally, handfeeding creates a bond with your pet, which is not a bad way to encourage some free kisses, in my humble opinion.
Don’t Forget The Praise
In general, dogs want to please their humans, and cats… well, cats also like to be praised!
It’s easy to forget to praise your pet when they do something for their own good. When’s the last time you got a gold star for taking your multivitamin, right?
Layering the positive factors of this vitamin — flavor, fun, and praise — is a great way to ensure your pet will want to take their vitamins without a fuss.
Verify Your Pet’s Nutritional Profile With Your Vet
As always, please check with your vet to make sure the nutritional ideas you have in mind for your dog or cat are optimal. Your pet’s needs will vary by age and breed.
Also, while vitamins and supplements are great ways to add extra nutrients into your pet’s life, it’s also important they eat balanced meals designed for their age, size, and breed, too – similar to how a multivitamin for humans won’t erase cheeseburgers or candy.
Vitamins are a fantastic way to boost a nutritionally balanced lifestyle to give your pet the longest, healthiest life possible.
Do you give your pet vitamins to keep them healthy? How do you make sure your furry friend actually wants to take their vitamins? Let us know in the comments below!
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