Pets are like humans – they benefit from wholesome, healthy ingredients in the products that they use, especially in their food and medicines administered for general wellness purposes. These days, it is easier to obtain organic, wholesome products, and less expensive, too, what with online promotions, as you check it out on Only Natural Pet Store coupon codes.
But there are some times when even on a good diet, household pets don’t get all the nutrients they need to be at their optimum health. Much like humans, animals need a blend of specific nutrients in specific amounts daily, and when they don’t get them, they can be susceptible to certain diseases – from minor ailments like anemia and hairballs to major illnesses linked to nutritional deficiencies such as epilepsy.
Today, it is becoming a common practice to augment a pet’s diet with dietary supplements, which are pills, liquids, or pellets that contain a concentrated version of a vitamin or mineral that your pet’s body needs. These compounds may be derived from synthetic compounds, but it’s still best to choose the ones that are extracted from natural sources – herbs and other botanicals, for instance, or from meat and other parts of prey animals. Naturally occurring substances like salts and calcium blocks are also used as dietary supplements for some smaller mammals and for birds – much like salt licks are used for cows.
Luckily, these are no longer as expensive or as hard to obtain as they were only a decade ago. Some stores that specialize in organic supplements and food even provide special discounts, such as Only Natural Pet Store coupon codes.
For some animals, it isn’t necessary to have a vet recommend a vitamin or a dietary supplement. For hamsters, for example, one can simply go online and find online coupons to lessen the expense of buying your furry friend a salt lick, buy the said salt lick, and leave it in the cage for the hamster to enjoy at its discretion. For larger animals, though, such as cats and dogs, it becomes a little more complicated.
Some common dietary supplements given to feline and canine companions are taurine, glucosamine, and chondroitin, but even these have to be administered with the vet’s okay. Keep in mind that because pets’ nutritional needs also vary from breed to breed and individual to individual, it may not be wise to feed them these supplements indiscriminately as they may do more harm than good, especially if your pet has a preexisting condition that he is being treated for.
While dietary supplements can be useful to our pet’s health, one should always remember that there is always an inherent danger in administering medications willy-nilly. Before giving your pet anything that claims to be “good for them”, make sure to consult your veterinarian. You can also approach the breeder that you got your pet from to see if they have any recommendations.
