“November is our ”NUGGETS OF WISDOM” about SUPPLEMENTS” month
YOU CAN’T OUT-SUPPLEMENT A POOR DIET
Hello Pet Parents,
Your Holistic Vet Dr Susanna here 🙂
Just as Food isn’t simply about Calories –
Supplements aren’t necessarily a surefire way to Better Health.
What makes supplements worth your purchase?
The basis to choose a supplement that helps your pet is
KNOW WHAT YOUR PET IS LACKING!
Sometimes that’s easy….
Recurring symptoms like loose stools combined with poor appetite and weight loss point to a gastrointestinal problem. And, yes, a supplement (product) with probiotics, pre-biotics and also digestive enzymes may be really helpful to rebalance your pet’s gut.
Similarly, elderly arthritic pets that loose strength and flexibility fast often lack joint nutrients. They may become more rapidly more mobile with an ‘arthritis supplement’ that delivers a range of joint / cartilage nutrients.
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What if you are not sure what your pet is lacking or
what your pet can not absorb or produce (anymore)?
Blood tests can be helpful – if your vet evaluates them from a ‘functional medical’ perspective.
The appearance of your pet, like changes in your pet’s pigmentation or skin quality may give hints of what’s lacking and what should be supplemented.
Useful advice can come from various pet professionals.
Now that you know what type of supplementation benefits your pet –
——
WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A “GOOD SUPLEMENT”?
We start first with what we DO NOT want to find in supplements
I think we all know the answer…
Chemical additives causing tummy troubles and negatively influence our pet’s health
Look out for the ‘terrible two’ – giving you a good overview when to ‘say no’ to a product:
- Flavours – this includes ‘natural’ flavors. They are anything but harmless or healthy. They are in fact, chemical components which cause many pets trouble like gastric upsets and even allergies.
- Maltodextrin – an additive that is like sugar, spiking blood glucose and causing weight gain and often also bloat. This is another additive without any health benefit but acts as a filler, stabilizer and to make the supplement ‘tastier’… ☹
A good supplement lists ingredients that make sense to you –
- Plant names, herbs and minerals – mostly without a long list of tongue breaking letters
- Detailed product explanations by the manufacturer or seller.
Being proud of one’s product is a good sign that the product was designed with real benefits for pets in mind – and not simply a Cash Grab Revenue Product
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The third most important “supplement pointer is
WHAT KIND OF HEALTH ISSUES SHOULD YOUR SUPPLMENT SOLVE?
AND WHEN CAN YOU REALISTICALLY EXPECT HEALING OR (which type of) IMPROVEMENTS?
it is essential to understand what to expect from a product – and when!
- Is the product supposed to heal your pet (like bad tummy or skin)?
- Does the product give you a ‘therapeutic dosage’ and a ‘maintenance dosage’?
If not – what is the plan? - If the product is supposed to provide life-ling support – what kind of improvement do you have to watch out for in your pet?
If you don’t know what your pet should feel and appear like while taking a supplement – you waste your money and, worse, expose your pet to a product that may cause from ‘brain fog’ to headaches and tummy bloat all sorts of new health issues – without resolving what you purchased the supplement to solve!
In Summary –
Supplements are rarely an easy and safe way to solve
poorly functioning organs and body structures …
Be discerning and demand clarity from the prescriber, seller or manufacturer.
Don’t allow snake oil sellers to convert your pet into a ‘dumping ground’ for supplements!
For tailored veterinary wellness & health advice, guidance and therapeutic support
book your pet’s appointment now with me.
Let’s stay paw-sitive & smart!
