We hear a lot about vitamins when it comes to pet health, but do you know what a "vitamin" actually is? Vitamins are components of food that when ingested assist enzymes and contribute to various bodily functions, depending on the specific vitamin. Animals are able to produce some synthetic vitamins, however most come from their diet. If your pet's health is poor, a likely contributing factor is their diet; it is possible that your pet is not getting enough nutrients from their food. There are several important vitamins and corresponding pet supplements that pet owners should be aware of. These vitamins and supplements provide pets with nutrients they may not be getting through their diet that are critical to their health and wellness.

Vitamins your pet could be lacking:

Vitamin K: Blood clotting

Carnitine: Acts as a powerful antioxidant which helps neutralize free radicals in order to help reduce the damage that free radicals can cause.

Calcium: Bones

Note: Calcium is not a vitamin; it's a mineral that is very important in both human and animal health. Animals get calcium through their mother's milk, eating plants and other animals. Calcium functions as a signal for many cellular processes in the body, and is used in mineralization of bones.

Vitamin C: Immune system

Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant by protecting the body against oxidative stress, especially important in wound-healing and preventing bleeding from capillaries. Vitamin C can be easily destroyed through cooking and processing of food.

Vitamin D: Healthy bones and teeth

Vitamin B: Healthy muscles, skin and blood

Vitamin B actually breaks down into 8 sub-vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12) that support and increase the rate of metabolism, maintain healthy skin, hair, and muscle tone, enhance immune and nervous system function, promote cell growth and division (which helps prevent anemia).

Vitamin A: Eyes

Daily supplement in the form of a soft chew:

There are comprehensive daily pet supplements designed to support and enhance your pet's wellness. You can find supplements specifically geared towards overall health, as well as those geared towards specific dietary needs. There are also some products available that are more similar to a treat than a pill, but pack the same nutritional punch. It can sometimes be hard to get your pet to take a pill; so many companies are now developing something called a soft chew. Some examples include:

•    PSCPets.com Daily Maintenance Soft Chews - Daily nutritional supplement containing a combination of essential vitamins and minerals.

•    PSCPets.com Joint Support for Dogs Soft Chews – Contains a special blend of ingredients to support healthy bones, joints and surrounding tissues.

•    Probios Soft Chews – Suggested to be used daily to maintain a healthy digestive system which will increase overall nutreint absorption and immune system function.

Things to watch for and avoid:

Some pet supplements contain low-quality vitamins and potentially allergenic ingredients such as artificial flavors and dyes and you should always read the ingredient label on all food products you buy. A valuable fact to know is that ingredients are arranged from greatest quantity to least. That means that the first few ingredients are what makes up most of the product. For example the first four ingredients in Ranch dressing are soybean oil, water, egg yolk, and sugar, these ingredients make up a majority of the dressing. So when you are reading your pet's food package make sure that the first few ingredients are meats, or vegetables. Don't be fooled by advertisements of a product being natural or healthy; any company can but those and similar advertisements on their products. Only "Organic" is regulated by the FDA.