Ganoderma Guide

Dog Supplements


What to Look For In a Dog Supplement
The market is exploding with products claiming to improve the
health and wellness of individuals using vitamins and nutritional
supplements.

People are now seeking the same products to complement
the health of their pets. The benefits of appropriate nutritional
supplements are overwhelming and can add several healthy years to
your life, as well as your dogs.
Dogs Age Faster Than People
Longevity is attributed 30 percent to genetics and 70 percent to
lifestyle. Up to 90 percent of diseases in dogs are due to the
degenerative processes associated with aging.


Does Your Dog Act His Age?
Because dogs age seven times faster than people, major health
changes occur in a short amount of time. Dogs are considered
puppies for about one year, adults from age two to six, and seniors
at age seven. Giant breeds, like Great Danes, age even more quickly
and are considered seniors at age five. Signs of aging in dogs
occur slowly, but generally begin at maturity, somewhere between
age one and two.


Dr. Denham Harman's Free Radical Theory of Aging, applies to
people and pets, including dogs. This universally accepted theory
states that aging is a process in which the body's systems
deteriorate faster than the body can repair them.
The changes occur due to oxidative damage caused by harmful
compounds called free radicals.

Free radicals are toxic,
electrically unstable molecules. As we age, they are produced more
quickly.
Free radicals damage your dog's body similar to the way oxygen
causes iron to rust. They are detrimental to your dog's genetic
material, his DNA and RNA, his cell membranes and enzyme
systems.


Free radicals are formed each time we take a breath. Exposure to
the sun's ultraviolet rays, as well as to environmental toxins,
pollution, heavy metals and stress contribute to free radical
formation. Your dog's diet and drugs, such as
antibiotics, are also factors.
Free radicals weaken your dog's natural defenses and have been
associated with the development of up to 90 percent of the
age-related degenerative conditions we associate with aging:
Cancer
Heart disease
Arthritis
Diabetes
Cataracts
Premature aging
Our life span, as well as the length of your dog's life, is
ultimately determined by how quickly free radicals cause harmful
oxidative changes to occur.

Therefore what you feed your dog, as
well as the supplements you choose for your dog are both very
important.
Help Your Dog Enjoy a Longer, Healthier
Life
Your Dog's Diet
You are what you eat, and that's just as important for people as
it is for dogs. What you feed your dog directly affects his health
and wellness. The longer and more consistently you give your dog an
optimally balanced diet, the greater his chances are
of living a longer, healthier life.


Dogs, like people are omnivores and can naturally exist on a
diet of meat, fruit and vegetables. Consult with your vet to
determine the best diet for your dog. Commercial varieties worth
looking into include organic, natural diets such as
Prairie made by Natures Variety.
Homemade, natural diets take more time and effort but in many
cases are well worth the extra effort.

Vegetarian and raw food
diets are another option that, with careful supervision, may
provide complete and balanced nutrition for your dog.
According to the Guinness Book of Records, a Border Collie in
England named Taffy, lived to the spry age of 27 eating an
all-natural, organic diet.
Healthy Dog Snacks
Fruits and vegetables are healthy, low calorie snacks many pets
enjoy. Those rich in antioxidants are especially beneficial for
your dog:
Oranges
Tomatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Carrots
Cantaloupe
Asparagus Tips
Oranges are rich in Vitamin C, tomatoes are filled with
Lycopenes and sweet potatoes are a source of Vitamin E and Beta
Carotene.

Carrots and cantaloupes also provide Beta Carotene for
your dog.
Antioxidant Supplements for Your Dog: Sooner Not Later
Recent research documents that antioxidants provide very bright
prospects for increasing the quality and length of your dog's life.
In addition, scientists have found that sooner is better than later
as far as your dog's potential health benefits. Antioxidant
supplementation started as a puppy, before free radical damage has
occurred, can increase the healthy lifespan of your dog by up to 20
percent.


Antioxidant supplements, including Vitamins A, C, and E, the
minerals Selenium and Zinc, and the nutrients Alpha Lipoic Acid and
Coenzyme Q10, are the body's natural defense against free radical
damage. They can help to protect your dog by neutralizing free
radicals and decreasing the resultant levels of oxidative
damage.
Other noteworthy antioxidant supplements for your dog
include:
Bioflavinoids, which help to decrease allergic reactions,
asthmatic attacks and have anti-cancer benefits for your dog.
Green Tea, whose antioxidants may decrease the risk of heart
disease and cancer and help protect the blood vessels nourishing
your dog's heart and brain.


Lutein, a plant pigment from marigolds, helps to protect your
dog's eyes and may reduce the risk of cataracts.
Melatonin, a potent antioxidant that acts to normalize sleep
patterns. It also protects your dog's brain and has been used
successfully with cancer therapy.
The effects of antioxidants are beneficial and act
synergistically for people and dog's undergoing cancer therapy.

In
well controlled studies, people and pets treated with antioxidants
(with or without chemotherapy and radiation) have tolerated
treatments better and experienced less weight loss. More
importantly, they enjoyed a better overall quality of life and
lived longer than individuals receiving no supplements.
Nutritional Supplements for Your
Dog's Bones, Joints & Cartilage
Glucosamine is an amino sugar naturally produced in your dog's
body from glucose, which is your dog's blood sugar, and the Amino
Acid, Glutamine. It helps the cartilage between the joints retain
water so the cartilage can act like a cushion to absorb shock and
withstand compression.

Glucosamine is vital to protecting the
health and integrity of your dog's bones, joints and cartilage. It
helps to:
Decrease joint inflammation and pain
Promote cartilage repair
Aid healing of damaged joints
Increase mobility in dogs with arthritis and hip dysplasia
Glucosamine is also a normal component of the urinary bladder in
dog's and cat's and may help to relieve urinary disorders.
MSM (methyl-sulfonyl-methane) is a natural source of sulfur that
works along with Glucosamine to help protect the health and
integrity of your dog's bones, joints and cartilage.
Essential Fatty Acid Supplements for Your Dog
Essential Fatty Acids are vital to life and support all bodily
functions in your dog.

They help to keep cell membranes soft and
pliable, so your pet's cells can absorb dietary nutrients. They
enhance your dog's skin and hair coat and are needed for the normal
development of the nervous system and brain.
Fatty Acids are vital to brain health and help to preserve
mental clarity. They decrease the risk of Alzheimer's disease and
dementia in dogs, cats and people.

Fatty Acids may reduce the risk
of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure, as well as
provide therapeutic effects in your dog for:
Arthritis
Lupus
Inflammatory bowel disease
Cancer therapy
Kidney disorders
Flea allergies, food intolerances and bacterial skin infections
can often be relieved by providing your dog with fatty acid
supplements.
The proper balance of Fatty Acids helps to reduce wear and tear
on your dog's body by decreasing stress triggered increases in
cholesterol and the stress hormone Cortisol. Research indicates
that the ratio of 5:1 of Omega 6 to Omega 3 Fatty Acids seems to
provide the greatest clinical benefits, surpassing that of any
individual Fatty Acid alone.
Amino Acid Supplements for Your Dog
Glutamine is the most abundant Amino Acid in the body.

It is the
major energy source for the cells that line the digestive system
and strengthens your dog's natural defense system known as the
immune system.
Glutamine promotes healing of the digestive system thereby
reducing bowel disorders. It spares protein and reduces muscle loss
during periods of injury, stress and high endurance activities.
Therefore it is especially beneficial for pets recovering from
trauma and for working and show dogs.


Glutamine also has many anti-aging effects. It helps to preserve
memory and to prevent the harmful effects of Cortisol, the hormone
that is responsible for accelerating the aging process in people
and in your dog.
Digestive Enzyme Supplements for Your Dog
Digestive Enzymes are produced by the salivary glands, stomach,
pancreas and liver and are released into the digestive tract.
Enzymes help your dog's body to breakdown proteins, fats and
carbohydrates in his food so they can be absorbed and utilized.


Your dog's production of enzymes naturally decreases with
increasing age. Illnesses, stress, food intolerances, allergies and
drugs like antibiotics also have a negative affect on enzyme
production and function. This can result in a variety of digestive
disturbances ranging from flatulence and gas to diarrhea, life
threatening dehydration and malnutrition.
Digestive Enzymes are vital to maintain your dog's overall
health.

They improve the efficiency of digestion so your pet's body
can utilize the nutrients essential for energy production and
ultimately for life itself.
They help the body to recover from disease and promote
restoration of good health in your dog. Enzymes are useful to
reduce pain and swelling after
exercise or trauma and help speed
up recovery rates. Enzymes support your dog's immune system thereby
enhancing his ability to ward off disease and infection.

They have
been also been used effectively in cancer therapy for people and
pets.
Papain is an enzyme that has aspirin-like effects to decrease
swollen, painful inflamed tissues in your dog. Bromelain is an
enzyme found in pineapple stems that inhibits the spread of lung
cancer in mice.
Digestive Enzyme supplements may be beneficial in dogs with
digestive problems, immune disorders including rheumatoid arthritis
and arthritis, cancer and a variety of bowel disorders.

They are
especially useful in older dogs with reduced digestive ability.
The Anti-Aging "A" Supplement List For Your
Dog:
Vitamin A/Beta Carotene: Antioxidant enhances immunity,
essential for your dog to utilize protein in his diet
Vitamin C: Antioxidant, needed for tissue growth and repair,
enhances immunity, needed for your dog's body to utilize Vitamin
E.
Vitamin E: Antioxidant, prevents heart disease, promotes wound
healing, needed for your dog's body to utilize Vitamin C.
B-Complex Vitamins: As a group, B vitamins help your dog to
maintain healthy nerves, skin and muscle.


Coenzyme Q-10: A powerful, newly discovered antioxidant. Essential
for immune function, beneficial in heart disease and gum/dental
disease for your dog.
Alpha Lipoic Acid: Antioxidant. Helps your dog to restore energy
metabolism.


Selenium: Antioxidant. Works with Vitamin E to help your dog fight
infection. Beneficial to dog's skin and hair coats. Deficiencies
linked to cancer and heart disease.


Zinc: Essential mineral your dog needs for protein synthesis,
promotes healthy immune system, aids wound healing. Critical for
hundreds of biological processes in the body.
Omega 3 & 6 Fatty Acids: Essential component of cell membranes
in your dog and is needed for healthy heart, brain function and
skin and hair coats.
Bioflavinoids: Enhances absorption of Vitamin C, has antioxidant
effects and promotes normal blood circulation for your dog.


Glucosamine and MSM: Promotes normal healthy bones, joints and
cartilage for your dog.
Digestive Enzymes: Essential for your dog to utilize and absorb
nutrients from his/her diet.
Melatonin: Immune modulator, antioxidant, triggers restful sleep
for your dog.
Ginseng: A metabolic tonic to promote brain health and overall
wellness for your dog.


L-Glutamine: Amino acid needed for your dog to energize the cells
of his digestive system so dietary nutrients can be properly
absorbed and utilized.
Colostrum: The first milk your puppy receives from his mother.
Provides your dog with antibodies to protect him against disease
and aid immune function.
Exercise: 20 minutes twice a day
minimum for your dog.


Balanced, natural diet: Feed your dog at least two meals daily.
Fresh organic and natural sources are
best.
Relaxation: Stress and anxiety affect pets and people adversely.
Set aside an hour a day to relax and enjoy your dog.

Consider
massage, yoga and music.
Positive mental attitude: The mind-body connection is a potent
promoter of well-being for you and your dog.
Pure water: Fresh, non-chlorinated water is essential for people
and for your dog.
About The Author
Dr.

Carol Osborne is a world-renowned veterinarian and author. A
pioneer in the field of dog supplements, anti-aging medicine and
longevity research for pets, Dr. Carol is the original creator of
PAAWS (.drcarol.

com/paaws.html), Pet Anti-Aging Wellness
System and her newest, most advanced formula is the pet anti-aging
wellness supplement, VitaLife. Dr. Osborne holds both scientific
product patents.

For more information visit .drcarol.com/
or email DrCarol@DrCarol.com.







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