You love your pets as family, and you try hard to keep them healthy: You walk the dog, you scrutinize the nutrition panel of your cat’s food, and you ignore their squalling when it’s bath time. What you may not have done is provide them with healthy supplements. In the same way you take a daily multivitamin or use herbs to keep your body in peak condition, you can take advantage of natural supplements for your animal friends.

Some Common Categories

Among the many natural supplements you can find for your pets, some of the most common types are:

• Appetite controller. This type of natural supplement can help control the appetite, which can aid in weight loss for obese animals or animals with weight-related illnesses, such as diabetes. If your dog or cat does have an illness, however, you should discuss the supplement with your veterinarian before giving it to your pet.


• Stress relief. Humans aren’t the only ones who experience stress; anyone who’s seen a dog dive under the bed during a thunderstorm can attest to that. You can easily battle this problem, however, by giving your pet an all-natural supplement meant to ease anxiety or nervous tension.


• General nutrition boost. This type of supplement works in the same way a multivitamin works for humans. These contain vitamins and minerals plus antioxidants to help keep your animals healthy.


• Supplements for older animals. There are many types of nutritional supplements you can give to your pets as they age that will help them stay healthy for as long as possible, and potentially relieve aches and pains that come with aging. Supplements that help with bone density or hip and joint pain are a good option for aging pets. They often contain calcium and magnesium, along with other vitamins and minerals.


• Digestive system support. Since pet food can often interfere with proper digestion, you may want to consider using one of the varieties of supplements intended to keep the digestive system in working order.


• Breed-specific supplements. Some dog breeds are known for having certain medical conditions—for instance, American bulldogs are prone to developing hip problems. There are supplements available specifically for certain dog breeds that can help prevent the occurrence of expected problems. A combination of glucosamine sulfate and bromelain is often used in supplements for dog breeds prone to hip or joint difficulties.


• Supplements for coats. Many supplements aim to keep your animal’s coat in good health. Supplements may offer nutritional benefits that keep the coat shiny and healthy-looking, and these often contain vitamin E, flaxseed, and primrose or other types of herbs. Some supplements reduce shedding in dogs.

Many pet supplements are chewable, and they typically taste good to your animal. Meat, cheese, and other flavors are available, so you can help your pet achieve excellent health without having to struggle to get him or her to chew an unpleasant pill or tablet. Some liquid supplements can be sneaked into your pet’s food; in this case, what they don’t know might help them!

—Joni Mitchell