Vitamin E in Your Dog’s Diet
“Vitamin E can naturally be found in ingredients going into some commercially-available pet foods, such as green leafy vegetables, plant oils, including coconut, hemp, olive, safflower, and others,” says Mahaney. “Vitamin E may also be added to pet foods as a supplement. Vitamin E is composed of two forms of molecules, tocopherols and tocotrienols. Tocopherols are those more-commonly added to pet foods and supplements in the form of ‘mixed-tocopherols.’”
Coates adds that any commercially available pet food that meets Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) standards will contain at least the minimum amount of vitamin E that a healthy dog should need.
If you’d like to enhance your dog’s intake of vitamin E by using supplements, it’s probably best to check with your vet first. “If owners are seeking to achieve a medicinal effect by adding vitamin E to their pet’s supplement regimen, I recommend consulting with their veterinarian to determine the appropriate dosing and frequency of administration,” Mahaney says. “Many of my patients take nutraceuticals (food-derived substances having medicinal benefits) containing vitamin E as a natural preservative. Fish oil commonly contains vitamin E to deter spoilage, yet all fish oil products should be refrigerated once opened.”
Do Dogs Need Vitamin E Supplements?
Although vitamin E is an essential vitamin, it may not be necessary to give your dog supplements in addition to a nutritionally-balanced dog food. Dr. Adam Denish, VMD of Rhawhurst Animal Hospital in Elkins Park, PA says that the decision to supplement a dog’s diet with vitamin E is again a decision best made by the careful consideration of your vet.
“Most good-quality pet foods have the recommended amount of vitamin E, so there is no real reason to add it their diet,” says Denish. “However, dogs with dry or itchy skin, or skin and ear allergies could benefit from it.”
Most veterinarians will recommend that vitamin E be given orally, but if a dog’s skin problems are localized, vitamin E oil can also be applied directly to the skin, says Coates.
How to treat your dog’s dry nose
The best way to treat your dog’s dry nose is through the inside. That means offering him a lot of water and ensuring he is well hydrated. While it’s not a cure-all, it’ll certainly help him in more ways than just soothing his flaky nose.
Oils
Oils are well-known for putting moisture and protective barriers back into the skin. They have the same effect on your dog’s nose. Vitamin E and coconut oils are common treatments for a dry dog nose and are rather inexpensive.
The best thing about oils is that they permeate the chapped, dry skin without containing any scent irritations. They contain multiple health benefits and can even be added to his diet.
Balms
Similar to oils, balms add moisture and soothe a dry nose. This thicker formula can be particularly beneficial when it comes to preventing sunburn, as the added thickness increases protection on the nose (and pads of the paws).
5 Natural Dry Nose soother For dogs
I can tell when the temperature is dropping and the heat’s cranked up simply by looking at my kids’ hands. Dry skin and cracked and often bleeding cuticles are the mark of winter on my boys. I soothe their chapped hands with aquaphor and remind them to take shorter showers and put on lotion frequently. Do they remember? Not usually, and then we’re back to treating the symptoms instead of heading the problem off by staying moisturized in the first place.
Our furry children’s skin often suffers in the winter as well, and this dry skin can manifest itself as dandruff-like flaking and brittle hair. There are several remedies and preventative measures you can take to protect your dog’s itchy, irritable dry skin. Check them out below…