Will vitamin B12 hurt a dog? A Step-by-Step Guide

How is Vitamin B12 Administered to Pets?

B12 vitamin supplements may be administered to pets by a variety of methods, just as it can for humans. The most common method is by oral supplement, which can be administered by crushing a tablet and mixing it into the pet’s food, or by mixing the supplement with water and administering it directly to the mouth by syringe. Increasing meat in the pet’s diet will also provide more of the vitamin. Because many pets have difficulty absorbing the B12 vitamin, injection is a commonly used method of administering the supplement. Some will want these injections to be administered by veterinarians, but the process is simple, and with the veterinarian’s approval, the injections may often be done at home by the pet’s owner. Typically, B12 injections are reserved for serious deficiencies, and they are recommended if the pet has a gastrointestinal illness or an inherited condition that prevents it from absorbing the vitamin through food. Injections are typically administered to a dog’s hind leg. Cats receive the vitamin through subcutaneous injection. B12 injections are typically given once a week for the first five or six weeks, bi-weekly for another period of weeks, and, eventually, on a monthly basis.

What is Vitamin B12 And What Does It Do for Dogs

Vitamin B12 is one of the vitamins essential for your dog’s healthy growth. With its nutritious attributes, vitamin B12 plays a critical role in the dog’s overall cell system, with a particular accent on the nervous system, cell growth, protein synthesis, fat and carbohydrate metabolism, and the formation of red blood cells. Since the bodies of mammals are unable to synthesize this vitamin , your dog relies on a proper nutrition plan to receive its necessary vitamin B12 intake.

As we have seen, the B12 vitamin must be a part of every dog’s nutrition plan, which is why the Volhard Natural diet is working to ensure the right intake for your dog’s needs.

What Causes B12 Deficiency in Dogs?

Several different health problems can result in vitamin B12 deficiency in dogs. Here is a more specific review of those issues.

Low-Quality Pet Food: Vitamin B12 is primarily found in food and animal products, but can be in some fortified supplements. Dogs fed vegetarian or vegan diets are at risk of becoming cobalamin deficient. Diets with low levels of protein and iron can also result in low vitamin B12 levels.

Intestinal Cobalamin Malabsorption: Certain dog breeds cannot absorb vitamin B12. This is a hereditary condition and occurs in Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, Chinese Shar-Peis, Beagles, and Giant Schnauzers.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): IBD is another common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency in dogs. In fact, any chronic GI disorder can result in low cobalamin levels. This is because an unhealthy gut cannot properly absorb vitamin B12. On the other hand, vitamin B12 deficiency aggravates the GI tract’s health, creating a vicious cycle.

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI): Dogs with this pancreatic condition lack the digestive enzymes necessary for food breakdown and utilization (including vitamin B12). Dogs with this disease also need to be supplemented with digestive enzymes their whole lives.

What Does Vitamin B12 Do for Dogs? | Wag!

Vitamin B12 is the gifted child of the B-vitamin family. While all dog vitamins are important and have a role to play in the body, getting enough vitamin B12 for dogs makes all the difference between sickness and good health.

Vitamin B12, along with other B vitamins, is whats known as a water-soluble vitamin. A feature of vitamin B12 is that at its heart is a type of cobalt molecule, called cobalamin. This is key to many of the jobs that vitamin B12 for dogs does. What makes vitamin B12 so important is that its needed for many basic body systems to work, from digestion right through to making DNA.

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