Here’s what you need to know about the vitamins and minerals that are important for your dog’s health.

It’s very likely that you take a daily supplement of some sort to keep your mind and body healthy, but did you know that dogs need extra vitamins and minerals too? There are over 30 essential vitamins and minerals that your dog requires for optimum health which we’ve taken into consideration in the formulation of our Petley’s range.

Here’s the low down on just a few of the vitamins and minerals we add into our food in the form of meat, cooked vegetables and supplemental ingredients along with what each one does to keep your dog in tip-top shape:

Vitamin A

Also known as retinol, vitamin A is found most commonly in fish oils, liver and colourful vegetables such as carrots. It supports your dog’s eye health, immune system, bone growth, dental health as well as keeping your dog’s skin flake free and their coat silky smooth.

Vitamin D

Our skin produces vitamin D3 when we’re out in the sun, hence it’s also known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’. Dogs, however, have a limited ability to produce vitamin D3 in their skin, so it has to be included in their diet. Not only does vitamin D help to maintain healthy bones and muscle performance, it also helps your dog’s body to absorb dietary calcium and phosphorus, both of which we’ve added to our Petley’s formula.

Vitamin E

A natural antioxidant found in vegetables, vitamin E helps to fight off cell damaging free radicals which can cause cancer and other diseases. It also works hand in hand with the mineral selenium (also a powerful antioxidant) to support your dog’s immune system. Along with our supplemental ingredients and meats, the green beans, corn and carrots in our recipe are great sources of the vitamin E and selenium your dog needs each day.

Iron

The most important job iron does is carry oxygen around your dog’s blood to keep their muscles, organs, cells and brain functioning properly. Too little iron can cause fatigue and compromise your dog’s immune system. Our dog food is formulated to include absorbable iron ensuring your dog gets exactly the right amount he or she needs in every Petley’s meal.

Zinc 

The trace mineral zinc plays a multitude of vital roles in your dog’s health including supporting their immune system, skin condition, insulin release, cellular growth and even taste! Dogs have a limited ability to store Zinc in their bodies, so it’s essential that it’s included in their food.

Your dog, of course, requires a whole host of other vitamins and minerals to stay healthy including vitamin K, vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chloride, copper, selenium and iodine which are naturally found in animal and/or plant sources.

The Petley’s dog food range has been carefully developed with a specialist animal nutritionist to ensure your dog gets all the vitamins and minerals he or she needs on a daily basis so you can be confident that our tinned food will help to keep your dog healthy and happy.

Please note that this article is for information purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice. If you have concerns about your dog’s health or dietary requirements, please consult your vet.