Vitamin C in Dogs

Vitamins are essential micronutrients, meaning that, generally, a dog needs to get them from its diet in small amounts. They're very important since they're involved in numerous vital functions in the body.

We say "generally" because dogs are able to synthesize vitamin C themselves. This makes a deficiency rare, which is another point against supplementing without veterinary prescription.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is considered an essential micronutrient that dogs should get through their daily diet. But in this species, there's a particularity worth noting. Vitamin C exists in two forms. The first and best known is called ascorbic acid. The second is dehydroascorbic acid.

Dogs are able to generate ascorbic acid from glucose. Often, the amount they manage to produce is enough to cover their needs, though there can be exceptions that will need to make up the dose through a quality diet. In addition, vitamins are divided into two groups depending on whether they dissolve in fat or water.

Vitamin C belongs to the water-soluble group. That is, it dissolves in water. This is why it can't be stored in the body for long. It's eliminated through the urine. This is also why, if there's a deficiency, symptoms show up quickly, since the body won't have reserves to compensate for the situation.

Importance and Functions of Vitamin C in Dogs

Vitamin C serves several important functions in a dog's body, contributing to it working properly. Along with other substances, it's key to a wide range of processes and brings a large number of benefits. We'd highlight the following:

• Formation of muscles, blood vessels, bones, and teeth, since it's linked to collagen, a component of bone, connective tissue, and dentin. In fact, it also contributes to collagen formation.
• Iron absorption.
• Wound healing and, generally, treatment of dermatitis and allergies. It also improves bleeding due to fragile capillaries.
• Antioxidant action, fighting free radicals, reducing stress and oxidative damage, and slowing cartilage degeneration.
• Preventing kidney stones from forming and, generally, improving urinary system function.
• Reducing the clinical signs of hip dysplasia. In addition, along with other vitamins and minerals, it's considered to slow the progression of arthritis.
• Convalescence or stress states.

How to Give Vitamin C to a Dog

The best way to make sure our dog gets the amount of vitamin C it needs is to feed it a quality diet that will meet all its nutritional needs. It's a good idea to weigh different options and settle on the most suitable one based on its characteristics.

The menu needs to be adapted to the dog's life stage and living conditions. In other words, a puppy doesn't eat the same as an adult, nor does a working dog eat the same as one that just goes for a short daily walk. In addition, given dogs' carnivorous nature, the main ingredient, listed first, should be animal protein.

That said, keep in mind that the amount of vitamin C a kibble or a can contains isn't always listed among the ingredients. If we want to know it, we'd need to ask the manufacturer directly. Another way to provide vitamin C is through supplements. In this case, only the vet can prescribe them.

Vitamin C-Rich Foods Suitable for Dogs

A homemade diet for our dog is a good option, as long as we formulate the menu with the guidance of a vet who specializes in canine nutrition.

Otherwise, deficiencies could appear. If that's our case, or we simply want to add this vitamin to our dog's diet, these foods contain notable amounts of it:

• Organ meats, especially liver.
• Fruits, such as lemon, orange, or strawberry, though since many dogs reject them for being too acidic, milder fruits like papaya can be used instead.
• Vegetables such as broccoli, for example.
• Parsley.

Vitamin Supplements

Remember, if you think your dog needs more vitamins, you should never give it supplements on your own. Instead, you need to see the vet so this professional can determine whether there's a deficiency or not.

If there is, they'll prescribe the most suitable supplement, along with dosing instructions. Dosage will depend on the format of the supplement the professional chooses. Vitamin C is sold as a liquid, in tablets, or as an injectable.

Excess Vitamin C

Since it's a water-soluble vitamin, it's unlikely that excess intake would be harmful, since it's eliminated in the urine. Once a certain amount builds up in the body, it's simply flushed out. That's why it's considered harmless, or at least of low toxicity.

But keep in mind that this excess elimination will acidify the urine, and diarrhea has also been reported in dogs exposed to very high doses. In these cases, the excess needs to be stopped, and the vet will need to treat whatever symptoms appear.

Bibliography Nuviala, Javier (2015). "Qué ingredientes incorporan los alimentos comerciales". Revista Ateuves nº 1. pp. 16-23. Olóndriz, Ibone (2017). "Manejo nutricional de los pacientes con enfermedad hepática". Revista Ateuves nº 37. pp. 12-15. Sagarra, Natalia (2018). "Dieta para perros con problemas articulares". Revista Ateuves nº 69. pp. 14-17. Villagrasa, María (2018). "Cóctel de vitaminas". Revista Ateuves nº 46. pp. 14-19.