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Diet plays a central role in your dog’s overall health and well-being, and it stands to reason that you want to provide your dog the best possible source of nutrition in the dog food you choose. But some nutrients, like L-Carnitine, may be unfamiliar or completely foreign. Learn more about this vitamin-like compound and how it can help your dog maintain a healthy weight.
Carnitine, or L-carnitine, is a vitamin-like compound made in the body from amino acids. It's found naturally only in animal-based protein sources. It has been used to help with fat metabolism in other species, and recent scientific studies show that it can help reduce weight in overweight dogs.
This water-soluble substance attaches to fatty acids, transporting them into cellular mitochondria, the part of the cell that converts fat into a usable form of energy. There, they are broken down through oxidation and converted to energy for all tissues, including the heart, liver, and skeletal muscles. Through this process, carnitine helps reduce the storage of body fat and the amount of fat in the bloodstream.
In a study conducted by The IAMS™ Company, overweight dogs were fed similar diets. One group was given a diet supplemented with L-carnitine while another group received a diet without supplemental L-carnitine.
After seven weeks, the group that received the diet without supplemental L-carnitine lost 1.8% body weight compared to 6.4% body weight loss from the group that was fed the L-carnitine supplemented diet. Likewise, body fat was reduced in each group by 2.4% and 4.6%, respectively.1 The study found that L-carnitine promotes loss of body weight and body fat in overweight dogs.
IAMS™ ProActive Health™ Adult Healthy Weight is formulated with L-carnitine that helps turn fat into energy, providing a path to help keep him fit for life.
1 Sunvold GD, Tetrick MA, Davenport GM, Bouchard GF. 'Carnitine supplementation promotes weight loss and decreased adiposity in the canine.' Proceedings of the XXIII World Small Animal Veterinary Association. p. 746. October, 1998.
Bringing a new furry friend home is one of the most exciting things you will experience. And as a pet parent, the first thing you need to do is lay down a puppy vet care plan. Hence, it is essential that you take your new, little pet for a general check-up within the first week of bringing it home. During this vet visit, you can learn about your dog’s vaccination schedule, nutritional requirement, training needs, and more. It is crucial to seek professional medical advice to make sure that you do not overlook any aspects that may need immediate attention. If you are not sure why and when you need a vet for your dog, this article is for you. It gives you a gist on how often you should visit your vet, vaccinations, annual check-ups, and more.
A veterinarian is going to help you keep your floofy healthy and in check. A puppy, just like a senior dog, will require more attention. So, if you are wondering how often a puppy should go to a vet, here’s your answer: once every 3-4 weeks. If your puppy requires special attention, your veterinarian will recommend frequent follow-ups. If this is your pup’s first vet visit, contact the breeder for information on vaccination and any other medical history. If you have a rescue pup, let your vet know. It will help your doctor assess your pup’s case better.
Moreover, take your puppy to the doctor immediately if you notice any of the following issues:
Note: Even if your dog comes with a documentation of up-to-date vaccination shots, you should take it to the vet at least once to get a green signal.
We humans visit our family doctors at least once a year even if we do not exhibit any symptoms. Similarly, even your fur baby needs to be taken to the vet once a year for annual vaccination and a general medical check-up The vet will check your baby’s heart, lungs, ears, eyes, look for any abnormal growth, and do other basic tests.
Based on the medical examination, your vet may recommend certain dietary changes, physical activities, and a dental care routine. Follow their recommendations religiously to improve your puppy’s health! Here are a few things you can carry during your dog’s yearly appointment:
Puppies are born with some immunity passed on to them by their mothers. However, they start losing their inherited immunity once they turn 6 to 8 weeks old. Therefore, it becomes imperative that you start vaccinating your puppy around that time. Their innate habit of sniffing and licking everything that strikes their fancy exposes dogs to a plethora of diseases. Thankfully, a vaccination plan can shield them against fatal viruses and diseases. Vaccine shots are administered when puppies turn 6-8 weeks old, and they are repeated every 2-4 weeks until the puppy is 16 weeks of age or older. Sometimes, a vet may recommend an earlier vaccination regimen, starting at 4 weeks of age in the face of an outbreak or when the mother has an unknown vaccination history. You can ask your vet for a vaccination schedule customised for your puppy.
As kids, we were inoculated against several health issues with different types of vaccination. Similarly, your dog too needs to be vaccinated against multiple diseases such as rabies, distemper, hepatitis, etc. So, Let’s take a look at the types of vaccines commonly administered to your dog:
The above vaccines may come in different combinations; hence, consult your vet and get a proper understanding of
