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Antioxidants are naturally-occurring essential nutrients that help maintain your dog’s health by slowing the destructive oxidative process of cellular molecules. IAMS™ research has been focusing on advancing antioxidant nutrients for senior dogs — and the benefit is improved immune function. Discover how the antioxidants in IAMS™ products can benefit your dog’s health in a number of ways.
Antioxidants are found naturally in fruits and vegetables. Common antioxidants include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and certain compounds called carotenoids (like lutein and beta-carotene). When antioxidants are a part of a dog’s complete diet, they can provide the following benefits:
As cells function normally in the body, they produce damaged molecules called free radicals. These free radicals are highly unstable and steal components from other cellular molecules such as fat, protein, or DNA, thereby spreading the damage.
This continues in a chain reaction, and causes cells to die. This process is called peroxidation. Peroxidation is useful because it helps the body destroy cells that have outlived their usefulness, and it kills germs and parasites. However, when left unchecked, peroxidation also destroys or damages healthy cells.
Antioxidants help prevent widespread cellular destruction by willingly donating components to stabilise free radicals. More importantly, antioxidants return to the surface of the cell to stabilise other cellular components.
When there are not enough antioxidants to hold peroxidation in check, free radicals begin damaging healthy cells, which can lead to problems. For example, free radical damage to immune cells can lead to an increased risk of infections.
Antioxidants offer countless benefits to our furry friends. And it is imperative that their food is loaded with it. Want to know why? Read on.
Antioxidants are a must for dogs as they are exposed to significantly more toxins than humans. These antioxidants work like protective agents within the dog’s body, battling free radicals that cause symptoms and diseases like skin problems.
Furthermore, giving liver antioxidants for dogs will boost liver health and eliminate toxins from their body more efficiently. The liver will convert fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble toxins to easily flush them from your pet’s body through the GI tract and kidneys.
Recent research has examined the benefits of certain antioxidants on the immune response of dogs, and the results of these studies indicated that antioxidants are important in helping dogs maintain a healthy immune system.
IAMS™ adult and puppy formulas contain optimal levels of antioxidants such as:
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Now that you know how dog food with antioxidants can benefit your dog, here’s a list of the best antioxidants for dogs:
You can find natural antioxidants for dogs in the following:
The antioxidant content of plant-based foods is high. Foods that are highest in antioxidants are fruits and vegetables as they are loaded with vitamins and beneficial in countless ways. Some examples of excellent sources of antioxidants are blueberries, strawberries, pears, red cabbages, and kale. Make sure to check which fruits and vegetables are safe for your dog to consume.
Give your dog the best vitamins you can, so your pooch stays healthy. It is crucial that dogs receive a supplement that is specifically designed for their life stage.
Look for dog food with antioxidants and nutrients that are bioactive and bioavailable so that these get absorbed properly into your dog’s body. Make sure that the supplement you choose has the ideal ratio of natural elements for your pet’s needs. That can be accomplished by looking for a combination of prebiotics, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
For a healthy body from the inside, you can also feed your pooch IAMSTM Proactive HealthTM dog food. Find the products that are best for your dog by shopping based on your pet’s age.
Fruits, nuts, berries, and vegetables are common foods that act as good sources of antioxidants. Giving your dog an antioxidant-rich diet will aid in the battle against oxidative stress and reduce the risk of any illnesses.
Foods such as organ meats, mushrooms, eggs, bone broth, and raw goat milk speed up the healing of cuts, wounds, and other injuries in dogs.
The benefits of antioxidants for dogs are innumerable; however, it is always advisable to consult your veterinarian on the right dosage of antioxidants for your pet.
Three of the most important antioxidant vitamins are Vitamin E+C, selenium, and beta-carotene.
Antioxidant-rich foods for dogs help prevent damages due to free radicals. An adequate intake of antioxidants can help boost your dog’s immunity.
Every pet parent wants to know the meaning of dog howling. Now, we all know what howling sounds like - it’s a high-pitched sound that sounds like a doleful cry. However, many of us are still quite unaware of why do dogs howl. Well, here’s a fun fact: howling for dogs is genetic inheritance. It’s no news that dogs are closely related to wolves. Despite the difference in their sizes, wolves and dogs share around 99% DNA. However, heredity is not the only reason why dogs howl. So, what does it mean when a dog howls, and how can you handle your howling dog? You will find answers to such questions in this article.
To handle a howling dog, you first need to understand the reason why your pet is making this long, wailing noise. Here’s a look at some probable causes of dog howling.
Dogs feel stimulated by high-pitched sounds. Howling is their way of responding to fireworks, sirens, bells, and other noises. This type of howling starts as soon as they hear the shrill sound. As a pet owner, you don’t have to worry about this type of howling since it usually stops when the trigger sound does.
If a dog is excessively attached to you, they might experience separation anxiety. So, once your little companion learns that you won’t be around for a few days, they might start howling under stress and anxiety. If your dog howls every time you need to leave for a long period, it is a sign of hyper-attachment. You might have to treat their anxiety to manage this type of howling. And no, scolding them is not the right way of doing it.
A howling dog could also be seeking attention. And this type of dog howling can be bothersome. You might feel like scolding, questioning, or holding your furball, but you must do the exact opposite of it. Avoid giving your pet any type of attention. Don’t pamper or scold them.
Dogs can sense bad weather, earthquakes, diseases, and so much more. Hence, you cannot rule out the fact that a howling dog could also be trying to alert you of something. Maybe they feel a situation is not right for you or could cause you potential harm. Dogs can sense the intentions of a person through their facial expressions. That’s exactly why dogs howl at some people who try to get near you or your house.
Dogs are still very social animals; it’s just that now we are their pack. When they miss us, they will howl in hopes we respond. Dr. James Serpell, BSc, Ph.D., Professor of Humane Ethics & Animal Welfare at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, explains it this way: That [howling] is an attempt on the part of the dog to ask the owner, ‘Where are you so that I can rejoin you?’
Dr. James Serpell doesn’t believe so. “My own research has shown that it is common across breeds. People think huskies may be more prone to group howling.”
Dogs going through separation anxiety may howl excessively when left home alone. Dr. Jo Gale, BVetMed CertLAS MRCVS, Senior Manager for Global Science Advocacy at Waltham Petcare Science Institute, says, “If you reinforce quiet behavior, they are less likely to continue howling.” You can do this by quieting your dog and then leaving for a very brief time before returning and rewarding them when they stay quiet. Gradually increase the time you’re gone to reassure them you’ll always be back.
But what if your pawsome pet is howling due to other reasons? Let’s understand how to handle such situations:
Note: Training your fur baby is a time-consuming process. Hence, stay consistent with the actions recommended above and your pet will learn to control their howling triggers
