# Is this supplement any good?



## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

So Im home cooking my dogs meals right now, and I am using the honest kitchen preference dog food premix. The vegetables are not agreeing with her, she is pooping more now than she ever did on kibble! So I am looking for another vitamin and mineral supplement for dogs. She weighs 17.5lbs, 1.5 year old female pug. BioVITES Dog Vitamins | BiologicVET Dog Supplements my friend told me to try this vitamin and mineral supplement but I dont know if its just to add an extra boost to kibble or if in one scoop she would get all her daily requirments of calcium and other nutrients. What do you guys think? I am looking for a product that is just a powder with the vitamins and minerals instead of having all the added veggies and fruits, because it just passes right through her.


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## Kats (Jul 20, 2011)

Hi Kat this is a good product I have used it for about 2 years now and it has made a difference in my dogs, I have a GS with one hip, femeral head removal) she will be 3 in August. It it a little pricey depending on where you live, if you work at a vets offiice you can get it there. I used Biojoint and Biovits together and depending on your dogs tastes try it and see if they like it. When you use an supplement always start with a smaller dose of a week or so then slowly add more until they are at the recommed dose. I don't use the Biojoint any more but I still use the Biovits along with CT support and Osteo Gaurd they work better for her. I hope this helps you.

Cheers 

Kats


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

If I were feeding a diet that required supplements, I'd change the diet, not add supplements. Why are you feeding your dog veggies if they bother her? Dogs don't need veggies or fruits. My dogs haven't had any for 9 years. My 6yo Thor has never had any carbs his entire life. Dogs are carnivores. Carnivores eat meat, bones, and organs. Nothing else is needed.


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

Their web site seems to imply that it is a complete supplement product. It does include the full array of both vitamins and minerals. So, I would be hesitant to use it in combination with kibble - that would be over supplementing. Maybe it's more appropriate to use for someone feeding only home cooking. Maybe others here will have more direct knowledge of the product.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

Kats, thanks so much for the info 

RawFedDogs, I do not feed any additional fruits and veggies, the honest kitchen pre-mix has the fruits and veggies in it. Since feeding home cooked, I know you need to add supplements, and I am looking for the right one for her. I boil her turkey breasts and thighs, and I also bake salmon, and will be introducing other types of fish. I was doing chicken but I believe she might have an intolerance to chicken so I have stopped that, and I can not do red meats because that has given her soft smelly poops in the past. As I have said in a previous thread I made, I am not comfortable with feeding raw, so I am doing the next best thing which is cooked meals. I do not trust kibble dog food companies so I have made the switch to home cooked so I can control what she is eating, and know exactly what she is eating. The Honest Kitchen vitamin and mineral premix has been improving everything except her poops. Her eyes are less watery and produce less gunk, her breath doesnt stink anymore, more energy, and a better coat. But she is pooping larger amounts then when she was on kibble so I know THK premix is not working for her in that aspect so I am looking for a supplement that is just the powder and no added fruits and veggies in it. 

PDXdogmom, it would be in combination with home cooked, not kibble. So its good to know that they do have the full array of vitamins and minerals.

Also, I want to make sure it has enough calcium, or if I should add an additional calcium supplement. It says for 1 scoop its between 30 and 55 mg. She's 17.5 pounds, is that enough calcium?


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## Kats (Jul 20, 2011)

Kat it wouldn't hurt to try the Biologic vets it might work and you might have to try a few supplements to find what works best for your dog. I don't trust commerical dog food and thats why I feed raw for I know what they are getting. I feed them organic it costs more but they are our worth it to me and they do get fresh veggies and fruit because they did eat it in the wild when meat was hard to find. I am only telling you to try it, you might have to use it for a couple of weeks just like any thing else nothing works right away. Good luck .

Kats


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Kat said:


> So Im home cooking my dogs meals right now, and I am using the honest kitchen preference dog food premix. The vegetables are not agreeing with her, she is pooping more now than she ever did on kibble! So I am looking for another vitamin and mineral supplement for dogs. She weighs 17.5lbs, 1.5 year old female pug. BioVITES Dog Vitamins | BiologicVET Dog Supplements my friend told me to try this vitamin and mineral supplement but I dont know if its just to add an extra boost to kibble or if in one scoop she would get all her daily requirments of calcium and other nutrients. What do you guys think? I am looking for a product that is just a powder with the vitamins and minerals instead of having all the added veggies and fruits, because it just passes right through her.


you're using a premix....from honest kitchen...if it doesn't agree with your pug, then maybe you need to re think what you're feeding.

you can home cook for your dog, but when you do, puree the veggies before cooking them and add to the mix.

this vitamin is not the best nor is it the worst that i've seen. that they feel they must include flax is beyond me, since it is a bowel irritant and is used as a laxative. using inositol is also has a laxative effect....

i think the ingredients, such as vitamin a palmitate are not especially quality....and i would rather see a beta carotene as the precursor for vitamin a, than palm oil that has to be altered to palmitate....atlantic kelp? i've seen atlantic kelp and i've seen pacific kelp. there is no comparison.

maybe buy some proteins, like chicken, beef, pork, fish, liver and kidneys, simmer in water, mix it with uncooked pureed veggies, mix it with quinoa, cooked.....and add in a decent vitamin....but that vitamin is not, sorry.

i also have a pug....i have fed him kibble, home cooked and raw....and with all the little puggie issues that puggies have, you may want to consider raw.


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## Belles Mom (Jun 24, 2011)

I feed Honest Kitchen also, but the other varieties, not Preference. But, I also add an equal amount of raw meat to it (maybe you could add cooked meat?). Some of the other Honest Kitchen varieties have varying amounts of grain, veggies etc. Gradually I am adding meals that are more "real" raw however. I add "healthy powder" (google it, I think Pritcarin Healthy Powder). Not sure it is needed, but does contain bone meal.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

How much calcium does a small dog of 17 pounds need? 100-200mg a day? Because the biovites only has 30-55mg per scoop, and on the feeding guide it says to give dogs in that weight area 1 scoop daily, so wouldn't the supplement be 50-100mg less of calcium that is needed for her?


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

Perhaps try changing from Honest Kitchen Preference to HK Thrive formula. The Thrive has no fruit and only two vegetables: sweet potato and spinach. It does have chicken, but works best, IMO, to add additional meat. Adding 1/2 tsp. powdered dry eggshell per 1/2 lb. of added meat may help balance all the additional phosphorus from adding meat.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

That would have been a good suggestion, except that she has an intolerance to chicken. Its not a crazy full out reaction, but when she eats chicken her ears get red and she gets itchy and her coat looks greasy. So I have switched over to turkey instead, and soon i will be introducing different types of fish.


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## Belles Mom (Jun 24, 2011)

Kat said:


> That would have been a good suggestion, except that she has an intolerance to chicken. Its not a crazy full out reaction, but when she eats chicken her ears get red and she gets itchy and her coat looks greasy. So I have switched over to turkey instead, and soon i will be introducing different types of fish.


Honest Kitchen has come out with a fish version. terribly expensive, but with a small dog affordable, especially if you add additional fish.


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