The 7 best dog vitamins in 2024
- Best overall vitamin: — Zesty Paws 8-in-1 Bites Multifunctional Chew
- Best value vitamin — NaturVet All-in-One Soft Chews Multivitamin for Dogs
- Best affordable vitamin — Pet Naturals Daily Multi Dog Chews
- Best for joint support — Nutramax Laboratories Cosequin Maximum Strength Joint Health Supplement
- Best for flavor choices and specialized life stages — PetHonesty Dog Multivitamin with Glucosamine
- Best for senior dogs — Zesty Paws 11-in-1 Bites
- Best for chewy vitamin — Vetriscience Canine Plus Soft Chews Multivitamin for Dogs
Dog vitamin supplements aren’t a one-size-fits-all product. Some multivitamins supply your dog with basic canine essentials to improve their overall health, like extra vitamin E. Other products target specific needs, like supplements meant to help arthritis in senior dogs or to improve skin and coat health.
Here are seven of the best dog vitamins in 2024, according to vets and pet parents like you.
Best overall vitamin: Zesty Paws 8-in-1 Bites Multifunctional Soft Chews
Zesty Paws 8-in-1 Multifunctional Chew features 35 grain-free, human-grade ingredients targeting different areas of your dog’s body. An essential proprietary blend supplies your dog with vital vitamins beyond what might be included in their normal diet. Collagen peptides promote bone and joint health, and the antioxidants and cod liver oil reduce inflammation.
Although the colony-forming units (CFUs) are a little lower than the general daily guidelines of between 1 and 10 billion for dogs, the six probiotic strains support immune and gut health.
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✓ Features a proprietary blend of essential vitamins | ✗ Low probiotic count |
✓ Includes six strains of probiotics | |
✓ Collagen peptides support your dog’s cartilage, bones, and joints |
Best value vitamin: NaturVet All-in-One Soft Chews Multivitamin for dogs
NaturVet All-in-One Soft Chews Multivitamin functions as a well-rounded vitamin to fit dogs in every life stage. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) lists 20 of the included vitamins and minerals as essential to your dog’s well-being, and the other ingredients are extra perks. For example, glucosamine chondroitin promotes cartilage growth and acts as a mild anti-inflammatory. These chews feature 5 million CFUs of Bacillus coagulans per 2 chews.
While the price is low, the serving size is considerably greater than most vitamin supplements, which might offset the cost. The serving size depends on your dog’s size and can reach up to 8 soft chews per day. This works well if your dog likes them, but the flavor is unspecified which makes it difficult to predict.
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✓ 20 essential vitamins and minerals | ✗ Your dog may have to eat multiple chews per day depending on their weight |
✓ A good supply of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids | ✗ Flavor not specified |
✓ Glucosamine chondroitin supports your dog’s joint | |
✓ 5 million CFUs of Bacillus coagulans per 2 chews |
Best affordable vitamin: Pet Naturals Daily Multi Dog Chews
Pet Naturals Daily Multi Dog Chews perk up your dog’s immune system for about the cost of a large cafe latte. Formulated by veterinarians, this product carries greater credibility than many on the market and features 20 vitamins and minerals deemed essential by AAFCO.
While it’s a basic blend that doesn’t contain many extra supplements, such as probiotics, it does actually include fish oil as an antioxidant. There aren’t many extra nutrients, but it isn’t a limited ingredient or grain-free product as it contains rye flour and a host of preservatives.
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✓ Veterinarian-formulated | ✗ Doesn’t contain probiotics |
✓ Includes 20 vital vitamins and minerals | ✗ Very basic essential blend |
✓ Fish oil acts as an antioxidant |
Best for joint support: Nutramax Laboratories Cosequin Maximum Strength Joint Health Supplement
Nutramax Cosequin Maximum Strength Joint Supplement has been touted as a life-changing supplement to restore your dog’s energy and strength. Although it’s a basic supplement that doesn’t include any essential vitamins or minerals, veterinarians recommend this product because it’s an excellent source of glucosamine and chondroitin, which have been proven to strengthen your dog’s cartilage and joints.
The initial dose is higher than the maintenance dosage, which is recommended after the first month of use.
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✓ Two different dosages for initial and maintenance use | ✗ Not a multivitamin, solely for joint support |
✓ Vet-formulated | |
✓ Good source of glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM |
Best for flavor choices and specialized life stages: PetHonesty Dog Multivitamin with Glucosamine
This multivitamin is packed with essential vitamins and supplements to support ten health benefits, including your dog’s joints, skin and coat, and digestion. PetHonesty Dog Multivitamin proactively helps your dog avoid some of the most common health issues by filling in the nutrient gaps that might exist in their diet. Plus, it’s manufactured in the USA with premium ingredients, including krill oil, vitamin C, and glucosamine.
While our review focuses on the chicken-flavored 10-in-1 multivitamin for adult dogs, PetHonesty also offers a similar product in different flavors for puppies and seniors.
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✓ Includes 14 vitamins and minerals deemed essential by AAFCO | ✗ This specific recipe is formulated for adult dogs only |
✓ Krill oil, glucosamine, and chondroitin support joints | |
✓ Nutrient blend targets 10 areas of your dog’s body |
Best for senior dogs: Zesty Paws 11-in-1 Bites
These soft, chewable tablets are designed to help with some of the most common health troubles senior pups experience. Anti-inflammatory ingredients like fish oil support urinary tract health, liver function, joint stiffness, and muscular function.
Every serving of two chews contains 1 billion CFUs of Bacillus subtilis, a probiotic that aids immunity. Plus, these chews earned the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) seal of approval, so you know the ingredients are safe and high-quality.
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✓ Contains nine essential vitamins | ✗ Meant for seniors only |
✓ Fish oil provides anti-inflammatory benefits | |
✓ Glucosamine and chondroitin support bones and cartilage | |
✓ Contains 1 billion CFU per 2 chews |
Best for chewy vitamin: Vetriscience Canine Plus Soft Chews Multivitamin for Dogs
With a balanced blend of vitamins and minerals, this is a great substitution for less nutritious treats, and your dog won’t know the difference! The chicken flavor makes them easy for dogs to love, while you can feel good about the U.S.-manufactured, premium ingredients that deliver important fish oil omegas, amino acids, and B vitamins.
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
✓ Affordable option | ✗ No probiotics |
✓ Dogs enjoy them like treats | |
✓ Features a balanced essential vitamin blend | |
✓ Includes fish oil |
Why trust our reviews
We scoured review sites to understand the full product landscape. Then we dug through customer reviews and product details to bring you the best options on the market today.
And we don’t just stop at customer reviews. Our in-house team of vets weigh in on any health, wellness, and safety products with their expert insights and advice. For example, Dr. Irish usually doesn’t recommend products without clinical data to support them.
For this reason, we prefer vet-formulated products, but we might still give a product a favorable review if the benefits of the ingredients are well-documented and they receive overwhelmingly positive feedback.
What to look for in the best dog vitamins
If your dog is experiencing no health problems and is regularly eating a balanced diet of high-quality commercial dog food, vitamins might not be necessary. But they can help with a variety of health issues, like joint pain, arthritis, urinary dysfunction, dry skin, dull coat, digestive problems, anxiety, memory loss, and low energy.
⚠️ Too many vitamins can harm your pet. Always ask your vet before giving your dog any new supplements or changing dosages. If you’re unsure whether vitamins can help your dog, you should ask your veterinarian. During an exam, they can identify vitamin deficiencies and recommend quality products.
Dr. Erica IrishMost vets don't sign off on vitamins if pets are on balanced diets. It's easy to get it wrong and cause issues. But omega 3s and joint supplements are pretty safe.
Frequently asked questions
What vitamins are essential for dogs?
Canines are omnivores who require vitamins A, B, D, E, and a host of other minerals. Since they’re heavy meat eaters, they also require a high amount of protein. AAFCO sets the minimum standard for the essential vitamins and minerals that should be in dog food, which is why it’s a good idea to buy food that meets AAFCO standards. However, dogs also benefit from non-essential nutrients, such as taurine, that may be found in a multivitamin.
Do vets recommend vitamins for dogs?
If your dog is already eating a well-balanced diet, your vet may or may not recommend a vitamin supplement. A vet-approved vitamin can supply your pet with extra nutrients that they need to thrive. In some cases your vet might suggest a supplement if your dog is struggling with a medical condition, or if they feel like they might benefit from a non-essential nutritional supplement like probiotics.
Which is the best dog supplement?
The best vitamin supplement for your dog depends on their individual needs. Some products specialize in treating a particular issue, like Zesty Paws Vet-Strength Aller-Immune Chews, which focus on your dog’s allergies. General multivitamin supplements are meant to simply give your dog’s body extra nutrients like Vitamin B to help them live a healthy life.
Do dogs really need vitamin supplements?
Proper nutrition plays an important role in giving your dog the best possible care. The good news is that your dog is likely already receiving the proper amount of essential nutrients if they’re on a vet-recommended, commercial diet that meets AAFCO standards. However, a dog multivitamin or vitamin supplement can boost their immune system and help address specific issues like hip dysplasia. Some vitamins may also feature extra healthy foods that may not be included in their daily diet.
Can I give my dog a human vitamin supplement?
Not unless your vet says it’s okay. Some human vitamin supplements contain ingredients that are toxic to dogs. Multivitamins meant for humans can also contain potentially toxic levels of types of vitamins that are good for dogs as long as they receive the recommended dosage, such as vitamin D.