Vitamin C For Dogs

Powdered Vitamin C and Vitamin C Ascorbate

Vitamin c for dogs is really not that different from other vitamin c sources. DVM Per Schonbeck offers best nutrition and dog health advice on ascorbic acid and vitamin c absorption in your canine friend.

You'll get to know which form of ascorbate acid is most often recommended as vitamin c in dogs. And, information about other forms is available so you know what the labels on the different c vitamin products actually means.

Photo courtesy of Mike Baird

Vitamin C Sources and Types

As a supplement vitamin c is most often used in the L-ascorbic acid form. This is most often used either as ascorbic acid or as a sodium ascorbate. The latter is one of the mineral salt forms.

The mineral ascorbates is regarded as less stomach irritating. Often it is one of those often recommended to use in dogs.

Vitamin C absorption for all the different types are the same in dogs.

Most common mineral ascorbates is:

• Calcium ascorbate: This is the "dog vitamin c". The vitamin acid is combined with calcium. Using this type you have to think on the calcium intake as well. Used most as it is regarded as stomach friendly and because of the calcium content it taste more neutral. Possible both as tablets and powdered vitamin c supplement
• Sodium ascorbate: Here the ascobatic acid is combined with sodium. There would probably not be any difficulties using this form in dogs. To my knowledge it not used much in dogs.

Some others but not used alone. Often these are found in combination with the calcium or sodium ascorbate.

I give you these more as information.

• Molybdenum ascorbate
• Chromium ascorbate
• Manganese ascorbate
• Zinc Ascorbate
• Magnesium Ascorbate
• Potassium Ascorbate

Vitamin C for Dogs - the Ester

Ester Vitamin C product is a mainly based on the calcium vitamin c salt. But, there is also some other c-vitamin products.

The metabolites such as calcium threonate, lyxonate, xylonate and dehydroascorbate.

The advantage of this product is the presence of the metabolites should increase the absorption of the c vitamin. To my knowledge no studies has been done on humans or dogs to verify this.

On the other hand, this might not be so important in dogs. If its easy to give your dog, because of "lacking of sour taste", is much more important.

That's what I think.

This formulation is less likely to provoke diarrhea in your dog.

Dose is discussed but around 10mg per kg body weight and day is a good start. Adjust if needed. Give not once a day but divide and give the 2 or 3 during the day.

This is to make sure the most of vitamin c is used and not just goes strait in the urine.

And remember: Ascorbic acid don't need to taste as acid.

Photo courtesy of Mike Baird

Vitamin C Palmitate

Also known as vitamin c ester. This is not the same as the "real" or the patented Ester-C.

It is ascorbyl palmitrate and used in different situations. The main advantage is the capability of being fat soluble in one end and water soluble in the other end of the molecule.

In theory (and in test tubes) it has shown to enter cell membranes and protect them against free radicals.

If taken as a supplement it has not been proved as it probably splits into acorbic acid and palmitrate. So, really its more as a normal vitamin c and not a wonder drug.

More research in the future and well...maybe this latter view changes.

Now it is used in skin cremes for us not dogs. And also in protecting vitamin e against oxidizing in certain foods.

This is not realy a vitamin c for dogs.

Other Vitamin C Relevant Pages

Facts about vitamin C
Vitamin C benefits
Vitamin C side effects

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