Note: this text is informative and does not replace veterinary care. For supplements and diet changes — especially for puppies — consult your veterinarian, ideally a veterinary nutritionist.
- For healthy growth a puppy needs, besides protein and fat, precisely balanced vitamins and minerals.
- The most important are vitamins A, B-complex, D and E and the minerals calcium and phosphorus (their ratio matters!), iron and iodine.
- With quality complete puppy food, supplements are not needed and may even be harmful; we add them only with home-cooked or raw diets — and under the supervision of a veterinary nutritionist.
Growth is a puppy’s most important life stage. For a little bundle to grow into a stable, healthy and balanced dog, its body needs — besides quality protein and fat — the right measure of vitamins and minerals. Here I sum up, in plain terms, which ones matter most, what they do and where we find them — and why we must not overdo supplements.
The most important vitamins and their role
Vitamin A. Key for healthy vision, immune function, cell growth and the health of skin and mucous membranes. Found in liver, fish oil and egg yolk, and as beta-carotene in carrots and dark leafy greens.
The B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and folic acid). Essential for the nervous system, energy metabolism, and learning and mental stability; B12 and folic acid are needed to form red blood cells. Sources: lean meat, liver, brewer’s yeast, eggs, wholegrains and legumes.
Vitamin D (especially D3). Works hand in hand with calcium and phosphorus: it regulates their absorption in the gut and ensures proper mineralisation of the skeleton and teeth. Deficiency leads to rickets and growth disorders. Sources: fish oil, oily fish (salmon, sardines) and egg yolk.
Vitamin E. A strong natural antioxidant that protects cell membranes from oxidative stress, supports nervous-system development and strengthens the immune response (including to vaccines). Sources: plant oils (e.g. wheat-germ oil), leafy greens and meat.
It is worth noting that vitamin C does not need to be supplemented in dogs — unlike people, healthy dogs make their own, so its loss during cooking is not a problem for them.
Key minerals during growth
Calcium and phosphorus are the foundation of the skeleton. What matters is not only how much there is, but above all their ratio. Excess calcium or a wrong ratio — especially in medium and large breed puppies — can cause serious skeletal problems and osteochondrosis.
Iron and iodine. During rapid growth a puppy needs enough iron to carry oxygen in the blood, and iodine for the thyroid, which regulates the whole metabolism and contributes to calm, stable behaviour.
Feeding method and vitamin retention
How food is prepared affects how many vitamins remain and how well the dog uses them. Honestly and in balance (more detail in part one of the series):
| Method | Vitamins | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Raw (BARF) | heat-sensitive vitamins remain | With no cooking, sensitive vitamins are preserved — but the risk of unbalanced ratios (calcium/phosphorus) and infection remains. The menu should be composed by a nutritionist. |
| Cooked | some sensitive vitamins are lost | Safer from bacteria and very digestible, but without supplements and a proper recipe it quickly leads to deficiencies. |
| Kibble | added (vitamin premix) | During extrusion natural vitamins are destroyed, so makers add them back in stable form, with ratios precisely tuned to age and breed. Cold-pressed retains a little more natural content. |
Doses and supplements — less is often more
There are no general fixed gram doses, since needs depend on breed, age and weight. But two simple yet important rules apply:
- A puppy must not grow too fast. Excess energy and calcium speed up bone growth that the muscles can’t keep up with. Follow growth curves based on the breed’s expected adult weight.
- Be careful with supplements. If a puppy eats quality complete puppy food, adding vitamins and minerals is unnecessary and can be dangerous (e.g. vitamin D hypervitaminosis or calcium overdose). Supplements make sense only with home-cooked or raw diets — always under a veterinary nutritionist’s supervision and with precise weighing.
References
FEDIAF. Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs (minimum and safe upper limits of vitamin and mineral intake for growing dogs).
NRC (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. National Academies Press.
Gesellschaft für Ernährungsphysiologie (GfE). Recommendations on energy needs, protein metabolism and mineral ratios (Ca/P) in puppies.
WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee. Global Nutrition Guidelines.
Note: this text does not replace veterinary care; adjust supplements and ratios for your individual puppy with your vet.
