9 Best Dog Vitamins and Supplements

Your morning routine includes popping a multivitamin, taking a biotin supplement for healthy skin and hair, and starting an elderberry syrup regimen at the first sign of the sniffles—and you feel great. So, if vitamins and supplements are a big part of your wellness regime, should you give them to your dog, too? For a lot of pet owners, the answer is a resounding YES. 

Pet owners spent a whopping $800 million on pet supplements in 2020 with vitamin supplements for joint health, heart health, skin and coat health, and digestive health topping the list as the most popular options.

What Vitamins are Good for Dogs?

Your dog needs several vitamins and nutrients to help them maintain good health. Vitamin A helps with vision, immune function and growth; vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorous support strong bones and muscles; vitamin E protects against cell damage; riboflavin and magnesium boosts enzyme function; and zinc helps metabolize protein and carbohydrates, according to The National Academies.

Without adequate vitamins and minerals in their diets, dogs could suffer from poor growth, muscle weakness, lethargy, diarrhea, loss of hair, skin lesions, convulsions, appetite loss, and a host of other health issues.

A complete and balanced diet provides all of the vitamins and minerals your dog needs for optimal health but supplements could be beneficial. 

Best Dog Vitamins: What to Look For 

There are vitamins for older dogs, vitamins for small dogs, vitamins for pregnant dogs, and vitamins targeted for specific health and wellness benefits, which can make it hard to know which ones to choose.

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn’t regulate vitamins and supplements formulated for pets, it doesn’t mean that there are no options to gauge the quality and purity of the supplements you purchase for your dog.

Look for the National Animal Supplement Council seal. The third-party certification verifies that vitamins were made with quality ingredients and manufactured under strict guidelines. The website also has a list of supplement recalls and is a good spot to check before making a purchase.

Consumerlab.com evaluates supplements, including pet supplements, for quality ingredients and correct product labeling. It’s an independent, subscription-based site.

Your veterinarian is also a good source of information and can recommend quality dog vitamins that are specific to your pet’s needs.

Dog vitamins are sold as powders, liquids, pastes, and capsules. Powders, pastes, and liquids can be added to dog food (or another high-value food item) to mask the taste while pills might need to be tucked into pill pockets if your dog is reluctant to take her daily vitamins.

9 Best Dog Vitamins and Supplements

Ready to choose the best dog vitamins and supplements for your canine companion? We rounded up some of our favorite picks for different life stages and needs.

Our Picks

• Best All-in-One Multivitamin for Dogs: VetriScience Canine Plus Soft Chews Multivitamin
• Best Dog Vitamins for Preventive Health: Front of the Pack The One Daily Dog Supplement Powder
• Best Dog Vitamins for Skin and Coat: Finn Skin & Coat Supplement
• Best Dog Vitamins for Shedding: Dinovite
• Best Hip and Joint Vitamins for Dogs: Nutramax Dasuquin with MSM Soft Chews
• Best Dog Vitamin for Gut Health: Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora Probiotic Supplement
• Best Senior Dog Vitamins: NaturVet VitaPet Senior Daily Vitamins plus Glucosamine
• Best Vitamin for Dog Eyes: Animal Necessity Ocu-GLO Vision Dog Supplement
• Best Multifunctional Vitamins for Older Dogs: Zesty Paws 11-in-1 Bites

Best All-in-One Multivitamin for Dogs

Our pick: VetriScience Canine Plus Soft Chews Multivitamin

This comprehensive multivitamin contains over 30 ingredients to support dogs of all ages. Busy pet parents will rejoice in the ease of administration thanks to the natural chicken flavor dogs find drool-worthy. Made in the USA, VetriScience chews come in a resealable bag to keep them fresh. Whether your dog is small, medium, or large or is an adult or a pup, VetriScience designed this vitamin with all of them in mind.

Highlights

• Ideal way to provide daily nutritional support to your dog
• Perfect for all life stages
• Chewable format is easy to administer
• Chicken liver flavor entices dogs to take their daily vitamin
• No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives

Things to Consider

• Always check with your veterinarian before starting a new supplement
• Number of chews dispensed depends on your dog’s weight
• Only available in one flavor

Best Dog Vitamins for Preventive Health

Our pick: Front of the Pack The One Daily Dog Supplement Powder

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If you’re looking for “top-to-tail” preventive support, Front of the Pack’s (FOTP.com) The One dog supplement powder provides eight essential benefits in one daily dose. This convenient blend of 12 clinically-proven ingredients was designed to relieve hip and joint stiffness, support healthy digestion and immune health, soothe itchy skin and allergies, and maintain healthy heart function, among other perks. Simply sprinkle the broth-flavored powder onto your dog’s food once a day or mix it in with her favorite healthy snack.

Highlights

• Active ingredients include prebiotic fiber, krill, glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, taurine, curcumin, and green tea extract
• Non-GMO, no artificial flavors or colors, hypoallergenic, and pesticide-free
• Vet recommended
• Made in and ships from USA facilities
• 60 scoops per pouch

Things to Consider

• Suitable for dogs over 1 years old
• If you have a larger dog, you will run through your supply faster. Suggested serving is 1 scoop for dogs weighing less than 25 pounds, 2 scoops for dogs 25-50 pounds, and 3 scoops for dogs 50 pounds or more
• You won’t see results right away, but the company says positive improvements should begin to appear within 4-6 weeks

Best Dog Vitamins for Skin and Coat

Our pick: Finn Skin & Coat Supplement

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If you’re looking to provide nourishment to your dog’s skin and coat, this option from Finn is an excellent choice. Fatty acids help keep their coat shiny, while EPA and DHA are healthy omegas that are great for itchy skin. These beef liver-flavored chews can even bring out the natural highlights in your pup’s fur. 

Highlights

• Contains fatty acids, Alaskan salmon oil, EPA/DHA, biotin, and vitamin E.
• Helps support coat shine and highlights, as well as moisturized skin.
• May help with shedding.
• Steel packaging is 100% recycled/recyclable.
• Great for all life stages.
• Finn maintains high quality/safety standards for every batch.

Things to Consider

• Some customers mentioned their dogs did not like the taste/smell.

Best Dog Vitamins for Shedding

Our pick: Dinovite

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Ingredients like ground flaxseed, vitamin E, dried kelp, zinc, alfalfa nutrient concentrate and prebiotics and probiotics help support skin and coat health. A single scoop added to your dog’s daily diet can help reduce shedding, dry skin, scratching, excessive licking, and stinky coat. 

Highlights

• The combination of nutrients, amino acids, and omega-3 were designed to support healthy skin and a shiny coat.
• Scoop is included for easy measurement.
• Made in the USA.

Things to Consider

• Should be introduced gradually to avoid digestive upset.
• Best used with canned dog food to enhance the flavor.

Best Hip and Joint Vitamins for Dogs

Our pick: Nutramax Dasuquin with MSM Soft Chews

Your dog will gobble up these flavorful soft chews. The formula is based on a decade of clinical research and includes science-backed ingredients to support joint health, including glucosamine, chondroitin, and methylsulfonylmethane. It’s hailed as a “comprehensive joint management formula for dogs” that stimulates cartilage production.

Highlights

• Made with all-natural ingredients
• Contains the key joint health ingredients glucosamine and chondroitin
• Clear dosing instructions based on dog’s weight 
• Made in the USA

Things to Consider

• Must be stored in a cool, dry area
• The price is higher than other soft chews for joint health

Best Dog Vitamin for Gut Health

Our pick: Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora Probiotic Supplement

This veterinarian-formulated supplement powder supports good gut health. It’s made with ingredients like vitamin E, zinc, and beta carotene to boost healthy microflora in the intestine to reduce stomach upset, gas, and diarrhea.

Highlights

• No mess or measurements: Individual packages can be sprinkled on top of your dog’s food.
• Proprietary formula that contains live microorganisms and antioxidants to support good gut health.
• The microencapsulation process used to manufacture the powder helps with absorption.
• Affordable option for intestinal support.

Things to Consider

• Should be offered only at the direction of a veterinarian. 

Best Senior Dog Vitamins

Our pick: NaturVet VitaPet Senior Daily Vitamins plus Glucosamine

These veterinarian-formulated vitamins were designed to help senior dogs feel young again. Each soft chew contains vitamins, minerals and amino acids, including glucosamine, magnesium, copper, zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, niacin, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin B12, and vitamin E.

Highlights

• Daily vitamins made with natural ingredients.
• Veterinarian-formulated and made in the USA.
• Wheat-free
• Affordable formula

Things to Consider

• The formula is not grain-free
• No added flavoring, so dogs may not like the taste.

Best Vitamin for Dog Eyes

Our pick: Animal Necessity Ocu-GLO Vision Dog Supplement

This vision supplement for dogs contains 12 different antioxidants from omega-3 fatty acids to grapeseed oil to support eye health. The liquid gel caps, formulated by board-certified ophthalmologists, protects ocular cells at the DNA level.

Highlights

• The formula “may lessen the symptoms of eye disease.”
• Made in the USA and certified under FDA Good Manufacturing Practices to guarantee safety and purity.
• Also available in a powder.

Things to Consider

• Do not give to dogs that are taking anticoagulant medications.
• Some of the ingredients are toxic to cats. 

Best Multifunctional Vitamins for Older Dogs

Our pick: Zesty Paws 11-in-1 Bites

There are a lot of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients packed into these bite-sized chews for adult and senior dogs. Each chew contains glucosamine, chondroitin, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, cod liver oil, biotin, and more to help with joint health, digestive support, immune response, skin and coat health, kidney and urinary support, vision and cognitive function.

Highlights

• Grain-free, wheat-free and soy-free
• Chicken flavored to enhance taste
• Soft chews can be offered as treats or added to dog’s daily diet
• Made in the USA with premium ingredients

Things to Consider

• Dosing is based on weight
• The chews contain 33 percent fat by volume and may not be suitable for dogs on no-or low-fat diets

Dog Vitamins: Tips and Advice

Some vitamins—or ingredients—might not be safe for certain dogs, including pregnant or nursing dogs or dogs taking certain medications. It’s best to consult with your veterinarian for advice on the best dog vitamins. 

Remember: It’s essential to stick to vitamins made for dogs. Several vitamins and supplements manufactured for humans contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener that can be fatal for dogs. In fact, ASPCA Poison Control included it on its top 10 list of pet toxins.

Store supplements in a cool, dry location out of reach of pets.

The more information you have about how vitamin supplements for dogs can improve overall health and wellness and how to find the best dog vitamins, the more confident you’ll feel purchasing products that will help promote your dog’s health and wellbeing.