December 16, 2019 | Jigsaw Health

Do Dogs Need Magnesium?

Do Dogs Need Magnesium?

Magnesium is just about the only mineral that your dog literally needs for all of his bodily or physical activities as well as his emotions or moods. It is, therefore, no surprise that after potassium, it ranks next in terms of its quantity. So do dogs need magnesium? Yes! They definitely do. The right amount of magnesium in your dog's body guarantees that he would lead a happy healthy life with a lot of excitement.

Sources of Magnesium for Your Dog

Now that we have established just how important magnesium is to your dog, the next step is to ensure that he gets enough of it daily. However, this is where it gets a bit tacky - although dogs need large amounts of magnesium, they do not exactly like all the food where magnesium can be gotten from.

The main sources of Magnesium include soybeans, raw wheat jam, and even whole grains. In addition, it can be gotten from cashews, edamame, quinoa, peanuts, and almonds. Furthermore, veggies like spinach as well as fish and dairy products all supply magnesium. But of all the food mentioned, your dog most likely would consume just fish and maybe dairy products.

This, therefore, poses quite a problem since it is essential that he gets the amount of magnesium he needs. What to do, what to do, well, enter one of the best forms of giving your dog his required magnesium dosage. Supplements. Supplementing is one of the easiest was to supply your pooch with minerals they are lacking and in this case, Magnesium.

However, there is a problem. Magnesium is one of the few minerals your pooch finds hard to absorb. Also, this mineral is naturally occurring in foods that he may not want on his menu. So the only way to ensure your canine friend gets enough magnesium is through supplementation.

Benefits of Giving Your Dog Magnesium

Magnesium has quite a number of benefits - both in the physical and mood aspects. Magnesium has been shown to have a calming effect when it is sufficiently present in a dog's body. If your dog experiences issues with his emotional state or bodily functions, there is a tendency that he would exhibit bad behaviors. And this would especially take a toll on their mental health as well.

In addition, magnesium is directly involved in ensuring that your dog's muscles remain healthy and functional. It plays a major role in muscle regeneration as well as contraction and relaxation of the muscles. The vitality your pooch displays daily is very much dependent on the number of minerals that he has got on the inside.

Also, magnesium helps to strengthen your dog's teeth and bones when it combines with some other minerals like calcium.

Mode of Administration and Dosage

Recall the food we mentioned earlier that all contain magnesium? Well, the sad news is that dogs aren't big on vegetables, so, there is no turning your pooch to a vegetarian. However, there is a way to allow your dog to enjoy his normal meals and still get his mineral requirement. Yes, supplements - like we mentioned earlier in the article.

Now the next step is how to give your dog magnesium supplements. For the most part, dogs can actually consume supplements orally. So, it wouldn't be a bad idea to toss in a supplement or two while your dog is enjoying his meal. For instance, right after your dog has had an amazing meal of dry kibble or meaty bones, you could directly feed him a mineral supplement.

One of the more common forms of orally consumed magnesium supplements is magnesium glycinate. This is due to the fact that it is absorbed very fast and has a rapid calming effect as well.

Your dog typically requires about 0.04% of magnesium in his diet which is about 1mg every day. For the precise dosage, this would typically be indicated on the container or on the pack of the supplement.

Similarly, there are various pet care products that contain magnesium and can be easily applied externally. This way, your dog gets his magnesium supplementation through these skincare products designed for pets.

As a matter of fact, research has shown that "transdermal absorption of magnesium in comparison to an oral application is more effective due to better absorption and fewer side effects as it bypasses the gastrointestinal tract."

In addition to this, using products like a magnesium-based dog shampoo could have some other benefits. Some of these benefits would include keeping his skin healthy and help prevent occurrences like a flea infestation. This way, your dog remains healthy all-round.

Dosage Recommendation: