As seen in the April/May 2011 issue of Clean Run magazine.

We ask a lot of our agility dogs and they love every minute of it! Dogs in competition oftentimes push themselves to the limit, loving the excitement of the game. When the thrill of the moment is in play one bad movement for just a moment may result in an injury. That’s why these canines need to be able to keep up with all of the tasks required of them. So it’s particularly important for working dogs to get all the supplementation they need to maintain their health, along with their drive, tenacity and intelligence.

As far as intelligence goes, agility dogs need to think and think fast. The brain has high energy and nutrient needs so of course a dog’s nutritional intake affects their brain function. Balanced and complete vitamins and minerals are important for total health but some are more important for intelligence than others. Zinc is called ‘the intelligence mineral’ and is required for mental development from puppyhood onwards. . Zinc also helps in the production of about 100 enzymes in your dog’s body, builds a healthy immune system and maintains the sense of smell and taste. It’s also great for the skin and coat. Neurotransmitter capacity affects memory and problem-solving ability. Vitamin B 6 is needed to produce most of the brain’s neurotransmitters, while Vitamin B 12 is needed to maintain the outer coating of nerve cells. Vitamin D3 maintains the nervous system and Boron, a trace mineral, enhances brain function. A Niacin deficiency results in loss of memory. Make sure the supplement you give has healthy portions of these important vitamins.

It’s just as important that our agility dogs get support for their muscles, tendons and ligaments. Once again, what’s needed is total and balanced supplementation to create, in general, a strong and vital musculoskeletal system. Most sports injuries occur when a muscle is fatigued. For endurance our dogs particularly need a full compliment of B vitamins for stress, iodine and selenium for the thyroid, and antioxidants to clean free radicals out of the cells and assist in the cells repairs. Coconut Water, the new drink on the block, is great for maintaining electrolyte imbalance and stamina. Good supplementation improves the rate of tissue repair and improves performance. A good supplement should create visible changes in dogs in just a few weeks. If you see it on the outside, it’s sure to be doing something on the inside.
Cruciate injuries are not as simple and straightforward as we veterinarians once thought. They’re seen much more frequently in overweight, neutered, middle-aged dogs. In fact, most cruciate problem don’t appear suddenly. Often when an injury does happens it’s preceded by inflammation and weakness in the area. Researchers agree that something more than a simple accident is occurring because it’s very common for a dog’s other knee to go out not long after the first one. Clinical observations indicate that the endocrine system and internal hormones play an important part in maintaining joint health. The good news is that both exercise and good nutrition contribute to a healthy endocrine system.

Agility dogs have the distinct advantage of routine, healthy exercise. If we add to this a healthy diet and a high quality supplement we have a winning equation. The stronger and healthier we make their minds and bodes the better they perform and the more fun we all have. After all, who doesn’t like to win!

Dr. Deva Khalsa, VMD