Best Vitamins for German Shepherds: 7 Picks and When They Fit

A dog that eats a balanced diet does not need a multivitamin, according to the veterinary nutritionists at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, and extra vitamins can do harm. The seven Healthy Breeds products below are for the dog whose vet has found a reason to add one, and for the dog parent who wants to know what each chew or tablet contains before that vet visit.

Do German Shepherds Need Vitamins?

Lisa Freeman, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition), wrote for Tufts: "Unless a pet is eating a nutritionally unbalanced diet, multivitamins are not needed. In fact, giving vitamin or mineral supplements to a pet eating a balanced diet may put them at risk for toxicity!" She adds: "Complete and balanced pet foods are made to give your pet just the right amount of nutrients and adding more can actually be harmful."

Her Tufts colleague Cailin Heinze, VMD, MS, DACVIM (Nutrition), says the same about store-bought food: "If your pet is eating a commercial pet food, they should not need any vitamin or mineral supplements unless a specific health issue has been identified that might benefit from higher amounts." A home-cooked diet is a different case. Heinze writes that a standard supplement "is not going to be meeting their nutrient needs" for a dog on one, and advises working with a board-certified nutritionist to design the diet.

Vitamin D shows how an excess goes wrong. The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine says vitamin D is stored in fat tissue and the liver, and that "Excessive vitamin D can lead to kidney failure and even death." Signs include vomiting, little appetite, more drinking and urinating, heavy drooling, and weight loss. The FDA says: "If you suspect your dog is showing signs of vitamin D toxicity, take him or her to a veterinarian immediately."

Joint and fish oil products come up next to vitamins. Freeman writes that glucosamine and chondroitin supplements, "if they are of good quality, may have modest benefits in some animals with arthritis," and that fish oil "may be beneficial for pets with certain medical conditions, such as heart disease, kidney disease, and cancer." She continues: "However, even these common supplements have potential side effects and are not right for every dog and cat with these conditions." If joints are the concern, our hip and joint supplement guide for German Shepherds covers hip dysplasia and the products sold for it. If skin is the concern, our guide to dog food for German Shepherds with skin allergies covers skin irritations from the diet side.

Freeman's first step applies to every product here: "The first step is to talk to your veterinarian about whether supplements are appropriate for your pet." A dog with ongoing stomach trouble, limping, or a coat that has changed needs a vet visit before any supplement is added.

Top Picks For Your German Shepherd's Nutrition

This table shows the form and count of each product and what its listing or the maker's page names. Check the price and stock on each listing, because both change.

Healthy Breeds Multi-Vitamins

SHOP ON AMAZON

Healthy Breeds sells this as a 60 count tub of heart-shaped soft chews. The listing calls it a daily nutritional supplement with a blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and says it is made in FDA, USDA, and FSIS regulated manufacturing facilities.

Pros

• The listing says the chews suit dogs of any breed, age, or activity level
• The listing calls the soft chews easy to administer
• Directions are listed by weight, with a separate line for dogs over 50 lb

Cons

• The directions read "Dogs over 50 lb - 2 soft chews per day", so a 60 count tub lasts 30 days for a dog that size
• It is a general multivitamin, the product type Tufts says a dog on a balanced diet does not need

The label also says "If giving more than 1 chew daily, divide between AM and PM." Ask your vet whether your dog's food leaves a gap before you buy it.

Healthy Breeds Multivitamin Chews

SHOP ON AMAZON

The listing titles this the Healthy Breeds German Shepherd All in One Multivitamin Soft Chew, 90 count, and describes a 4-in-1 chew: a multivitamin with vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K and other minerals, essential fatty acids for skin and coat, glucosamine and chondroitin for joints, and probiotics. The flavor is chicken, and the listing says it is made in FDA, USDA, and FSIS regulated facilities.

Pros

• One chew lists vitamins, fatty acids, joint ingredients, and probiotics
• Chicken flavor
• The label front reads Joint, Probiotic, Omega

Cons

• It overlaps with a separate joint or fish oil product, and Heinze of Tufts says: "Avoid products with overlapping ingredients - do not use two products for joints that both contain chondroitin and glucosamine, for instance."
• The ingredient list on the listing includes dried shellfish digest

For probiotic products on their own, see our guide to the best probiotics for German Shepherds. Check this chew's ingredient list against any food reactions your dog has had.

Healthy Breeds Chewable Tabs

SHOP ON AMAZON

Healthy Breeds recommends Multi-Tabs Plus as a daily supplement for "active, older and working dogs." The tablets are chewable, and the maker says to "Give by hand just prior to feeding, or crumble and mix with food." The ingredient list includes liver powder, molasses, and a long run of vitamins and minerals.

Pros

• The maker says the tablet can be crumbled into food
• The instructions read "Dogs over 10 lb - 1 tablet daily", so the 365 count tub is a year of tablets for a dog that size
• The ingredient list names liver powder

Cons

• The ingredient list shows vitamins and minerals only, with no joint, fish oil, or probiotic ingredients
• A 365 count tub is a long supply if your dog does not take to the taste

Check the instructions on the label for your dog's weight, and ask your vet whether your dog needs a multivitamin at all.

Healthy Breeds Multivitamin Soft Chews for German Shepherds

SHOP ON AMAZON

The listing title is Healthy Breeds German Shepherd All in One Multivitamin Soft Chew, 120 count, and the label front reads Joint, Probiotic, Omega. The ingredient list on the maker's page includes chondroitin sulfate, flaxseed, dried shellfish digest, and dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product.

Pros

• The ingredient list names chondroitin sulfate and dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product
• The maker's page gives the calories: 37.8 kcal per 2 chews
• The 120 count is a longer supply than the 90 count version

Cons

• Healthy Breeds sells a 90 count under the same All in One name, so a dog needs only one of the two
• The ingredient list includes dried shellfish digest

The calorie figure lets you count the chews with the day's food, and the feeding chart is on the label. The overlap warning from Tufts, quoted above, applies to any joint product given alongside this chew.

Healthy Breeds Puppy Multi

SHOP ON AMAZON

The listing title is Healthy Breeds German Shepherd Puppy Dog Multivitamin Tablet, 60 count. The maker's page says "Recommended for dogs under 1 year of age" and describes "liver-flavored chewable tablets."

Pros

• Made for dogs under 1 year of age
• A liver-flavored chewable tablet
• The label shows a German Shepherd puppy

Cons

• It is for dogs under 1 year of age only

The AKC says too much calcium can cause skeletal problems in large-breed puppies. A German Shepherd puppy grows into a large dog, so ask the vet before you start these tablets.

Healthy Breeds Omega Soft Chews

SHOP ON AMAZON

The listing title is Healthy Breeds German Shepherd Salmon Oil Soft Chews, 90 count. Salmon oil is in the ingredient list, and the maker's page says the product "is intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding."

Pros

• A soft chew, so there is no oil to pour
• The label front reads Salmon Oil, Skin and Coat Support
• The label says the amount can be divided between AM and PM meals

Cons

• The chart reads "41 to 60 lbs - 4 soft chews, Over 60 lbs - 6 soft chews", so a 90 count tub lasts 15 days for a dog over 60 lbs
• Freeman of Tufts says fish oil has potential side effects and is not right for every dog and cat with the conditions it may help

For liquid salmon oils, see our guide to the best salmon oil for German Shepherds.

Healthy Breeds Multivitamins for German Shepherds

SHOP ON AMAZON

The listing title is Healthy Breeds German Shepherd Multivitamin Soft Chew for Dogs, 180 count. The maker's page lists dried chicken liver, cane molasses, dicalcium phosphate, glycerine, and soybean oil first, and says the chews are recommended for dogs of all breeds, sizes, ages, and activity levels.

Pros

• At 180 count, it is the largest soft chew tub here
• The instructions read "Dogs over 50 lbs - 2 soft chews per day", which makes one tub a 90 day supply for a dog that size

Cons

• The ingredient list also includes wheat flour, soy flour, corn starch, sugar, and salt
• It lists methylparaben and propylparaben as preservatives

Read the ingredient list against any diet your vet has set for your dog.

Want to know more about giving your pet a nutritious diet? Check out the best food for German Shepherd puppies next!

Buying Guide

Start With the Food

The AKC says: "Dogs fed an appropriate commercial diet should not require vitamin supplements unless recommended otherwise by a veterinarian." Its article on vitamins and minerals for dogs goes through vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K and choline, and says dogs need them in different amounts than people do. It also says human vitamins "may even contain additives that are harmful to dogs."

Check for Overlap

Heinze of Tufts tells dog parents to "Compare the nutrients between the products you are using and look for nutrients that are present in more than one product or have a lower threshold for toxicity such as vitamin A, vitamin D, and selenium". The AKC says too much vitamin A "can cause dehydration, joint pain, and can even harm your dog's blood vessels." Heinze adds: "If you are using more than 2-3 dietary supplements on top of a commercial pet food, you should carefully consider the reasons and data behind the use of the supplements."

Quality Indicators

Freeman of Tufts writes: "Unlike drugs, dietary supplements do not require the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review product effectiveness, safety, or quality prior to marketing."

When browsing, always check the purity and source of the vitamins. Certifications and approvals from veterinary associations - or standards used in preclinical labs (think reagents from companies like Selleckchem) - can be indicators of a high-quality product. Equally important is checking that there are no harmful additives or fillers.

Appropriate Dosage

The product should provide a clear dosing chart. It's essential to avoid over-supplementation, which can be just as detrimental as a deficiency.

The amounts on this page are quoted from product labels and apply to those products only. Ask your vet for the amount that fits your dog and the food it eats.

The Right Form

The seven products here are soft chews and chewable tablets. The 365 count tablets list vitamins and minerals only, while the 90 and 120 count soft chews also list joint and probiotic ingredients, and the salmon oil chews list fish oil.

READ NEXT: Homemade Food for German Shepherds: Nutritious DIY Meal Ideas

Sources

• Tufts Petfoodology, Dietary Supplements for Pets: Harmful or Helpful? (Lisa M. Freeman, 2017)
• Tufts Petfoodology, When Less is More: Sensible Use of Supplements (Cailin R. Heinze, 2018)
• FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, Vitamin D Toxicity in Dogs
• American Kennel Club, 7 Vitamins Your Dog Needs For a Healthy Life
• Healthy Breeds, German Shepherd products (maker's product pages)
• Amazon listings and label photos for each product above