Vitamin B12 for dogs can be lifesaving if your dog has malabsorption issues and therefore is unable to absorb the nutrients you are feeding to him/her. Dogs suffering from malabsorption typically have an underlying issue like exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) and/or Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). My dog Mylah has both of these ailments – lucky us!

As a result of EPI and IBD, Mylah has all the typical malabsorption symptoms: fur loss, muscle wasting, she has lost some weight but is always hungry (and she also eats a lot), she has a coarse scruffy looking coat and lots of gas. Her IBD is pretty well controlled because of her diet and her EPI is controlled through enzyme medication and B12.

I LOVE vitamin B12 injections for dogs because…

1. I have seen the difference it makes in Mylah
2. I have seen how it can positively affect healthy dogs because I gave it to Izzy and Hudson when we traveled to Colorado and they were in high altitude for the first time. It helped them adjust very easily!
3. B12 is a very safe non-toxic vitamin

I want to go over each of those more in-depth.

I have seen the difference it makes in Mylah

B12 supports brain and gastrointestinal tract functioning in a dog. Mylah’s body is missing important enzymes that affect her gastrointestinal tract and brain function and therefore causes a deficiency in B12 and it shows in the form of weight loss, fur loss, etc.

Now, Mylah is a complicated case because she has diabetes on top of EPI and IBD so for her B12 isn’t going to solve every problem. But it sure helps. Dogs who have these issues and aren’t supported with B12 can have a very poor prognosis. We give Mylah an injection of B12 every week to help her little body function better. Your veterinarian will prescribe the dosage for your dog.

I have seen how it can positively affect healthy dogs

Just like humans benefit from taking the right vitamins when they need them, so do dogs. We recently traveled with all the dogs to Colorado and the dogs were going to experience the altitude for the first time. Dogs can get altitude sickness just like humans can. I get altitude sickness! Guess what I take to overcome it? I load up on B12!

So, I consulted with my vet and got B12 to give to all three of the dogs daily while we were in Colorado. My dogs adapted to the altitude well and didn’t show any signs of sickness – no heavy panting, breathing, lethargy, dizziness, etc.

B12 is a very safe non-toxic vitamin

I felt comfortable giving all three of my dogs B12 injections every day in Colorado (and taking B12 twice every day myself) because B12 is super safe. It is a non-toxic vitamin and you can’t really overdose on it because B12 is not stored in the body. The bloodstream only absorbs as much B12 as it needs in order to function properly so dogs and humans eliminate the rest through urination.

If your dog is having issues with lethargy or anything I listed above, B12 might be a good solution. Consult with your vet and they can send you home with the B12 injections for your dog. Giving the injections is pretty easy too – I give the injection right under the skin in the thigh area.

Xox,
Alicia