Sure you’ve heard about creatine, you’ve probably even taken it yourself, or at least heard some of your gym friends talk about it. If not, the benefits of taking it are improved exercise performance and increase in muscle mass for bodybuilders, weightlifters and those who undergo strenuous physical activity.
But have you heard of creatine being administered to dogs?
Most people want their dogs to be on perfect health, just like themselves. This is especially important for dogs who are competing, which is why people consider using creatine to boost their companions training performance.
With the given benefits, some may administer creatine to their dogs to buff them up and shape their muscles nicely, giving them a fuller look and to improve their physical capabilities; others disagree saying that dogs do not know their exercising limits. While exercising your dog is great, overdoing it may jeopardize your canine.
In fact your dog receives small amounts of creatine when fed with red meat and fish. In this way, the dog naturally obtains creatine, much in the same way humans do. So only if your dog is on a very intense training schedule would it ever need to be supplemented. This is exactly the same for humans, only if you are doing a lot of strength training is creatine supplementation necessary!
The only way to administer creatine to your dog is orally, which would be easiest with the powdered form of creatine monohydrate mixed into their food or water bowl. A human dose is 3-5 grams a day, so if you do plan on giving creatine to your dog, make sure it is a lot less!
But my dog is so skinny!
Your dog can be skinny for various reasons. It could just be them coming from a naturally slim breed, improper nutrition or worst, because of parasites in their body, so it is first imperative to discover the reason for their skinniness. If it is simply weight gain that you’re after, there’s a whole lot of natural and proven ways for dogs. This includes more high protein food, cooked meat and maybe some veterinarian-recommended vitamins for your paw friend.
So if you’d like to give your dog creatine to help boost its performance when engaging in exercise, the best way is to work under your vet’s supervision. They are the best people to know the amount of creatine your dog needs and the methods most effective for creatine use. This will be different for every species and each individual. Also humans can verbally complain about any possible side effects, such as muscle cramping, stomach upset and dehydration, but your dog is also susceptible. So when this happens, seek help from a veterinarian immediately for professional care.
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