Vitamin C Intake

Vitamins. Everybody knows of their health benefits!! Swallow-whole multi-vitamin capsules regularly and your immune system should keep strong. Plus herbal Echinacea pills work wonders when it comes to evading an illness!! I swallow-whole something entitled "Wellness Formula" three times a day. This dietary supplement contains numerous vitamins, herbs, minerals, plus antioxidants. For the most part Wellness Formula maintains my health!! Rose "eats" her vitamins and minerals. In the form of peeled baby carrots, canned pumpkin, plus grated cheddar cheese. Her dog food contains vitamins, and the peanut butter/apple flavored twisted treats which I purchase my mongrel has fifteen vitamins plus minerals!! Each morning, I pour myself a mug of orange juice. Rose has, from our first dawn together, appeared curious about that citrus-scented beverage. She would attempt to dive her nostrils in my mug for a sniff.... Or lap it all up!! However, I always caught that cunning canine beforehand!! She would not even remotely consider stealing my orange juice!! Then one morning, I absent-mindedly abandoned a half-drank mug. On my bedroom floor. Free for tasting!! Uh, oh. And of course Rose did not hesitate to try my morning beverage!! Oh dear.... I suppose she received her vitamin C intake? Which is a positive concept.... Right? According to my "Nutrition & Health for Dogs" pet health resource book, canines need vitamin C much like we humans do!! This antioxidant "plays a key role in the production of interferon and infection-fighting white blood cells. Interferon, another part of the immune system's defense team, is produced in response to viruses, or tumors. The infection-fighting white blood cells, the backbone of the immune system, engulf foreign substances that enter the body. Many holistic veterinarians have had miraculous results giving critically ill dogs megadoses of vitamin C. The vitamin C helps restore the immune system, thus restoring the ability to fight the disease. Vitamin C also inhibits the secretion of histamines, making it a natural antihistamine and a necessary nutrient in the battle against allergens. Physical and emotional stress depletes your dog's body of vitamin C, so keeping up with the daily doses of vitamin C will go a long way in keeping her immune system strong. The daily dosage of vitamin C for an adult is: small dogs 500 mg to 1,000 mg, medium and large dogs (Such as Rose!!) 1,000 mg to 2,000 mg, and giant dogs 2,000 to 4,000 mg. For a weakened immune system, slowly increase the dose to 'bowel tolerance' (loose stools or diarrhea is a sign of too much vitamin C, in which case reduce the previous dosage)." Unfortunately, however there is more to orange juice than simply that antioxidant!! So I took the liberty of reading its ingredients!! Water, sugar, concentrated orange juice, vitamin D, calcium, vitamin C. Nothing hazardous--besides the sugar--to my "Mongrel-Hound's" well-being, at least!! Nonetheless, I was vigilant toward looking for symptoms of minor temporary sickness!! Such as diarrhea. But there were no ill effects!! Now, of course, I will never again leave my mug of unattended orange juice down on Rose's level. She may "ingest" her vitamin C elsewhere!!