From A to Zinc, Exploring the key vitamins & minerals for variety

Nutrient Variety in Raw Feeding

Feeding a wide variety of proteins, cuts, and whole‑food ingredients helps broaden the nutrient profile of your dog’s diet. Different animals, farming methods, and soils produce different nutrient levels, which is why rotating brands and proteins supports a more complete nutritional picture. This is also why using macros alone can be misleading—nutrient density varies naturally.

Vitamins in Whole Foods

🦴 Vitamin A

Vitamin A contributes to:

• Normal vision

• Skin and coat quality

• Growth and tissue maintenance

• Healthy development of bones and teeth

Sources:

• Animal: Chicken, pork, egg, salmon, halibut, haddock, sardine, liver, kidney, brain

• Herbs: Alfalfa (organic), borage, burdock root, cayenne, eyebright, fennel seed, kelp, lemongrass, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, red clover, rose hips, sage, uva ursi, watercress

• Plants: Carrots, squash, pumpkin, kale, spinach, broccoli, apricots, peach

Note: Vitamin A is fat‑soluble, so it accumulates over time. Food‑based excess is uncommon, but avoid doubling up if using premixes containing added vitamin A.

🔋 B Vitamins (B1–B12)

B vitamins support:

• Energy metabolism

• Nervous system function

• Growth and cell maintenance

• Skin and coat quality

B1 (Thiamine): Liver, rabbit, chicken, turkey, pork, egg, beef, salmon, haddock, sardine

B2 (Riboflavin): Liver, heart, kidney, rabbit, poultry, buffalo, egg, fish, leafy greens

B3 (Niacin): Rabbit, poultry, lamb, pork, ostrich, buffalo, egg, fish

B5 (Pantothenic Acid): Liver, heart, kidney, poultry, buffalo, egg, fish, alfalfa, nettle, yellow dock

B6 (Pyridoxine): Liver, kidney, heart, poultry, egg, fish

B9 (Folate): Liver, poultry, egg, fish, rosemary, parsley, spirulina, leafy greens

B12 (Cobalamin): Liver, kidney, poultry, egg, fish, alfalfa, hops

🍊 Vitamin C

Dogs can produce vitamin C, but whole‑food sources can still contribute to:

• Antioxidant support

• Normal collagen formation

• General tissue maintenance

Sources: Liver, kidney, heart, fish, cabbage, cauliflower, berries, kale

🌞 Vitamin D

Vitamin D supports:

• Normal calcium and phosphorus balance

• Bone and tooth development

• General skeletal maintenance

Sources: Egg, sardine, liver, kidney, salmon, alfalfa, nettle, parsley

Dogs rely on dietary vitamin D, so including natural sources is important.

✨ Vitamin E

Vitamin E contributes to:

• Antioxidant protection

• Cell membrane stability

• Normal reproductive and muscular function

Sources: Ostrich, buffalo, egg, haddock, sardine, kidney, brain, alfalfa, flaxseed, rose hips

🩸 Vitamin K

Vitamin K supports:

• Normal blood clotting processes

• Bone metabolism

Sources: Egg, haddock, sardine, liver, green tea, kelp, nettle

Minerals in Whole Foods

Minerals vary widely depending on soil quality, farming practices, and protein type. Offering a range of foods helps cover these natural variations.

🦴 Calcium

Supports:

• Bone and tooth structure

• Muscle contraction

• Nerve signalling

Sources: Rabbit, poultry, pork, lamb, goat, egg, beef, salmon, haddock, sardine, alfalfa, dandelion, nettle, parsley, flaxseed, kelp, fennel seed

⚡ Copper

Supports:

• Normal iron utilisation

• Connective tissue formation

• Pigmentation

Sources: Poultry, pork, lamb, goat, egg, beef, salmon, haddock, sardine, sheep sorrel

🛡️ Iodine

Supports:

• Thyroid hormone production

• Metabolic processes

Sources: Salmon, haddock, egg, calendula, tarragon leaf, turkey rhubarb

🩸 Iron

Supports:

• Oxygen transport

• Energy metabolism

Sources: Rabbit, poultry, pork, lamb, goat, egg, beef, salmon, haddock, sardine, alfalfa, burdock root, catnip, fennel seed, nettle, milk thistle

💙 Magnesium

Supports:

• Muscle and nerve function

• Energy production

• Bone structure

Sources: Poultry, pork, lamb, goat, egg, beef, salmon, haddock, sardine, alfalfa, chamomile, fenugreek, nettle, parsley, raspberry leaf

🧠 Manganese

Supports:

• Connective tissue formation

• Bone development

• Carbohydrate metabolism

Sources: Rabbit, poultry, pork, lamb, goat, egg, beef, salmon, haddock, sardine, burdock root, chamomile, dandelion, ginseng, parsley, rose hips

🦴 Phosphorus

Supports:

• Bone and tooth structure

• Energy metabolism

• Cell membrane integrity

Sources: Rabbit, turkey, pork, lamb, goat, egg, beef, salmon, haddock, sardine, burdock root, slippery elm

⚡ Potassium

Supports:

• Fluid balance

• Muscle and nerve function

Sources: Rabbit, poultry, pork, lamb, goat, egg, beef, salmon, haddock, sardine, hops, nettle, red clover, sage, skullcap

🔬 Selenium

Supports:

• Antioxidant activity

• Thyroid hormone metabolism

Sources: Rabbit, poultry, pork, lamb, goat, egg, beef, salmon, haddock, sardine, alfalfa, chamomile, fennel, garlic, nettle, raspberry leaf, rose hips

🏥 Zinc

Supports:

• Skin and coat quality

• Growth and cell division

• Enzyme function

Sources: Rabbit, poultry, pork, lamb, goat, egg, beef, salmon, haddock, sardine, chamomile, dandelion, fennel seed, milk thistle, rose hips, sage

Final Thoughts

A varied raw diet naturally broadens your dog’s intake of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Rotating proteins, including different cuts, and using whole‑food plant and herb sources helps support a more complete nutritional profile without relying on synthetic additions.