Canina Canivita, 100 ml is a multivitamin emulsion for dogs and cats from the German maker Canina. It's based on evening primrose oil and contains 11 essential water- and fat-soluble vitamins. The manufacturer recommends it for periods of extra demand — pregnancy and lactation, rapid growth, training, work, racing, shows, hunting and travel — and for recovery after illness. The liquid form is easy to mix into food.
When pets need vitamins
If a dog or cat eats a quality complete food, extra vitamins usually aren't needed — the diet already provides everything. Supplements make sense during periods of higher need: pregnancy, lactation, rapid growth, heavy exercise, recovery after illness, or with a home-made diet that's hard to balance. More in vitamins for dogs and cats: when they're needed.
Key specs
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Form | liquid emulsion with evening primrose oil |
| Vitamins | A, D3, E, K3, B1, B2, B6, B12, nicotinic, folic and pantothenic acid |
| Vitamin A / D3 | 500,000 / 10,000 IU/kg |
| Vitamin E | 1000 mg/kg |
| Fat | 30% |
| For | dogs and cats |
| Volume | 100 ml |
Dosage
Dogs: about 0.5–1.5 teaspoons per animal daily, depending on size. Cats: about 0.5 teaspoon a day. Mix the emulsion into food. Don't exceed the dose or combine it with other vitamin complexes without your vet's agreement: vitamins A and D3 accumulate in the body, and excess is harmful.
Pros
- 11 vitamins. Fat- and water-soluble in one product.
- Liquid form. Easy to mix into food.
- Evening primrose oil. A base with fatty acids.
- For dogs and cats. One product for different pets.
- Clear dosage. In teaspoons.
- A German maker. Canina has long produced supplements.
Cons
- Bold claims. "Works in 10 minutes" and "absorbed bypassing the liver" are the manufacturer's words, unsupported on the product page.
- A high price. Costs more than many vitamin supplements.
- No minerals. Vitamins only.
- Unnecessary on a complete food. Without a specific need, extra vitamins are superfluous.
How to give it
Mix the required amount into wet food or soaked kibble. For cats, it's easiest with a little of their favourite pâté. Shake the bottle before use and store it closed somewhere cool. A vitamin course is usually tied to a period of stress or recovery; discuss its length with your vet.
During pregnancy and growth
Pregnant and nursing dogs and cats and growing puppies and kittens need more vitamins, but they're also at greater risk of overdose. If your pet eats a puppy or kitten food, it already gets an increased vitamin dose. So supplements during these periods should be prescribed by a vet. Puppies have their own supplements too, such as calcium: Canina Welpenkalk. On feeding puppies, see what to feed a puppy by age.
After illness and under heavy exercise
After illness and surgery, and in working and sporting dogs, vitamins aid recovery. In these cases, the emulsion can be combined with energy supplements such as Canina Petvital Energy Gel. For skin and coat there are specialised complexes, for example Canina Biotin Forte.
How to choose vitamins
Decide on the goal: a general complex, coat, joints or bones. Form matters too: liquids are easy to dose for small pets, tablets work as treats for dogs, and pastes appeal to cats. Check vitamin A and D3 levels and don't give several complexes at once.
Who it suits
Owners of dogs and cats during periods of extra demand — shows, hunting, travel, training — and for recovery after illness on a vet's advice. More supplements are in the vitamins and mineral supplements and dog vitamins sections.
Verdict
Canina Canivita is a liquid multivitamin emulsion with evening primrose oil and 11 vitamins for dogs and cats, easy to mix into food and dose. Appropriate during heavy exercise, growth and recovery. The downsides are the high price, the lack of minerals and bold claims about speed of action that are best treated as advertising.
FAQ
How many vitamins does it contain?
11: A, D3, E, K3, B1, B2, B6, B12, nicotinic, folic and pantothenic acid.
How much for a dog?
About 0.5–1.5 teaspoons a day, depending on size.
How much for a cat?
About 0.5 teaspoon a day.
What's the base?
Evening primrose oil.
Does it contain minerals?
The product page lists only vitamins.
Is it needed with dry food?
With a complete food, only if there's a specific need.
What's the bottle size?
100 ml.
