Niacin (Vitamin B3) for Dogs

Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, plays an important role in your dog’s health. Like all B vitamins, it helps the body perform several key functions, including converting food into energy. It also supports proper digestion and brain function, and plays a vital role in the production of hormones.

But which foods contain niacin, how much does your dog need each day, and what happens if they don’t get enough niacin in their diet? Keep reading to find out.

Dogs need niacin to ensure that their body can function properly for optimal health. One of this water-soluble vitamin’s key roles is to support the function of enzymes responsible for the production of energy, helping the body metabolize the carbohydrates, fats, and protein in your dog’s diet.

But vitamin B3 also has plenty of other big responsibilities. It supports the healthy functioning of the nervous system, the production of corticotrophin-releasing hormones to help your dog deal with stress, and promotes healthy brain function. And because it helps the body produce stomach acid and bile, niacin also has a key role to play in ensuring healthy digestion.

The daily recommended intake of niacin for a 30-pound dog is 4 mg/1,000 calories.

AAFCO’s dog food nutrient profiles also list the minimum niacin requirement for dog food. For both growth and reproduction and adult maintenance formulas, this requirement is 13.6mg/kg.

The simplest way for your dog to get niacin is from their commercial kibble. As AAFCO’s dog food nutrient profiles have minimum niacin requirements, it’s easy to make sure your dog gets enough vitamin B3 in their diet.

Niacin is found in a wide range of foods dogs eat, including liver and other organ meats, fish, beef, poultry, yeast, seeds, grains, and legumes. Dogs are also able to metabolize tryptophan, an amino acid, into niacin.

If your dog doesn’t get enough niacin in their diet, mild niacin deficiency can lead to symptoms such as:

• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite 
• Indigestion
• Bad breath
• Bloody stool
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Swollen mouth or tongue
• Swollen lips
• Drooling

Chronic cases of niacin deficiency are known as “black tongue”. The equivalent of pellagra in humans, this condition leads to tongue discoloration, diarrhea, cracked skin, and neurological problems. If a serious case of niacin deficiency is left untreated, it can be fatal.

Treatment of niacin deficiency

Niacin deficiency is treated by feeding a balanced diet with adequate amounts of niacin. Your veterinarian may also recommend adding niacin supplements to your pet’s diet to help get them back to full health.

Niacin overdose in dogs rarely occurs, as the high water-solubility of B vitamins means that excess amounts can generally be quickly expelled from the body. However, high doses of niacin can cause liver inflammation and damage, as well as skin sores.

Healthy pets eating a complete and balanced diet likely won’t benefit from supplements unless they’re prone to deficiency, have an underlying condition, or are training for a sport.

That said, niacin is also available as a supplement for dogs. It is typically used alongside other medications to treat inflammatory skin conditions.

As a pet parent, it’s important to know that niacin is a crucial vitamin for dogs that supports a host of essential bodily functions. The good news is that most dogs can get all the niacin they need if you feed them a complete and balanced diet, so shop around to find a high-quality food suited to your dog’s life stage and size.