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Elgatee t1_j5xrgfw wrote

Every vitamin is used by bodies for some purpose. Depending on what a certain species has or do, you'll need more or less of certain vitamin.

Animals with "bigger" brain will usually require more energy to make it work. Animals with large, constantly growing claws/teeths will need certain vitamin to keep growing them. Animals with hot blood will need more food for their heat.

Everything has a use, and what your body can do decide how much of each you need in average.

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Ok_Elk_4333 OP t1_j5xukic wrote

So applying the RDA for vitamins and minerals to mammals would make no sense? (After modifying for body weight of course)

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Elgatee t1_j5xv5q7 wrote

I am no animal expert, so consult an expert if you do need to do that for any reason.

If it's only as a food for thought, depending on the mammal you'd probably be fine unless whatever animal has a very prominent feature you need to worry about. Farm animals have prominent features (cow produce lots of milk, sheep produce lots of wool) that most likely unbalance things a lot compared to us. Other mammal like cats and dogs probably have a balance close enough that the variation between their RDA and ours should be fine.

If you look at anything other than mammals, things change drastically. Hollow bones and feathers in birds, cold blood and scales in lizards, etc... are probably much further away from us.

Again, not expert on this subject, consult an expert if you're planning on putting your dog on the same diet as yourself.

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