Dog Nutrient Deficiencies: Symptoms & Key Trace Element

Have you noticed any of these little habits in your furry friend at home?

Lack of appetite: Even the most tantalizing treats are met with a lukewarm response, as if they're just going through the motions.

Constant licking: There's a relentless urge to lap at the ground, often picking up bits of dirt and small stones from the roadside.

Wallbiting woes: When at home, the walls seem to bear the brunt of your dog's chewing enthusiasm, leaving them scarred and damaged.

A slender frame: Your pup seems to be on the lighter side, with a lack of enthusiasm for much physical activity.

And perhaps, a quirky penchant for... unconventional snacks.

These symptoms might not be innate, but rather a sign of a deficiency in essential trace elements, setting your pet apart from the pack. It's crucial to ensure your dog is wellnourished to combat these issues.

Zinc Deficiency

A zinc shortfall can lead to hair loss, red and inflamed skin, scabs, incomplete keratinization, and skin ulcers, often affecting areas like the lips, paws, pads, eyes, nose, abdomen, limbs, scrotum, and perineum.

Potential Causes of Zinc Deficiency:

1. Insufficient zinc in the diet.

2. Genetic predisposition (e.g., Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, Great Danes may have a natural inability to absorb zinc).

3. High levels of phytic acid in the diet (which binds to zinc and renders it unavailable to the body).

4. A diet rich in calcium and low in zinc.

5. Excessive copper levels, which can reduce zinc absorption.

Vitamin A Deficiency

A lack of Vitamin A can result in hair loss, rough coat, seborrhea, excessive keratinization of the epidermal follicles, skin scabs, secondary bacterial infections, night blindness, muscle weakness, and in severe cases, deafness, otitis externa, paralysis, and other systemic issues, including death.

Common Causes of Vitamin A Deficiency:

1. Maternal deficiency passed on to the puppies.

2. Insufficient Vitamin A in the diet.

3. Genetic predisposition (e.g., certain Cocker Spaniels).

Vitamin E Deficiency

A deficiency in Vitamin E can lead to rough coat and darkening of fur color, hair loss, moist dermatitis, diarrhea, reproductive disorders, muscle weakness, skin and subcutaneous tissue damage, and even hemorrhages.

BVitamin Deficiencies

Niacin (B3) Deficiency: Can cause red lips and traumatic skin inflammation, as the dog scratches or chews due to itching.

Riboflavin (B2) Deficiency: Leads to cloudy corneas, dandrufflike skin inflammation, muscle weakness, and a scaly, reddened skin condition on the hindquarters and abdomen, with watery or puslike eye discharge, and possibly unsteady gait.

Pantothenic Acid (B5) Deficiency: Results in hair loss, discoloration (e.g., black turning to redbrown then gray), scaly keratinization of soft tissues, skin ulcers, anemia, diarrhea, enteritis, poor appetite, and abnormal gait, possibly due to impaired nerve function.

Pyridoxine (B6) Deficiency: Causes skin damage, anemia, growth stunting, neurological abnormalities, decreased antibody production, impaired amino acid transport, and can lead to endocrine disorders and atherosclerosis.

Biotin Deficiency: Results in fur discoloration, skin damage, excessive keratinization, poor hair growth, hoof injuries, hind limb paralysis, and dry secretions around the eyes.

Protein Deficiency

Protein deficiency can lead to abnormal keratinization of the skin, making it more susceptible to damage, and can cause the coat to become thin, fade, and break easily, with growth slowing or stopping altogether. A lack of sulfurcontaining amino acids in the diet can often lead to coat issues.

LowFat Diet Concerns

A diet low in fat can lead to dull coat color, dry, scaly skin, and a deficiency in fatsoluble vitamins, which can impact growth and, in severe cases, increase mortality rates.