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Micronutrients For Dogs

Food needs conversion. Cascades of chemical reactions in the dog's body turn protein, fat, and carbohydrate, the "macronutrients" into the essentials of life. These reactions rely upon vitamins and minerals, the "micronutrients." Nutritional synergy is only as efficient as the weakest link in the chain. Extra micronutrients are useful when a dog is stressed through illness, medication, or advancing years.

Vitamins

Vitamins are nutrients that are needed as catalysts for the dog's metabolism. For convenience they are divided into fat-soluble and water-soluble groups. The fat-soluble vitamins enter the body with dietary fat and are stored in the liver. If too much is stored, a dog may become toxic and ill.

Vitamins that are fat-soluble include vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamin A serves many roles including maintaining healthy eyesight. Dogs can make it from substances called carotenoids, which are found in plant cells, but they get most of their natural vitamin A from eating the livers of other animals. Fish oils, milk, and egg yolk are good sources of vitamin A. Some Cocker Spaniels have a problem making enough vitamin A, leading to oily skin conditions. Dogs can synthesize vitamin D in their skin. Deficiency, causing rickets, is now rare. Excess vitamin D is regrettably common, and leads to calcium deposits in soft tissue and skeleton deformities. Vitamin E, with the mineral selenium, acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals that can damage cell membranes. Vitamin E acts as an anti-inflammatory for some dogs with skin disorders, and may be of benefit for vascular, heart, or neurological conditions. Stressed and hard-working dogs have a higher requirement for vitamin E.

Vitamin K is needed for blood coagulation. Some vitamin K is manufactured by bacteria in the dog's intestines. Dogs on prolonged antibiotic therapy may need a vitamin K supplementation. Deficiencies rarely occur.

There is little risk of overdosing with the water-soluble vitamins. If food is deficient in vitamin B complex, yeast-based tablets are a safe supplement. Some Giant Schnauzers suffer from a condition that interferes with vitamin B12 absorption. They need their B12 given by injection. Many of the B vitamins are synthesized by bacteria in the dog's intestines. Because antibiotics interfere with the bacteria that manufacture these vitamins, your dog might benefit from yeast tablets if it has been prescribed antibiotics.

Folic acid plays a vital role in the synthesis of prostaglandins, chemicals with many roles in the body including protection of the stomach lining. A deficiency can lead to increased levels of the amino acid homocysteine.

While we cannot manufacture our own vitamin C, dogs can. The dog's liver makes ascorbic acid from glucose, and it is likely that dogs have the capacity to increase vitamin C production when under the stress of illness. We (and guinea pigs) are unusual in the animal world in that we don't have the ability to manufacture our own vitamin C. We have to consume it in our food. Take care if giving a vitamin C supplement to your dog. When given in excess, vitamin C is excreted in the urine as a substance called oxalate. This can form into bladder stones.

Minerals

Like vitamins, minerals play vital roles at the cellular level. Calcium and phosphorus are necessary for growth and maintenance of the skeleton and for cell-membrane and neuro-muscular function. Meat-only diets (low in calcium) lead to over-stimulation of the parathyroid gland and eventual swollen, painful joints. Lactation can result in low blood calcium leading to eclampsia, while diets high in calcium during pregnancy may increase the risk of eclampsia during lactation. Excess dietary calcium may induce zinc deficiency if fed over a prolonged period.

Selenium is an essential part of the enzyme systems that maintain healthy body tissue. It may also play a role in the immune system, and help neutralize carcinogens.

Copper is stored in the liver and, with iron, is associated with the transport of oxygen around the body in red blood cells. Some breeds of dogs, such as the Dobermann and Cocker Spaniel, may have an inherited copper-storage disease, leading to copper poisoning.

Zinc is vital for healthy skin, for an efficient immune system, and for competent taste buds. Zinc deficiency in the diet is sometimes called "generic dry dog food disease" because of the low zinc levels in poorly formulated dry dog food. Some Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies have an inherited zinc metabolism disorder where zinc absorption is poor.

Iodine is necessary for efficient thyroid gland functioning. Although "hypothyroidism", an underactivity of the thyroid gland, is probably the most common hormonal imbalance that dogs suffer from, it is rarely associated with a deficiency of iodine in the diet.

Essential fatty acids

Important discoveries have been made in the last decade that explain the vital role of essential fatty acids (EFAs) in controlling allergy, arthritis, inflammation, heart disease, auto-immune disease, kidney and nervous system function, dermatitis, and even cancer. Most of the EFAs known as omega 6 are associated with cell inflammation, and they may also suppress the immune system. Another group, called omega 3, are associated with reduced cellular inflammation. Omega-3 EFAs do not suppress the immune system. In both people and dogs, dietary omega-3 fatty acids enhance the efficiency of the immune system. Dogs need a good supply of animal or vegetable-derived linoleic acid, which is an omega-6 EFA, for body growth, wound healing, and liver function. Dogs can convert linoleic acid to another omega 6 called arachidonic acid, which is necessary for blood clotting, coat condition, and efficient reproduction. Feeding diets that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids results in changes in the composition of cell walls. As a consequence, the cell is less at risk of becoming inflamed.

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