Lately, it seems that our beloved pets have been afflicted with so many issues. Cancer is one of them among so many others. Most diseases have some kind of solution. Either some kind of medicine or therapy of some sort that will either make the disease easier to deal with or a cure or keep it at bay. There are also some diseases that are silent and deadly. One that I am a bit familiar with is Zinc Deficiency in dogs. This mostly affects our snow breed dogs, Siberian Husky, and Malamutes. However, it does not discriminate against other breeds like Great Dane, St. Bernard, German Shepard, or Dobermans among many. This disease is virtually unknown to most veterinarians.
I can give you some insight into this disease as I have had to deal with this myself. But I urge you to read and research as much as you can on this issue, especially if you think your dog might be affected. There are some really knowledgeable people who have written some really good articles on this matter. One such person is Ms. Margit Maxwell of the Devine Dog Project on FB.
I had no idea what I was dealing with!
All I knew was that my precious baby had these sores around his mouth and eyes. It looked raw and bleeding a bit like a scratch and kept getting worse. It also looked painful, no one wants to see their best friend in pain.
So first I started with the normal vet visits. Don’t misunderstand I trust my vet wholeheartedly. He is the best it is just that no many cases are presented and zinc deficiency is a bit more complex and complicated to cure or maintain easily. There are so many variables within this problem. You cannot just start giving your pooch zinc and say “ok we are good” as I found out quickly. If you give too much you can actually create much bigger problems in your doggo’s health. And of course, if you do not give enough your dog can not maintain the disease and it can progress even more. So what is one to do? Research, research, and research and read as many articles as you can about the issue.
Another issue is that unless you know the exact cause of the zinc deficiency you will not be able to address the issue properly. By doing that you can actually just mask the problem.
Zinc Deficiency or Just Not Absorbing
So is it Deficiency or is it that your dog is just not absorbing the zinc? The zinc deficiency is actually because of the wrong diet or a bad diet. Zinc is readily available in most meats aka protein that is in the food. So if the protein source is not really acceptable or the diet just has too many carbs then there was never enough zinc, to begin with! Feeding good quality breed-specific food would help your dog with this problem.
The second problem you might have is when a dog’s diet contains wheat, corn, or soy. These ingredients actually block the zinc from being used by the dog’s body. Plant seeds have a one of a kind natural substance called Phytic acid which impairs the absorption of the much-needed zinc along with iron and calcium. So feeding a good quality breed-specific diet is one of the keys to battling zinc deficiency.
This does not mean that all dogs will be fixed right away. Some dogs will still need more zinc to fight the deficiency. This disease varies from dog to dog. Genetics is also a factor some times. And some dogs even have a different metabolism. For this specific group, it is recommended to add zinc-rich foods. Sometimes even this solution does not work and the dog is still zinc deficient, so at this point, you have to supplement.
Chelated, Picolinate, Gluconate, Methionine, or Citrate?
So which one do you use? Worried about your baby and now you have to actually experiment and figure out which kind of zinc will help your best friend’s zinc deficiency!!! Unfortunately, I did not have all the facts and whether I lost my baby because of it or not I will never know.
You see one day my Zeus was having trouble breathing on our walk and come to find out he had spontaneous Pneumothorax aka collapsed lung. Unfortunately, he passed away in my arms trying to get him to the ER a second time. Since I had another baby from the same parents I decided to check him right away for the zinc deficiency. Thank goodness my Vet actually listened to me and had him tested. Lo and behold he was zinc deficient.
At this point, I was so afraid I was going to lose him too. My Arrow was 2 at the time. This time around I had my vet refer me to a pet nutritionist since he was not eating too well either. Come to find out that this disease also lowers their ability to smell normally so not much appealed to him in the form of food. She also told me that the Gluconate form of the zinc was what was needed for my baby Arrow. Long story short Arrow is now 6 and I never miss his zinc dose every morning.
Zinc Deficiency is One Very Complex Issue!
The bottom line seek help from those who know and are familiar with this issue. You absolutely cannot just randomly try and fix this problem. Talk to your vet and stand your ground if you ask for a test and they do not want to do it. I am lucky to have a vet who really cares about my babies and listens to my concerns. You can start going down the list and see if the diet fixes the problem but I highly recommend seeking professional help to the type and dosage of the zinc needed for your four-legged friend.
I also recommend this article from 2014 by Ms. Margit Maxwell who also touches on a lot of the things I spoke about in this article. Or this one by Kristin Clark who also has good information on the subject.
On a final note, love your pets, give them the best life you can, after all, Their lives are in our hands. Their lives matter and if you bring one home please research and seriously look to see if it is the right decision for your household. Do not look at that adorable puppy face and say “I want one”. That same puppy might grow up to be a 100 lb rambunctious dog who thinks he is a lap dog and sheds ALL year round!!! That same dog might tear your house apart if he does not get enough exercise. So I beg you to look deep inside before you bring a pet home, any pet, but especially a dog because they really put their lives in your hands.
Prevail K9 Your Pets Nutritional Breakthrough!
I also recommend you check out Prevail K9, a natural product from Valentus that will enhance your dog’s ability to absorb all that is necessary for their little bodies. I am using it now and let me tell you it has definitely made a difference in my younger pup. You see ever since he was a puppy he had trouble with soft stool and diarrhea. Well since I have started using the Prevail K9 he has had at least two weeks of normal bowel movements. So be sure to check them out!
Adopt or Rescue Please
If you are still bent on getting a pet there are so many rescues that need help. Those that are close to my heart are Husky Pack Rescue and Releashed Rescue is another. They are not the only ones though there is always the ASPCA or your local shelter that are always in need of adoption, monetary, or volunteer help. So choose wisely and remember that dog you rescued will lay down their life for you if you treat them right.
THANK YOU FOR READING MY ARTICLE!!! GIVE YOUR FOUR-LEGGED BEST FRIEND A BIG HUG AT THE END OF EACH DAY AND TELL THEM HOW MUCH YOU LOVE THEM. THEY TRULY UNDERSTAND YOU.