Zinc deficiency in snow dogs

[wolfpup]

I think this pdf covers just about everything most of us would need to know about ZRD,  it is in three sections  39 pages long  -  but  'easy' reading.    I first came across it as three separate articles in dogs naturally magazine  -  then found this pdf.    One thing I found rather startling is that huskies and Malamutes require a far higher amount of dietary zinc than other dogs - or us.  we need about 15mg per day but huskies need a minimum of roughly 1mg per kilo of dog weight  -  and some need up to 100mg per  day.   

It also goes into the amounts of zinc in around a dozen food types  -  and I thought that, because of the way I feed my boys  -  they were getting too much zinc on certain days  (around 300mg a day)  - zinc toxicity can kick in starting around 240mg a day from memory.   This had me worried until I also read that zinc is not well absorbed by the body and only around 15-40% of ingested zinc is absorbed  -  so it means that my boys are actually getting between 40mg - 120mg of zinc daily.  (whew)  -   excess zinc is not stored in the body.

It also goes into the different types of zinc in prepared dog food  -   so you can check the type of zinc that is in your dog's feed  -  and how easily that type of zinc is absorbed by your fur baby.

 

 

 

zincdeficiencyinsleddogs.pdf

[Emma]

Thank you for sharing 😀

[Markulous]

Useful document though maybe a touch overblown (we've had Huskies for nearly 10 years and never had an incidence of ZRD, thank goodness). We raw feed and do ensure it's pretty much roughly balanced without specifically feeding to any recipe - though we do make sure we don't overdo it with the chicken carcasses (calcium's a factor in zinc absorption)

[wolfpup]

2 hours ago, Markulous said:

Useful document though maybe a touch overblown (we've had Huskies for nearly 10 years and never had an incidence of ZRD, thank goodness). We raw feed and do ensure it's pretty much roughly balanced without specifically feeding to any recipe - though we do make sure we don't overdo it with the chicken carcasses (calcium's a factor in zinc absorption)

I think that possibly the reason you have never had a case of ZRD is precisely because you feed raw (as I do) - which ensures maximum nutrition, zinc wise, as there is very little to interfere with zinc absorption.   That, and of course that we are lucky enough not to have dogs with a malabsorption problem.

I also think that it is slightly overblown -  but it is an American piece and they tend to phrase things differently to the UK -  however the information is useful I believe especially for people who feed kibble type feeds when it advises  e.g. switching to a grain free kibble to lessen zinc interference,  and checking the specific type of added zinc - as not all zinc additives are equally well absorbed by the body. 

I just think that if someone saves the pdf on their computer  -  maybe in a few years time if a problem arises they have the information on hand to suggest to a vet,  all the better if no problem arises and they can just forget it.    I belong to the older generation who think  "I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it".