Husky Zinc Deficiency

[LilBambi]

My dog was diagnosed with a zinc deficiency... I took him to a dermatologist who says he should be on prednisone for the rest of his life, however I'm worried about complications following that type of treatment. He already had an abnormal blood test for his kidney's and its only been 6 months... Does anyone have any experience with this? Any alternatives to the steroids? Any help is appreciated!

[robke]

I have never heard of that I would ask for a second opinion… 

[wolfpup]

https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/could-it-be-zinc-responsive-dermatosis

This vet article does  mention prednisone for certain types of zinc deficiency  -  it will of course depend entirely on the type of zinc deficiency your dog has.      If it is purely a dietary deficiency then you could - with the help of a nutritionist -  go down the natural route (i.e. raw feeding and zinc supplementation only).   However if there is a problem with actual absorption your dog will probably need to be kept on the steroids. 

This might help a little      https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/zinc-responsive-dermatosis-in-dogs

I would not rely totally on a dermatologist for an accurate diagnosis of zinc deficiency - you really do need to know exactly what type your dog has   -  if she is a husky then it is more than likely type 1  -  then prednisone should not really be required.

However  I am a dog food nutritionist  - NOT a vet.