When it comes to eating healthy, even as humans we can struggle with ensuring that we get all of the nutrients that we need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Your dog needs the full list of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals to live a happy, healthy life. Although, with dogs, it’s much harder to know whether or not they’re getting everything they need.
Understanding the need for minerals and vitamins is the first step to ensuring that your dog is receiving everything they need to thrive.
What are Vitamins?
Vitamins are organic compounds that are involved in energy production, immune function, and antioxidant defenses. Some vitamins can be synthesized in the body, but others must be supplied by the horse’s diet. For example, vitamin D is produced in the skin after exposure to UV light, but this endogenous production may not be sufficient to fully meet the horse’s needs.
What are essential minerals?
Essential minerals are inorganic nutrients that must be obtained from the diet because they can not be made in the body. They serve many physiological and biochemical functions in dogs. They play a crucial role in aiding in movement, energy production, reproduction and health.
Minerals are known as the "spark plugs" to life, and without sufficient levels, or the correct mineral composition (mineral to mineral ratio), the body is unable to function to its best ability, as well as ensuring a happy life. Hormone balance testing and gut function testing are usually undertaken as the first line health investigations, however; both of these systems rely on minerals and vitamins to support the body and preventing chronic health conditions.
Your dog's daily requirements for vitamins and minerals are determined based on their bodyweight, physiological status, activity level and overall health.
Minerals in the diet are categorised into two groups depending on the amount needed for normal bodily functions: Micro-minerals and Macro-minerals.
Calcium and Phosphorus are essential nutrients for your dog.
They are especially important for growing dogs because calcium helps in building strong bones and teeth. While Phosphorus boosts bone formation, energy metabolism, and cell structure.
Calcium has other important functions, like aiding in blood clotting, nerve communication, and certain cell activities. Phosphorus also acts as a buffer and is involved in nucleic acid metabolism.
It's crucial to maintain a balanced ratio of these minerals. If there's an imbalance, it can lead to osteofibrosis, which shows as anxiety, loss of appetite, diarrhea, bone deformities, lameness, and abnormal posture and gait. The dog's hair may become dull and dry. In adults, high phosphorus levels can lead to periodontitis, affecting the gums.
On the other hand, having too much calcium, especially when the Calcium-Phosphorus ratio is off, can cause hypercalcemia and osteopetrosis. These conditions lead to stunted growth, thick bones, and increase the chances of hip dysplasia and wobbler syndrome, a neurological disease affecting the spine and neck
Potassium is a crucial mineral in the body that helps with nerve impulses and muscle contractions. It's essential for a healthy heart and overall movement. Its main job is to work with sodium to keep the blood balanced, prevent dehydration, regulate acid levels, and manage water in cells.
A deficiency in potassium is called hypokalemia, and can be serious. It's often caused by kidney issues, vomiting, diarrhea, diabetes, diuretics, or intense IV fluid therapy.
Signs of hypokalemia include weak muscles, tiredness, unsteady walking, and constipation.
Hypokalemia in puppies can affect their growth and possibly becoming life-threatening for weaker ones.
Too much potassium (hyperkalemia) can lead to severe heart problems, especially irregular heartbeats. It can also affect muscles, causing weakness and paralysis.
Sodium is a vital mineral found in our blood and fluids around cells. It helps keep cells in the right shape and size. Like potassium and other minerals, it also plays a role in how our nerves and muscles work.
We come across sodium in our everyday food, and most people know it best as a part of table salt. We understand that we should use salt in moderation. The same applies to dog food.
It's important to be careful with the use of salt as too much sodium can cause a serious condition called hypernatremia. This condition can lead to scary symptoms like confusion, disorientation, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, and even coma.
Sodium deficiency is called hyponatremia. It can cause a cellular problem known as hypo-osmolality. This means there's not enough body fluids passing through cells or a lack of osmosis. The symptoms are similar to having too much sodium.
Hyponatremia can develop due to various reasons, including high levels of fat in the blood (hyperlipemia), low levels of protein in the blood (hypoproteinemia), feeling very thirsty, congestive heart failure, liver cirrhosis, kidney disease, and others.
It's crucial to monitor the sodium intake in your dog's diet to maintain their health and prevent serious issues. If you notice any unusual symptoms or suspect an electrolyte imbalance, take your dog to the vet as soon as possible.
Chloride is usually found together with sodium. Just like the balance of calcium and phosphorus, their ratio should be 1:1. Chloride helps regulate the fluids and nutrients going in and out of cells. It also keeps the right pH levels, helps create stomach acid for digestion, and supports the functioning of nerves and muscles. Additionally, it helps oxygen and carbon dioxide flow inside cells.
Not having enough chloride (hypochloremia) often goes along with not having enough sodium (hyponatremia). Signs of hypochloremia include fluid loss, dehydration from diarrhea and vomiting, feeling tired, and having trouble breathing. It can be caused by similar things as hyponatremia, like congestive heart failure, prolonged fluid loss, chronic lung disease, and sometimes chemotherapy. To diagnose it, a blood test is done, and it's treated with a fluid given through a vein.
Having too much chloride is called hyperchloremia. It can be caused by various things like dehydration, diarrhea, vomiting, poorly controlled diabetes, taking large doses of diuretics, corticosteroids, and NSAIDs (pain relievers). Excessive intake of potassium chloride can also cause it.
Magnesium is another macro-element needed for strong and healthy bones. It's the second most abundant after potassium in the cells. It also helps with muscle function, including heart function, and it maintains the electrical balance between membranes. This is why magnesium is important for puppies, especially. Without it, their growth would be affected.
Lack of magnesium can lead to weakness, overactive reflexes, tetany and muscle tremors, arrhythmias, and depression. It can be caused by diabetes Mellitus, malnutrition, excessive calcium excretion, and decreased magnesium intake.
Hypermagnesemia or magnesium overdose can lead to nausea, vomiting, weakness, depression, paralysis, lowered heart rate, coma, and even cardiac arrest. It can be caused by kidney failure, poor intestinal motility, high levels of magnesium being administered, and endocrine disorders
Dogs require iron, but only in small amounts.
Too much iron can be dangerous for dogs. Iron supplements are given to severely anemic dogs, but meat is the most absorbable source of iron.
A deficiency in iron, which can lead to severe anemia, is caused by chronic blood loss, but it is relatively rare compared to iron poisoning.
Iron poisoning is a serious and life-threatening condition, often affecting puppies who consume excessive supplements. To prevent this, careful measurement of supplements is essential. Iron toxicity may cause vomiting, diarrhea, stomach bleeding, and abdominal pain.
Copper is an essential mineral that helps the body in many ways and works together with other elements. It's important for skeletal formation, connective tissue, preventing anemia, giving fur a bright color, creating myelin, and aiding in enzymatic functions.
Copper deficiency can lead to skeletal deformities, anemia, fur color changes, and lower fertility in male dogs. This is especially common in malnourished dogs or those that didn't get enough copper in their diet when they were puppies.
An overdose of copper results in jaundice, weight loss, refusal to eat but excessive drinking of water, bloating, confusion, weakness, nausea, low hemoglobin levels, and bleeding from the nose and mouth.
Treatment for copper poisoning involves intravenous fluids, zinc supplements, antibiotics in some cases, and changes in the diet for chronic poisoning cases.
Manganese, a tiny yet important element, plays various essential roles in the body. It contributes to energy production, breaks down proteins and carbohydrates, and aids in the synthesis of fatty acids. Manganese is also crucial for many enzymes that maintain strong bones and cartilage. Additionally, it helps the body use certain vitamins like B1, C, E, and B7.
Not getting enough manganese can lead to bone deformities, poor growth, lameness, enlarged joints, and problems with bone marrow. It can also affect fertility.
On the other hand, having too much manganese is dangerous and can cause severe liver failure, vomiting, loss of coordination, and even death.
Zinc is essential for a healthy coat, reproduction, and helps enzymes function properly for protein synthesis. It's also beneficial for muscles during intense exercise. However, too much zinc can interfere with other minerals' absorption.
Not getting enough zinc can lead to stunted growth, hair loss, growth problems, and a weaker immune system.
Iodine is crucial for the thyroid hormones that control growth and metabolic rate. The thyroid plays a big role in regulating growth, body temperature, skin health, and even neuromuscular function. Iodine is essential for all these processes.
Not getting enough iodine or having too much can lead to the same medical issues, like hair loss, feeling tired and weak, having an enlarged thyroid gland (goiter), not eating well, and having a fever.
This mineral is an antioxidant, working alongside Vitamin E to protect cells from free radical damage and supporting the immune system. In addition to iodine, it actively participates in thyroid function.
Selenium deficits are rare because Vitamin E can act as a replacement. Both minerals have to be low for a deficit to happen. In such cases, dogs may experience decreased eating and edemas around the body. Having too much selenium can lead to vomiting, muscle spasms, weakness, drooling, bad breath, nail issues, and loss of appetite.
How do dogs become deficient in minerals?
Most people would immediately assume nutritional deficiencies come from the quality of food dogs are eating. But that’s not always the case.
The main three sources of malnutrition come from:
1) Not enough food
2) Malnutritional food
3) Digestive diseases preventing absorption of nutrients
It is a common misconception is that "a complete and balance food for your dog will have all the essential minerals in the right quantities."
Unfortunately, many dog foods labeled as “complete and balanced” still don’t offer the best quality nutrition for your dog. Many come with preservatives, artificial colors, and stabilisers to make the food appear tastier.
It is crucial to understand the mineral status of your loved ones to ensure that you are providing the right nutrition and supplements with their diet, as their bodies can't produce them.
It's easy to underestimate or overestimate the amount of minerals our pets need. If not fed in the right quantities, deficiencies and overdoses of certain minerals could adversely affect your dog's health.
Reading ingredient labels for harmful additives is a useful practice for pet owners to follow to ensure your dog is eating healthy. It also helps to have a general understanding of what ingredients are beneficial and which are harmful. For example, many dogs have adverse allergic reactions to over-farmed ingredients.
Be on the lookout for the following, as they may be connected to digestive issues:
- Corn
- Soy
- Wheat
- White flour
- Meat*
- Corn syrup
- Additives
- Salt
*Meat = unspecified “meat”—It begs the question, what kind? And, why aren’t they telling you what kind?
How do I know if my dog has a deficiency?
Sometimes it can be difficult to know as deficiencies happen over the course of months or years, the symptoms can progress slowly, therefore aren't as recognisable as a sudden change.
Much like humans, dogs will compensate for changes in their system, however, its when these changes become so great that they can start to impact on health.
While short-term nutrient deficiencies may only produce subtle symptoms, prolonged deficiencies or imbalances can have more harmful effects.
Signs of deficiencies can be seen in various ways, some mildly, some a lot stronger.
Mineral testing can provide you with this information so that you aren't left guessing, or assessing you pet for signs and symptoms.
You can see some examples below:
Why can't I just use supplements?
You most certainly can use supplements, however; what we do not recommend, is "blind supplementing" any of your pets, or even yourself for that matter.
Minerals and mineral composition is a complex subject. Its not just about the amount of mineral that you have in your body, it is also about looking at the mineral to mineral ratio's. Some minerals work together in pairs, others will antagonise (work in apposition and prevent absorption). By blindly supplementing with the "most common" minerals and vitamins, you run the risk of making things worse, or severely imbalanced.
Although supplements are not regulated like medication is, they are extremely powerful for the body.
We will always recommended undertaking a test to be able to see the current mineral status of your dogs health, only then do you know that the food and/or supplements that you are feeding, as correct, and are supporting a long and healthy life.
With tests starting from just £165.00, you could receive the blueprint to health that you need to ensure the longest, heathiest life possible for your companion.
Why Choose Libra Health?
What Our Customers Say:
"..Understanding that the food I was choosing for my dog was correct was a huge take away for me, but to also be aware that during certain seasons, I may need to add simple ingredients for additional support makes complete sense..."
"To find out that I had been doing my best mate damage for all these years by letting him lick my plate, was heart wrenching. I was naive to the damage that too much salt could do. Its even made me cut down so I can be healthier for him.."
"This test has been a game changer for us, we have toyed with the idea of raw food diets for a while, but we just didn't know if the change would be the best option. This has allowed us to get a base line of our dogs health, and track changes along the way, we will be taking another sample in 6-12 months to ensure that our dogs remain healthy, or exceed their current status.."
Check out our Libra Blog where Canine Nutritionist Lib Ally gives her insight into the pet industry and discusses relevant topics to assist you in supporting your pets health.
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