The Role Of Zinc

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The role of zinc
Zinc is involved in a vast array of metabolic processes in the body. It plays a key role in more than 200 critical enzymatic/metabolic pathways, is integral to the function of your pet’s immune system and is involved in the production of numerous hormones.

One of the most powerful anti-oxidants in the body, zinc also plays a major role in brain function, learning and memory, as well as in maintaining good eyesight. In the skin, zinc plays a role in maintaining healthy skin and is involved in hair growth and regulation.


Effects of Zinc deficiency
Given the vast array of metabolic processes that involve zinc, it is not hard to understand why zinc deficiency has wide-ranging and seriously detrimental effects on general pet health. The first – and most easily missed – sign of zinc deficiency is reduced appetite and gradual weight loss, however if your pet is zinc deficient for a longer period of time more serious signs become apparent.

In the skin, deficiency causes a disruption to normal cell division, and the skin first becomes dry and flaky, progressing to become thickened and scaly looking (similar to human psoriasis). Hair growth is also retarded, hair-loss eventually spreading all over the body (alopecia).

In conjunction with skin changes, an animal’s entire immune system can become severely depressed with secondary bacterial skin infections and pustular dermatoses occurring, along with increased susceptibility to all manner of bacterial and viral infections. Poor wound healing is also a notable sign of zinc deficiency, as are damaged and brittle nails and thickened and crusty nasal pads and digital pads.

Zinc deficiency can also seriously affect reproductive performance and cause serious issues during pregnancy. For more on the effects of zinc deficiency head to our website.


Causes of Zinc deficiency
Dietary deficiency in zinc can be caused by diets that are low in fresh meats and in diets where the meat content has been highly processed and nutritionally damaged. Diets that are high in refined cereal grains, and consequently high in plant phytates (especially soy-based products), bind to zinc in the intestines and render it un-absorbable.

Over supplementation with calcium also reduces zinc absorption, as does high intakes of iron supplements. Any disturbance in gastrointestinal function such as chronic diarrhoea, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatic insufficiency, and malabsorption syndromes can all cause zinc deficiency.

Zinc supplementation
If you’re feeding your dog a balanced fresh meat diet they should be getting enough zinc to not require supplementation and good quality commercial pet foods will have additional zinc added to help counteract any damage or loss of nutritional value during processing.

[T1 Terry]

Wow, I was beginning to think I was zinc deficient, till I got to this bit "sign of zinc deficiency is reduced appetite and gradual weight loss" no, don't seem to have either of those symptoms

[pet-els]

All that, and I thought it was war paint for our Aussie cricket team.

PeterH