Essential Trace Elements: The Key to Your Dog’s Health | Doggy Grub

For your dog to stay healthy, their diet must include certain trace elements, otherwise known as micronutrients.

These essential nutrients help with protein and fat metabolism, support cellular functions, and prevent cardiovascular issues.

If this is starting to remind you of your chemistry lessons, don't run away yet and keep reading to know the important trace elements your dog needs and what can happen if they get too little or too much.

What Are Trace Elements?

There are several important trace elements your dog needs, including:

- Calcium: This strengthens bones and teeth, helps with blood clotting, and aids in absorbing fats and proteins, which are crucial for muscle growth.
- Zinc: Boosts the immune system and keeps skin and coat healthy.
- Copper: Helps absorb iron and fights against cellular aging. It also plays a role in forming red blood cells.
- Iron: A key component of haemoglobin, vital for cellular activity.
- Iodine: Essential for proper thyroid function. The thyroid is like your dog's body thermostat, regulating internal systems by sending the right amount of hormones where needed.
- Magnesium: Important for the health of the nervous system, bone strength, and muscle maintenance.
- Manganese: Ensures strong bones and cartilage throughout your dog's life.

What Happens When Trace Elements Are Lacking From Your Dog's Diet?

Feeding your dog a balanced diet that meets their nutritional needs is super important. Here’s what can happen if your pup doesn’t get enough of these trace elements:

- Calcium: Bone fragility and muscle disorders.
- Zinc: Weight loss, anaemia, fatigue, skin issues, hair loss, loss of smell, and growth problems.
- Copper: Anaemia, fragile bones, and reproductive issues.
- Iron: Anaemia due to a lack of red blood cells, low energy, and heart problems.
- Iodine: Thyroid issues, lethargy, recurring ear infection, and depression.
- Magnesium: Nervous system issues like epilepsy or tetany, slow growth, and sleep problems.
- Manganese: Higher allergy risks and bone deformities.

What Happens When There’s Too Much?

On the flip side, too many trace elements can also cause problems. Here’s what could happen if your dog gets too much of these nutrients:

- Calcium: Kidney stones and trouble absorbing phosphorus.
- Zinc: Oxidative stress and urinary problems.
- Copper: Skin and coat pigmentation issues, and in some cases, hepatitis leading to diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, and appetite loss.
- Iron: Joint problems and fatigue.
- Iodine: Thyroid dysfunction.
- Magnesium: Low blood pressure, diarrhoea, vomiting, and urinary stones that can cause cystitis and blood in the urine.
- Manganese: Skin or nervous system issues, and unusual aggression or irritability.

Finding the Right Balance

As you can see, finding the right balance of micronutrient is important. A varied and balanced diet is the key to keeping your dog healthy.

If your dog is diagnosed with a deficiency, your vet might suggest nutritional supplements.

By choosing Doggy Grub and our custom recipes made with carefully selected ingredients, your dog will get all the essential trace elements and other nutrients in just the right amounts. We don't use any synthetic micronutrients, only what food has to offer, so there is no risk of overdosing. Plus it is more easily recognised by your dog's body and easily absorbed.

You can also add natural supplements, rich in trace elements, to boost your dog's bowl.

Keeping a balanced diet helps prevent both deficiencies and excesses. A healthy, high-quality diet is a cornerstone of your dog’s health throughout their life.

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The Doggy Grub blog is dedicated to helping dogs and their owners achieve happier, healthier lives, changing the way we feed our dogs one bowl at a time! If you would like to know more about our fresh food head to Doggy Grub