Symptoms of Nutritional Deficiencies in Dogs

Could Your Dog be Suffering from a Nutritional Deficiency? 13 Signs Your Dog’s Diet Could Be Affecting Them

Guest post by Lisa Smith

Regular vet visits are crucial for your furry buddy’s well-being. However, no one wants to take their dog to the vet over something preventable. Your dog could be shedding excessively or producing abnormal stool simply because there could be nutritional deficiencies. 

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Poor nutrition is one of the leading causes of health issues in dogs. It’s not just about the dog not receiving the required quantities, it’s also about the right balance. 

You can learn the symptoms of nutritional deficiencies in dogs. It will help you to prevent nutrition-borne ailments and, of course, save plenty of cash. Read on and learn some of the most common nutritional deficiencies in dogs and their symptoms.

Poor Skin and Coat

Is your dog’s coat dull, sheds excessively, full of dandruff, flaky and greasy? If the answer is yes, your dog could have a skin and coat problem. Poor skin and coat are some of the earliest indicators of neglect, illness, allergies, or nutritional deficiencies in dogs. 

You can begin to eliminate possible causes of poor coat condition and get to the root. For example, if you don\t have your dog groomed, try to at least clean and brush the coat regularly. If the poor skin and coat are due to allergies, contact a vet and eliminate the allergen.

If allergies and grooming are not the cause, check the dog’s diet. Low levels or lack of digestible protein, omega oils, and vitamin E can lead to poor skin and coat conditions in dogs. 

Suppressed Immune System

Your dog’s immune system is crucial for countering inflammation, fighting disease-causing pathogens, healing wounds, and helping your dog adapt to different environments. The two most important contributing factors to an effective immune system are proper nutrition and exercise. 

If you wane on either, your dog’s immune system could be suppressed, resulting in symptoms like:

To boost your dog’s immunity, provide the right quantities of vitamins, omega fatty acids, and prebiotics in their food. Also, ensure your dog gets enough exercise and provide plenty of clean drinking water also. You might want to change your dog’s bowl too: studies have shown that certain stainless steel bowls are the best as they don’t leach chemicals into food.

Chronic Paw Licking and Terrible Odor

We have already seen that excessive paw licking could be due to yeast overgrowth due to a suppressed immune system. Incessant paw licking could also be due to excess carbohydrate content in the dog’s food. Yeast populations grow fast when the dog’s immune system is weak. If the diet contains excess carbohydrates, the yeast population explodes. 

As a result, you may notice the following symptoms:

• Hairless and sore paws (pink)
• Terrible odor from the dog’s ears and paws

To avoid such eventualities, feed your dog a diet rich in dog-friendly protein and prebiotics. 

Lethargy

Most dog breeds are active and enthusiastic. Few dog breeds enjoy lying on the couch and wearing a bored face all day. If your dog lacks energy and enthusiasm for exciting activities, it could be because of nutritional deficiencies.

If your dog is lethargic, yet you feed it regularly, it could be due to malabsorption or parasitic infestation. Many pet parents routinely give their dog chemicals to kill internal parasites (worms), but these same chemicals can do unspeakable damage to some dogs too. Rather than use chemicals, there are effective, natural methods to control worms in dogs.

A visit to the vet to determine the underlying cause of lethargy will be more beneficial than boosting the nutrient contents in Fido’s meals.  

Obesity

Most obese dogs develop the condition as a result of eating non-balanced meals. When you give your dog excess treats, high-carb meals, and lots of kitchen scraps, your dog could reject other nutritious meals. As a result, your dog could grow overweight and become susceptible to other conditions like diabetes and heart disease. 

There Could be Other Symptoms 

The above symptoms of nutritional deficiencies in dogs are just the tip of the iceberg. But they are also the most common. Look out for the following symptoms too, it could be that you are feeding your dog the wrong stuff:

• Dull coat
• Excess flatulence 
• Fur loss
• Abnormal stool (texture, color, or odor)
• Increased skin disorders
• Stunted growth (puppies), weight loss, or an inability to gain weight
• Bowed or knocked limbs (at the knees)
• Frequent ailments

A final word – knowing your dog is essential to detecting these symptoms

The above symptoms could be obvious or hidden. If you frequently observe your dog and examine his or her skin and coat, you are more likely to detect early warning signs. Talk to a dog nutritionist about the best nutrition to offer your dog. Remember to include water, exercise, and play to keep your fur kid as healthy as possible.