[vainchick5]

Vitamins

Vitamins are organic compounds that take part in a wide range of metabolic activities. Dogs require vitamins in their food at low concentrations. First noticed in dogs some 75 years ago, vitamin deficiencies can lead to widely ranging clinical abnormalities that reflect the diversity of their metabolic roles. Some vitamins, like niacin, are not only essential in small doses, but also toxic in excess amounts. Following is a list of the functions of vitamins and symptoms of deficiency and excess. The full report also provides recommended daily allowances for these vitamins.

Functions Signs of Deficiency/Excess
Vitamin A Vision; growth; immune function; fetal development; cellular differentiation; transmembrane protein transfer Anorexia; body weight loss; ataxia; conjunctivitis; corneal disorders; skin lesions; respiratory ailments; increased susceptibility to infection
Imbalance in bone remodeling processes; artery and vein degeneration; dehydration; central nervous system depression; joint pain
Vitamin D Maintenance of mineral status; skeletal structure; muscle contraction; blood clotting; nerve conduction; cell signaling; phosphorous balance Rickets; lethargy; loss of muscle tone; bone swelling and bending
Anorexia; weakness; diarrhea; vomiting; calcification of soft tissue; excessive mineralization of long bones; dehydration; dry and brittle hair; muscle atrophy
Vitamin E Defense against oxidative damage via free radical scavenging Degeneration of skeletal muscle; reproductive failure; retinal degeneration
Vitamin K Activation of clotting factors, bone proteins and other proteins No reports of naturally occurring deficiencies in normal dogs
Vitamin B1 (thiamin) Energy and carbohydrate metabolism; activation of ion channels in neural tissue Failure to grow, weight loss, and neurological abnormalities in puppies; damage to the nervous system and the heart in adult dogs
Riboflavin Enzyme functions Anorexia; weight loss; muscular weakness; flaking dermatitis; eye lesions
Vitamin B6 Glucose generation; red blood cell function; niacin synthesis; nervous system function; immune response; hormone regulation; gene activation Anorexia and weight loss in puppies; convulsions, muscle twitching, and anemia in adult dogs
Impairment of motor control and balance; muscle weakness
Niacin Enzyme functions Anorexia; weight loss; irritation and inflammation of the lips, cheeks, and throat; profuse salivation; bloody diarrhea
Bloody feces; convulsions
Pantothenic Acid Energy metabolism Erratic food intake; sudden prostration or coma; rapid respiratory and heart rates; convulsions; gastrointestinal symptoms; reduced antibody production
Vitamin B12 Enzyme functions Appetite loss; lack of white blood cells; anemia; bone marrow changes
Folic Acid Amino acid and nucleotide metabolism; mitochondrial protein synthesis Weight loss; decline in hemoglobin concentration

Minerals

Twelve minerals are known to be essential nutrients for dogs. Dogs can get too much or too little of a specific mineral in their diets. Following is a list of the functions of minerals and symptoms of deficiency and excess. The full report also provides recommended daily allowances for these minerals.

Functions Signs of Deficiency/Excess
Calcium Formation of bones and teeth; blood coagulation; nerve impulse transmission; muscle contraction; cell signaling Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism; significant decreases in bone mineral content, which can result in major skeletal abnormalities
Different types of skeletal aberrations, especially in growing puppies of large breeds
Phosphorus Skeletal structure; DNA and RNA structure; energy metabolism; locomotion; acid-base balance Reduced weight gain; poor appetite; bowing and swelling of forelimbs in puppies
Magnesium Enzyme functions; muscle and nerve-cell membrane stability; hormone secretion and function; mineral structure of bones and teeth Reduction in weight gain, irritability, and convulsions in puppies; hyperextension of carpal joints and hind-leg paralysis later in life
Sodium Acid-base balance; regulation of osmotic pressure; nerve impulse generation and transmission Restlessness; increased heart rate, water intake, and hemoglobin concentration; dry and tacky mucous membranes
Potassium Acid-base balance; nerve-impulse transmission; enzymatic reactions; transport functions Poor growth and restlessness at first in puppies; paralysis of neck muscles and rear legs and general weakness later in life
Chlorine Acid-base balance; osmolarity of extracellular fluids Reduced weight gain and weakness in puppies
Iron Hemoglobin and myoglobin synthesis; energy metabolism Poor growth; pale mucous membranes; lethargy; weakness; diarrhea
Dangerous oxidative reactions that lead to gastrointestinal and other tissue damage
Copper Connective tissue formation; iron metabolism; blood cell formation; melanin pigment formation; myelin formation; defense against oxidative damage Loss of hair pigmentation in puppies; anemia
Zinc Enzyme reactions; cell replication; protein and carbohydrate metabolism; skin function; wound healing Poor weight gain; vomiting; skin lesions
Manganese Enzyme functions; bone development; neurological function No studies of deficiency in dogs
Selenium Defense against oxidative damage; immune response Anorexia; depression; dyspnea; coma; muscular degeneration
Iodine Thyroid hormone synthesis; cell differentiation; growth and development of puppies; regulation of metabolic rate Enlargement of thyroid glands; dry, sparse hair coat; weight gain
Excessive tearing, salivation, and nasal discharge; dandruff