Zinc deficiency or what

[dogsarebetter]

Does anyone here know anything about Zinc Deficiency? I know that it is most common in Huskys and Malamutes. But I am wondering if that is what is going on with Ruckus. My vet has not suggested a test one to be done on his skin, and paw pad issues that has been going on for over two years (Ruckus is only three!). So I am doing my research and when we go in Nov. the 9th I will ask her about a Zinc Deficiency.

Ruckus never grew much coat, i know this may be genetic,but I was reading that it can be common with dogs with a zinc deficiency. He keeps cracked paw pads. He itches all the time, and gets a rash on his belly and underside of this legs too.

after more and more research it sounds like a grain free diet would help him a lot. even if it was a Zinc deficiency, adding meats and taking away grains should fix it.

[Gguevara]

I would try a grain free diet, but I think you should still talk to your vet.

[dogsarebetter]

I have had Ruckus on a grain free diet for a couple of weeks now. not enough time to know if that will help of not yet. i am sure it will.

I am going to talk to my vet Monday.

[Gguevara]

Good luck, hopefully it's only lack of a proper diet and not something else.

[Ratboy]

My dog Molly had a huge problem every fall until spring, insane scratching, hair loss around her eyes, licking her feet all the time, etc. I saw a page where they had a dog that resembled her a lot, both in looks and symptoms, and that dog had a zinc deficiency. I had tried all kinds of foods, supplements, ointments, etc, and they didn't work, so I got a couple bags of the Zinpro dog biscuits. She blew a coat in November like always, but the scratching never came, and she looked great. I ran out in mid December, and after about 2 weeks, as a test, I didn't get another order of them, and the scratching began again. I got more of them, and in about 10 days, the scratching stopped again, so I'm convinced it just wasn't a coincidence that the scratching didn't start as soon as the heat came on in the house this year. They don't cost much, and King ignores them totally, so I don't have to buy twice as many as Molly needs. She'll be getting three a day from now on.

[LittleBigDog]

Interesting that Molly loves the zinc biscuits and the dog that does not need extra zinc does not.

[Ratboy]

As food crazy as he is at this point, it seems kind of weird to me too! He's had maybe 2 of them in total, and it's obvious he doesn't like them, but he's eating bananas and ate a hunk of orange at this point, things he never even thought about eating for most of his life. The vet is very impressed at how her ears actually have hair on the entire outside of them, not just half of them as she usually does.. I don't think she ever had full coverage in the winter before, except maybe the first winter she went through.

[smkie]

I learned a bit about my own problem due to your zinc diff post and am grateful.