A dog owner always cares about the health of his pet. He must understand whether the dog needs ear treatment; Are their claws and eyes healthy? is there any caries? The condition of the coat is also important; it should be shiny and strong. It depends on the dog's menu, the presence or presence of parasites in his body. There are times when a pet seems healthy, but the hair becomes tangled, dull, falls out and becomes sparse. In these cases, it is necessary to add vitamins for dog fur to the menu, saturating the body with minerals and trace elements.
When is the best time to take vitamins for dogs?
Typically, dog foods are balanced formulations. They contain daily doses of all the necessary substances for the pet’s body. As a rule, these are premium feeds and holistic products. Cheaper foods are less enriched with vitamins and minerals.
Eating natural foods saturates the dog’s body with minerals. But vitamins for dogs against hair loss should be included in the menu, at least periodically:
- After the molting period. The dog sheds 2 times a year: in spring and autumn. If hair loss lasts more than 5 weeks, you should consult a veterinarian to prescribe vitamins and supplements to prevent vitamin deficiency and serious diseases. They “feed” with additives pets that are fed natural products or budget food. This way, the fur will recover faster;
- Before exhibitions, if the dog owner wants the pet’s hair to look more impressive and shiny;
- With constant stress and a change of residence, the condition of the coat also changes. The fur becomes dull and begins to fall out. For a speedy recovery, it is necessary to consume vitamin complexes;
- An increase in the need for vitamins and minerals occurs in pregnant and lactating dogs.
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Signs of a lack of nutrients
- Dryness and inelasticity of the skin.
- The coat is dry, disheveled, dull (except during the molting period).
- The presence of frequent local inflammatory foci on the skin, dermatitis (inflammation of the deep layers of the skin).
- Alopecia (baldness) complete or patchy.
- Persistent itching.
If you find one or more of these signs in your dog, then this is a reason to contact a veterinarian, because such symptoms are also suitable for some other diseases. Professional diagnosis is required.
Medicines and food additives
If your pet has severe hair loss, then you should supplement its diet with fatty acids, for example, Eskimo Oil. This food supplement has a pleasant taste; dogs practically do not refuse food with the added vitamin complex.
To stop hair loss after shedding quickly, you need to feed your dog natural products. To eliminate the influence of low-quality feed, you can include the Kaniderm supplement in the diet to improve the condition of the skin and coat.
Eating with Candiderm will make the coat more shiny, the hairs more elastic, the dog’s itching and allergies will disappear, and the wound healing process will be reduced. This high-quality vitamin complex is effective against the appearance of ulcers and bites. The composition of the supplement: fatty acids, B vitamins, amino acids, microelements and the Zinc Chelate component developed by the company.
To maintain good skin and coat condition, it is recommended to use products from the Excel series. The composition includes the following ingredients: garlic, brewer's yeast, fatty acids, B vitamins. They are perfect for daily use
Another group of products for quick restoration of skin and coat are oils from Hokamix called Skin Shine and Velkot. They guarantee a quick effect within seven days after the start of treatment. Oils will make the coat thicker and shedding will stop.
And the Hokamix Forte supplement helps with long-standing problems with hair and skin. It is effective in solving even the most advanced problems and pathologies.
POLIDEX complexes have several directions:
- Gelabon plus. Designed for the prevention of diseases of bone and joint tissue;
- Immunity Up. Used to increase the body's defenses;
- Super Wool plus. This additive makes the animal's coat elastic, healthy and shiny;
- Recovit. Accelerates the recovery period after serious illnesses.
Wolmar Winsome products are presented on the market in the following complexes:
- Winsome Pro Bio Pro Hair Supplement. Affects the condition of the skin and coat;
- Winsome Pro Bio Ex-Basis. Used for older pets;
- Winsome Pro Bio Booster Ca. Designed to normalize the metabolic process in bone tissue;
- Winsome Pro Bio Booster Ca Mini Supplement. Designed for small breed dogs;
- Beaphar. This vitamin complex is for animals.
- SEVA multivitamin complex helps with hair loss. It contains algae, proteins and biotin.
Prevention
Prevention is always easier than cure.
Certain rules must be followed:
- Dry cleaning of wool should be carried out regularly using a special mitten or a suede cloth;
- taking antihelminthic drugs for prevention;
- get vaccinated in a timely manner;
- take care of a properly balanced diet.
Proper care and proper nutrition will keep your pet's coat thick and shiny for a long time.
Alopecia-X in Scandinavian breeds
This is what some veterinary dermatologists call the following diseases:
- false Cushing's syndrome;
- growth hormone deficiency that appears in adulthood;
- hyposomatotrophism in adult dogs;
- growth hormone sensitive alopecia;
- castration sensitive dermatosis;
- dermatoses caused by gonadal sex hormones;
- dermatosis caused by sex hormone or growth hormone;
- biopsy sensitive alopecia;
- disturbance of adrenal sex hormones;
- congenital adrenal hyperplasia-like syndrome;
- dermatosis sensitive to lysodren;
- follicular dysplasia in Scandinavian dog breeds;
- follicular dysplasia in Siberian huskies;
- follicular growth dysfunction in breeds with plush coat texture, etc.
Some veterinary dermatologists have treated many animals with this condition with melatonin, and the treatment has had clear success in more than 50% of cases. However, no specific criteria have been established regarding any breed, sex, age, etc.
Vitamins that prevent hair loss
Vitamins for dogs against hair loss are divided into several types. Some are intended for preventive measures against hair loss and skin diseases, others eliminate problems in the body.
Retinol affects the regeneration of the epidermis layer. Its high content is observed in the liver and varieties of sea fish. Carotene is found in carrots and other vegetables. But the animal’s body does not absorb it well from plant foods, so meat products are used to restore the vitamin balance.
To make the hair grow faster, the dog owner is recommended to add biotin or vitamin H to the pet's menu. With its help, the metabolism of fats and proteins is regulated. It helps synthesize collagen fibers. Large amounts of biotin are found in organ meats, spinach, legumes and yeast. If an animal eats natural food and not feed, then its menu must include kidneys and liver.
Vitamin D in a dog's menu is important for good coat condition. It absorbs calcium. Calcium has a positive effect on muscle contractility, strengthens bone tissue, improves heart function and maintains normal skin condition. A large amount of it is found in fatty fish and offal. It is also produced when the pet is exposed to sunlight.
For the good condition of the dog's hair, it is necessary to consume a sufficient amount of vitamin C and E. Vitamin C prevents inflammatory processes, bleeding, improves the condition of capillaries, and strengthens the body's defenses. Tocopherol, in addition to the condition of the skin, has a positive effect on the fertility of the pet. A considerable amount of vitamin C is contained in plant foods, but the animal does not always want to eat such food, so the owner should be given additional complexes.
The appearance of dermatitis and dry skin occurs when there is a deficiency of vitamin PP in the pet’s body. It affects the metabolic processes of purines, fats and proteins. To replenish them, you need to add fish, yeast, legumes and meat to your diet.
A sufficient amount of B vitamins is also important for wool. They improve the functioning of the nervous system. If there are not enough vitamins, then the trophism of the skin deteriorates and hair falls out. When the functioning of the glands is disrupted, seborrheic dermatitis begins. Products with a high content of vitamin B: liver (raw), sea fish, yeast.
What vitamins are needed for what?
Your dog's daily menu should contain a lot of vitamins and nutrients. Among them, veterinarians identify the following substances:
Retinol. A deficiency of this vitamin can affect many different systems of an animal’s body. This primarily applies to young puppies. Because of this problem, his bone apparatus often develops poorly, and his vision also deteriorates. Vitamin A is also extremely necessary for the coat. Regular fish oil contains retinol in large quantities. That is why you can give it to your pet.
B vitamins. For animals, the most important substances are B1, B2, B6 and B12. Vitamins primarily affect the dog’s metabolism, its central nervous system, as well as the functioning of the digestive tract. In turn, such problems affect the condition of the coat. Most B vitamins are found in raw meat.
But veterinarians are quite skeptical about feeding a pet in this way. If the meat is thermally processed, then many of the beneficial substances in it will simply disappear. The greatest need for B vitamins is in puppies, pregnant bitches, and all dogs that are constantly exposed to any stress. That is why almost all multivitamin complexes contain these substances.
Ascorbic acid. It affects the protective function of the dog's body. This is what allows the body to resist the development of infectious diseases, which can result in problems with hair and skin.
Ergocalciferol (vitamin D). The substance primarily affects the condition of the musculoskeletal system. Often, a deficiency of this vitamin leads to the development of rickets, as the calcium-phosphorus balance in the body is disrupted.
Tocopherol. Mostly, the deficiency of the substance is associated with the functioning of the animal’s reproductive system. But at the same time, it also affects the condition of the skin, as it protects against free radicals. Tocopherol can prevent skin aging and dryness.
Finding the right dose of this vitamin is difficult. Therefore, veterinarians recommend using complexes of useful substances.
There is normal hair loss (called shedding) and a pathological condition associated with disease in the animal. In the first case, no treatment, including preventive treatment, is required. Veterinarians recommend that if seasonal hair loss occurs on a dog, just comb it out and also monitor its appearance. When hair falls out due to illness, it is worth choosing the correct vitamin complex for your pet.
At all periods of a dog’s life, it is worth very carefully monitoring its condition and behavior. Any noticeable detail or small detail can be a signal that the animal’s body lacks some vitamin or substance. For skin and coat, this is primarily vitamin A and D. But besides them, there are many other nutritional components that should be adequately provided to your pets.
