Yorkshire Terrier Nutritional Deficiencies
Hi! My name is Boss and I am 4 years old Yorkshire Terrier.
I wish that every Yorkie owner reads this post, because I used to have nutritional deficiencies and I know what it means. Even if you use the best and “balanced” food, continue reading…
10 Signs of Nutritional Deficiency
1. Itching and Scratching
What’s interesting is that even when they disagree, most allergy theories point to the same underlying causes. This is because allergic reactions are symptoms of a deeper imbalance. Dogs don’t develop allergies because they are exposed to allergens. Dogs are exposed to allergens all the time, usually with no reaction. Dogs develop allergies with implications of skin problems because something has made them vulnerable, and the culprit is often a combination of diet, stress, conventional medical treatments, heredity, and environmental factors.
Your pet’s skin is his largest organ and when he’s itching and scratching 24/7, it can be a sign he’s lacking something in his diet. Low nutrient value grains, carbohydrates and the high temperature involved in processing pet food and artificial treats can leave your pet’s diet nutrient deficient. Your pet needs proper nutrition to support healthy skin function. Adding things like omega fatty acids, zinc, delicate nutrients, and enzymes in a nutritional supplement can help support proper skin function. Healthy skin typically does not itch like crazy.
Dry, flaky skin can be subtle yet very telling. It’s important to remember that the dermal layer (skin) is an organ. Organs need proper nourishment to function properly. Flaking skin can be the indicator of a nutritional deficiency such as “zinc responsive dermatitis” or a fatty acid deficiency.
2. Suppressed Immune System
Immune systems fight pathogenic organisms to help keep animals healthy. When an immune system is compromised, normally non-invasive organisms can become invasive (pathogenic) and cause all sorts of problems. Recurring ear infections, gooey, stinky ears are manifestations of a struggling immune system and possibly a yeast overgrowth. Sometimes yeast overgrowths can be started by excessive use of antibiotics. Antibiotics can compromise an immune system and the digestive tract by killing off good, as well as bad, bacteria. This can leave an environment where yeast can flourish. Direct fed microbials, prebiotics and enzymes can help support a pet’s immune system and digestive system.
3. Paw Licking
Chronic paw licking is often related to the same issues discussed in #3. Yeast populations flourish, due to a compromised immune system and become systemic, traveling to other parts of your dog’s body. Incessant paw licking, the kind that makes your dog’s paws pink, hairless and stinky is a sign your dog is miserable. A diet high in carbohydrates can also contribute to the yeast population explosion. Feeding a meat based food along with a whole food supplement can help support his digestive tract and proper immune system function. The immune system fights yeast overgrowth.
4. Foul Odor
Stinky skin, the kind that returns soon after a bath, the stench that comes from inside your dog, is not normal. If you walk into your home and smell stinky dog or if you hesitate to pet your dog because of the stink, your dog can benefit from a nutritional supplement. This stinky skin, that stale frito corn chip smell can be another manifestation of a suppressed immune system, as addressed in #3 and #4 above. Feeding your dog a meaty dog food or meaty homemade diet and adding a nutritional supplement to his daily regime can help support the immune system. A properly functioning immune system can get him smelling fresh again.
5. Excessive Shedding
Excessive shedding is not normal. Dogs and cats should shed larger amounts twice a year, not all year around. If your dog or cat is shedding buckets of fur every day, leaving tons of hair on your carpeting, floors, furniture, this can be a sign he is suffering from a nutritional deficiency. A nutritional supplement can help supply missing nutrients to your pet’s diet. Remember that your dog’s and cat’s skin is his largest organ. And, when he is lacking specific, required nutrients, he can shed fistfuls of fluff constantly.
6. Lethargy
Lethargy is a general loss of energy and a good indication that your buddy is not getting the nutrition he needs or is not absorbing the nutrients he is getting. Malabsorption is often the result of your pet’s digestive system not functioning properly or feeding the wrong food items. Supplying prebiotics and direct fed microbials can help support proper digestion to break down food quickly. Read the ingredient list on your pet’s food. Do you find a large number of grains listed? This is likely a huge contributing factor to malabsorption. Switching to a meaty food and adding a nutritional supplement can fill in the gaps that may be in your pet’s current diet.
7. Balanced Diet
Nutritional deficiencies are uncommon as a result of the widespread feeding of complete and balanced pet foods that meet the nutrient profiles specified by expert panels and regulatory bodies. However, deficiencies may arise when the animal’s intake is reduced, when the diet is poorly formulated or stored, or when the animal is unable to digest, absorb or utilize the nutrient as a result of disease or genetic factors and anal gland disorders. Dietary interactions that reduce nutrient availability can result from errors in formulation, prolonged storage or injudicious oversupplementation of an otherwise balanced diet.
8. Becoming Aware
There are a lot of sick dogs. If you are aware that you need to implement some changes (obviously you are, or you wouldn’t be reading this), you can learn easy, practical, and affordable natural solutions to your dog health problems.
9. Taking Responsibility
That means you must take some action. If you continue to feed your dog the same old way, using the same old food, and continue to take him to the vet to ‘ fix ‘ his dog health problems, nothing will improve. If you simply read a few pages of this website and do nothing…nothing will change. That’s just the way life is…change nothing, and nothing will change.
10. Correcting Old Habits
Change and improvement requires time. Time is the great healer. This means that once you have made the necessary changes to a more natural dog diet, you must stay the course and don’t give up. You will find guidance and encouragement here.