ABQjournal: Quality Food, Vitamins Could Help Dog's Skin, Coat

Monday, February 5, 2001

Quality Food, Vitamins Could Help Dog's Skin, Coat

By Dr. Jeff Nichol
For the Journal
    Q: My mom's Boston terrier (12 years old) has lived mostly outside in Deming. She's lost a lot of hair. Her vet found no cause for it (mites, etc.). Mom has just moved to Albuquerque with us, and Bonnie will now be mostly inside. We're hoping this will help her skin and feet. Is there anything else that would be of benefit?
    Dr. Nichol: Bonnie sounds like a sweet old girl who deserves a health boost. I'm glad her veterinarian has checked her for mange. Assuming she has no other skin infections, we will consider nutritional causes. You love Bonnie so I know you feed her well, but for folks who believe what they read on pet food labels I have news: The best indicator of quality is price. You won't get what you don't pay for.
    But wait — if the amounts of protein and other nutrients look the same and the ingredients are as good, shouldn't lower priced food be OK? There are laws governing all that, but they have huge loopholes. For example, shoe leather has plenty of protein, but it's kind of hard to digest. And if chicken is listed with the ingredients, your dog could be eating a lot of beaks and feathers. Wheat hulls and other fillers help the bag weigh more. It's tough to grow much hair on rations like that. I've examined pets fed every diet under the sun, and I've learned that inexpensive food is cheap for important reasons. I recommend Science Diet because it always delivers.
    So what can we do for Bonnie if she's already eating well? She could still be deficient in zinc, vitamins A or E, fatty acids or enzymes. Dietary supplements sound simple enough, but you'll need to be careful about dosing and possible side effects. Overdosing vitamins? You bet your Boston.
    So here's the skinny. Zinc sulfate: Give 5 mg per pound of body weight daily and watch for vomiting or diarrhea. Vitamin A: Dose at 250-500 IU per pound daily and have a blood panel, urinalysis and tear test done every 3-6 months. Vitamin E: Give 10 IU per pound every 8-12 hours and get a blood clotting profile every 6 months. Fatty acids are available from your veterinarian under the brand name Derm Caps. The dose is on the label, and no lab work is needed. And digestive enzymes also are available from your veterinarian. Go for the Chia Pet look. If Bonnie's body still resembles a potato, we will talk Rogaine.
    Q: I have found a "lost" cat who is very afraid of being confined, which includes being in a large house. He is so frightened of this that he will not enter the door willingly and after eating will not even groom himself until he has gotten outside. He is quite affectionate and likes to be picked up and held. I would like to have him live in my home, if no one claims him from my news ad. How do I get him to trust me?
    Dr. Nichol: You are providing two admirable services. One is that you are looking for this boy's owner, the second is that you want him to feel secure and loved. Continue to pet him, hold him and handle him gently. A cat treated this way will slowly learn to trust. Any attempt to rush the process will result in the opposite. Stay with it. You're my kind of pet lover.


    Dr. Jeff Nichol practices at the Adobe Animal Medical Center. Send questions to Pet Care, P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, NM 87103, or e-mail jnicholdvm@aol.com.