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Vitamin E deficiency

Vitamin E is a vital nutrient for your dog that fulfills many functions in the body. It protects the cells from harmful free radicals, strengthens the immune system, promotes healthy skin, eyes and intestines and helps with the utilization of fat and other nutrients. But how do you know if your dog is getting enough vitamin E? And what can you do to prevent a deficiency? In this article, you'll learn everything you need to know about vitamin E for dogs.

How much vitamin E does your dog need?

Vitamin E requirements depend on various factors, such as your dog's age, activity level, state of health and diet. As a rule of thumb, a dog's vitamin E requirement is at least 0.6 mg vitamin E per kilogram of body weight. It can also be slightly higher for particularly active dogs, older or sick animals. According to Professor Meyer ("Ernährung des Hundes"), 3 mg of vitamin E per kilogram are assumed for racing dogs.

What are the consequences of a vitamin E deficiency?

A lack of vitamin E can lead to various problems that can affect your dog's health and well-being. The possible symptoms include

  • Decreased fertility
  • Growth disorders
  • Muscle weakness and breakdown
  • Skin and coat problems
  • Eye diseases
  • Susceptibility to infections
  • Damage to nerve and gland tissue
  • Promotion of inflammation and cancer

A vitamin E deficiency can have various causes, such as an unbalanced or poor-quality diet, impaired absorption or utilization of vitamin E in the intestine or an increased need due to stress or illness.

How can you prevent a vitamin E deficiency?

The best way to prevent a vitamin E deficiency is to provide your dog with a balanced, high-quality diet that contains all the important nutrients. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is mainly found in vegetable oils, nuts and vegetables. Animal sources such as egg yolk, milk, meat, fish and cheese also contain smaller amounts of vitamin E.

If you feed your dog dry food, you should make sure that it has been preserved with natural vitamin E and not with synthetic preservatives such as BHT (E321), BHA (E320) or etoxiquin, which can be harmful to health. You should also not store the food for too long or heat it too much, as this can destroy the vitamin E.

If you give your dog fresh or raw food, you can also add a high-quality oil with a high vitamin E content, for example wheat germ oil, linseed oil or hemp oil. Special supplements with pure vitamin E are also available. The dosage depends on your dog's weight and should not be exceeded, otherwise there is a risk of overdosing.

Although an overdose of vitamin E is rare, it is possible. It can lead to liver damage and impair blood clotting. You should therefore always consult a vet before giving your dog extra vitamin E.

Vitamin E is an important nutrient for your dog that has many positive effects on his health. A vitamin E deficiency can lead to various ailments, but you can prevent these with a balanced diet and, if necessary, a sensible supplement. Always pay attention to the quality and dosage of the food and vitamin E to avoid overdosing. If you are unsure whether your dog is getting enough vitamin E or is showing signs of a deficiency, you should consult a vet.

The authors assume that a veterinarian should be consulted if an animal is ill and that medication should only be taken after consultation with a doctor or pharmacist. Only an individual examination can lead to a diagnosis and treatment decision.

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