Supplementary food for dogs
Supplementary food for cats
Care products
Blog
General, dog nutrition, dog diseases
Selenium for dogs – this is what selenium does for dogs!
Mai
Selenium is a trace element, which means that humans and dogs alike must consume trace amounts of it in their daily diet. This is important for several reasons. For dogs, selenium plays an important role in strengthening the immune system as a component of enzymes that have an antioxidant effect. However, selenium is better known in relation to the regulation of thyroid hormone balance. It is also involved in another form in the elimination of toxins.
You see, selenium for dogs is involved in many functions in the body that are significantly related to the health of your furry friend. What else makes it so essential, how can you meet the need and what about an overdose? To get answers to this, just read on.
What is Selenium for Dogs?
Selenium can be found as an element in soils and rocks. Absorbed through plants, it enters our and your dog's bodies as a nutrient. It is an essential component of the amino acid Selenocysteine and comes in the group as selenoprotein. There are 25 known selenoproteins in humans and 21 in dogs, including glutathione peroxidases, thioreductases and deiodases.
These in turn have the task of ensuring the transport of selenium to the individual tissues and creating a selenium balance. The synthesis takes place in the liver or brain. It takes just three to four hours for selenium to be rebuilt.
What does selenium do to dogs?
Selenium in dogs protects fats that are in the cell membranes from free radicals and can strengthen the immune system, especially in combination with Vitamin E, strengthen. According to general expert opinion, it also helps against and prevents muscle weakness. Dogs have a particularly high need for selenium in the liver and brain.
This is also part of his duties:
- Regulation of fat metabolism
- Component of various enzymes
- Balancing Thyroid Circulation
- Improvement of immune reactions
Interaction with other vitamins and trace elements
Selenium for dogs works closely with other vitamins and minerals to carry out all of its tasks in the body. This includes the synergistic relationship with vitamin E. “Synergistic” means that selenium and vitamin E reinforce each other. The combination helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, which often trigger a variety of health problems.
In addition, vitamin B6 also plays an important role in connection with selenium. The vitamin is necessary to convert selenomethionine, a form of selenium found in food, into selenocysteine. Selenocysteine, in turn, is an essential component of many selenium-containing enzymes that perform various important functions in the body.
This conversion is a good example of the complex biochemical processes necessary to convert the nutrients we consume into forms our bodies can use.
The relationship between selenium and zinc is another example. Both elements can interfere with each other's absorption, meaning that a high absorption of one can reduce the absorption of the other.
Similar interactions also exist with other substances that either compete with selenium for absorption or can inhibit the activity of selenium-containing enzymes.
A selenium deficiency can have serious consequences in a variety of ways because the body cannot produce enough enzymes or selenoproteins. On the other hand, excessive intake of selenium can be toxic. The difference between a healthy and harmful amount of selenium is often marginal, making it important to plan your intake carefully.
What are the signs of a selenium deficiency in dogs?
If your dog does not get enough selenium, various deficiency conditions can occur. There is usually a selenium and vitamin E deficiency at the same time.
The most common signs of selenium deficiency include:
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of appetite
- heart disease
- joint diseases
- decreased fertility
How can dogs' selenium needs be met?
Basically, selenium can be found in meat, fish and grains. The cycle is simple: Plants absorb selenium from the soil and wild and farm animals eat it. Depending on the situation, the supply comes from meat or plants. However, it should be said that the soils in Germany are low in selenium compared to other countries. Depending on this, the different amounts of selenium for dogs in their food vary.
To date, there has been insufficient research into how high the actual need for selenium is in adult dogs. The FEDIAF has issued a recommendation that is based on the selenium requirements of cats, taking energy requirements into account. Based on this, the maximum value is 56,8 µg/100 g dry matter.
Can you overdose on selenium in dogs?
Yes, too much selenium for dogs can cause health problems. These include lack of appetite, general weakness and even disorders in the formation of horny substances such as claws or pads. It is therefore important to supplement selenium in sufficient quantities to prevent such an overdose.
Interestingly, research shows that dogs, which are considered carnivores, can generally tolerate higher amounts of selenium than livestock animals. This suggests that dogs process selenium differently.
In addition, the picture also shows that there is often too little selenium in the food for dogs. This leads to an undersupply rather than an oversupply. Important to know: Undersupply can be subclinical, meaning it does not show obvious symptoms, but can still affect the dog's health.
Industrially produced dog food varies greatly in its selenium content, which depends, among other things, on the origin of the ingredients. Canned food usually contains more selenium, mainly in organic form, but only part of it can be used effectively by the body. The heat treatment during production also reduces the bioavailability of selenium.
For dog owners who prepare food themselves, accurately calculating selenium intake is a challenge, as the selenium concentration in natural ingredients can vary greatly. Without appropriate supplementation, there is a risk of subclinical undersupply, which can have a negative long-term impact on the dog's health. In addition: There is no known case of selenium poisoning in dogs.
How can selenium be dosed safely for dogs?
If you want to provide your dog with selenium, use our NUTRIENTS 365, also known as the immune system booster in our range. We have integrated all the important vitamins, minerals and trace elements such as vitamins A, B, D, E and K, calcium and zinc as well as selenium for dogs into the completely natural combination. Thanks to the practical capsules, it is easy to ensure a daily supply of all valuable nutrients. This way you can safely strengthen the immune system, contribute to your four-legged friend's well-being and increase their resistance.
When it comes to our selenium for dogs, we have ensured a balanced ratio to vitamin E. For each kilogram of feed additives, we have 11,5 mg of sodium selenite and 7.900 mg of vitamin E.
Do you already have the other posts in ours? Blog read? Here you will find detailed articles on the following topics:
Nutritional supplements for puppies
You will also find out why dietary supplements for dogs could make sense and what you can do with it Arthrose can do for your furry friend!
