Zinc deficiency/Zinc responsive dermatitis
Synonym(s): Zn deficiency; Zinc responsive dermatosis
Introduction
- Rare dietary deficiency.
- Arctic breeds predisposed.
- Cause: usually dietary interactions decreasing zinc bio-availability,primary deficiency unlikely if dog fed commercial food.
- Signs: mostly cutaneous, erythema, crusting, scale of areas adjacent to mucosa.
- Diagnosis: histopathology.
- Treatment: balanced diet, zinc supplement.
- Prognosis: excellent to poor depending on cause.
Presenting signs
- Crusting, dull, harsh hair coat.
- Erythema, scaling (especially pressure points on limbs), focal achromotrichia, around mouth, perineum and eyes.
- Hyperkeratosis (crusting and fissuring) on footpads.
- Polylymphadenopathy.
- Lethal acrodermatitis Skin: acrodermatitis (English Bull Terrier).
- Severely stunted growth, emaciation, decreased immune competence.
Age predisposition
- Congenital (acrodermatitis of Bull Terrier).
- Suckling puppies.
- Puppies (cutaneous signs in giant breeds).
- Young adults (stress of reaching adulthood).
- Older dogs (less efficient zinc absorption from gut).
Breed/Species predisposition
- Alaskan malamute Alaskan Malamute.
- Siberian Husky Siberian Husky.
- Bull Terrier Bull Terrier.
Public health considerations
- None.
Cost considerations
- Large breeds, if require life-long zinc/essential fatty acid supplementation.
- Alteration to balanced diet.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
- Absolute lack of zinc.
- Nutritional antagonism.
- Individual defect, eg lethal acrodermatitis Skin: acrodermatitis.
Predisposing factors
General- High dietary [calcium], [iron] or [copper].
- Poor quality diet.
- High dietary [phytate], eg soybean and cereal.
- Breed: giant breed fed poor quality diet or diet which nutritionally interacts to decrease absorption of zinc may present with similar cutaneous signs.
Pathophysiology
- Absolute lack: diet lacking zinc - possible but rare.
- Nutritional antagonism: diet containing high levels of calcium, iron, copper or phytates → binds zinc → prevents intestinal absorption of zinc.
- Individual defect: Arctic breeds → fed nutritionally balanced diet → unable to absorb enough zinc from diet.
- English Bull Terrier: adequate dietary zinc → metabolic inability to utilize zinc → lethal acrodermatitis.
Timecourse
- Signs develop slowly, may be precipitated by stress.
Diagnosis
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Treatment
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Prevention
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Outcomes
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- Hall J (2005) Diagnostic dermatology. Zinc responsive dermatosis. Can Vet J 46 (6), 555-557 PubMed.
- Roudebush P & Wedekind K J (2002) Zinc-responsive dermatosis in dogs. Vet Dermatol 13 (1), 63 PubMed.
- White S D, Bourdeau P, Rosychuk R A et al (2001) Zinc-responsive dermatosis in dogs: 41 cases and literature review. Vet Dermatol 12 (2), 101-109 PubMed.
- Jackson H (1999) Common cutaneous diseases of the canine foot. In Practice 21 (2), 54-61 VetMedResource.
- Thoday K L (1989) Diet-related zinc-responsive skin disease in dogs: a dying dermatosis? JSAP 30 (4), 213-5 VetMedResource.
- van den Broek A H M & Thoday K L (1986) Skin disease in dogs associated with zinc deficiency: a report of five cases. JSAP 27 (5), 313-323 VetMedResource.
Other sources of information
- Willemse T (1992)Zinc-related Cutaneous Disorders.In:Current Veterinary TherapyXI, R W Kirk (ed). Philadelphia: W B Saunders.
- Lewis L D (1981)Cutaneous manifestations of nutritional imbalances.Proceedings of the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Animal Hospital Association. pp 263.