Minerals

Macrominerals

Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium + chloride, sulfur

Microminerals

Iron, zinc, copper, selenium, iodine, chromium

Plant derived minerals

Comes from plants, not easy to get

Animal derived minerals

Comes from animals, more available than plant derived

Where are minerals found?

In structural components of the body (bones and teeth)

portions of body fluids and tissues

catalysts/cofactors in enzyme and hormone systems

Calcium

The largest mineral

Calcium functions

Formation and maintenance of teeth and skeleton

Acts as intercellular messenger that allows cells to respond to stimuli such as hormones and neurotransmitters

Calcium deficiency

uncommon in well formulated foods, imbalances can occur from feeding table scraps or all meat diets

Calcium deficiency results

Leads to bone loss with pathologic fractures, can also cause eclampsia

Excess calcium cause

Commonly due to dietary supplementation, especially large breed fast growing puppies

Excess calcium results

Wobblers syndrome, hypertrophic osteodystrophy, increase chance of osteochondritis dissecans

Phosphorus

2nd largest constituent in bones and teeth

Phosphorous sources

Milk, eggs, milk products, primary supplements in pet foods (calcium phosphate, sodium phosphate, and phosphoric acid)

Phosphorus regulation

Coordinates with kidneys and intestineS

What happens when dietary phosphorus intake is low

Intestinal absorption is highly efficient and kidneys decrease urinary losses

What happens when dietary phosphorus intake is high

Intestinal absorption decreases and urinary losses increase

Magnesium

3rd largest mineral

Involved in metabolism of carbs and lipids

Where is magnesium found in the body

Soft tissue, bone, intercellular and extractor fluids

Magnesium sources

Bone meals, oilseeds, and unrefined grains & fiber sources

Magnesium deficiency

Results in weakness, ataxia, and can eventually lead to seizures

Can occur with animals with GI and kidney diseases

Excess magnesium

Prevents formation of struvite crystals and stones

Sodium & chloride

Major electrolytes of extracellular fluid

Where are sodium and chloride absorbed

From the small intestine, excreted primarily through urine but small amounts can be excreted in feces and perspiration

What happens with low sodium diets

Body has ability to conserve sodium by excreting low amounts of urine

What happens with high sodium diets

Seen with increased water intake in urination with high salt excretion by kidneys

Sodium & chloride sources

Fish, eggs, dried whey (milk protein), poultry by-product meal, and soy

Sulfur requirements

Are met with normal protein intake (no recommended dietary levels)

Where is sulfur seen

Fur, skin, and nails

Sulfur deficiencies

Only seen with severe protein deficiencies in diet

What is sulfate

The oxidized form of sulfur (found in food and water)

Iron responsibility

Oxygen activation & transport, electron transport

(Important for blood)

Iron absorption

Depends on body’s iron status, availability of dietary iron, and amounts of heme and nonheme iron in food

Where is iron stored

Liver, bone marrow, and spleen

(small amounts excreted in urine)

Excess iron

Should be avoided because of potential antagonism with other minerals (primarily zinc and copper)

Iron oxide purpose

not biologically available to dogs abcs cats but is added to foods to give them a meaty red color

Iron sources

Organ meats, beet pulp, soy mill run, and peanut hulls

Zinc

2nd most abundant micromineral in body

Zinc purpose

Crucial for carb, lipid, protein, and nucleic acid metabolism

Zinc homeostasis

Controlled through absorption and excretion, primarily in small intestine

What is the primary organ involved in zinc metabolism

The liver

Zinc deficiency

In animals being fed high cereal diets due to their phylate content

What does phylate do

Decreases zinc absorption

Zinc toxicities

Due to dietary indiscretion ( ingesting pennies, due cast nuts from carriers, and baby lotion containing zinc)

Zinc sources

Meats, fiber sources, and dicalcium phosphate

Copper absorption

Occurs in intestinal tract

Copper metabolism

Liver is primary source, excess copper is excreted in bile

Copper deficiency

Results in anemia (similar to iron), depigmentation of colored hair coats, and impaired skeletal development in young animals

Copper toxicity

Can result in interference with zinc and iron metabolism

Copper sources

Legumes, whole grains, nuts, shellfish, seeds, and organ meats

Selenium deficiency and toxicity

Haven’t been reported in dogs and cats

Selenium sources

Fish, eggs, liver

Iodine

Required for synthesis of hormones by the thyroid gland

Iodine deficiency

Signs include enlargement of thyroid gland

Naturally occurring deficiencies don’t usually occur

How can iodine deficiency occur

Peas, peanuts, soybeans, & flaxseed bind to it and make it unavailable for use

Iodine sources

Fish, eggs, iodized salt, and poultry by-product

Chromium purpose

Helps maintain glucose homeostasis by enhancing the activity of hormone insulin

Chromium sources

Liver, brewer’s yeast, and whole grains