What if you ate something you thought was nutritious… only to find out later your body never had the ability to absorb it?
How nutritious would that be?
Well, for dogs… minerals are one of those kinds of nutrients.
So, what are minerals?
Minerals are basic metal compounds needed by all animals for life.
Here are three familiar examples…
- Copper
- Iron
- Zinc
By themselves… or attached to other “non-biological” compounds… some minerals can be very difficult for a dog to absorb.
So… a good portion of these minerals can pass through a dog’s intestines… mostly wasted in the stools.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
You see, minerals can be chemically “chelated”.
That is, they can be attached to a molecule of protein… or an amino acid… even a sugar “complex” (a polysaccharide).
And Then… Something Magical Happens
Suddenly, that same previously difficult-to-absorb mineral can be readily attracted into a dog’s bloodstream.
And once there, it can be directly carried to the tissues of the body.
Now, to be fair, not all minerals are difficult to absorb… or even need to be chelated.
Just the same, chelated minerals should be considered a welcome addition to any commercial dog food product.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Would this stuff do what you’re suggesting could be beneficial for my dog?
http://www.prozymeproducts.com/ProZymereg-Plus_p_4.html
I keep hearing that my dogs food (Blue Buffalo LP Weight Management) is only as good as what is absorbed… I researched absorption stuff all morning and ended up on the ProZyme Plus. By your standards, does it look like it’ll get the job done?
Hi Bridgette… the product you mention is a popular food supplement containing four enzymes. It’s designed to help in digesting carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Chelated minerals (on the other hand) are minerals that have been bonded to proteins to help make them easier to absorb. So, if your goal is to help your dog absorb the minerals in her food, you won’t get the results you’re looking for with an enzyme supplement.
Thanks for your explanation, Mike. Could a dog use chelated minerals in addition to digestive enzymes? I have an overweight Lab (6 years old) with hip dysplasia… so many suggestions have been made to me and they all kind of buzz through my head simultaneously. It gets confusing… especially when I try to do them ALL!
He’s not losing weight. Exercise is minimal. His weight loss is going to have to happen through diet. He’s been on Blue Buffalo Weight Management… 1 cup 3 times a day. I need is to feel like all the good stuff in his food and all the stuff (Ascenta Canine Omega 3, Joint MAX Triple Strength, ProZyme Plus, Deramaxx 75mg) he takes is being absorbed.
Any advise? Could chelated minerals help in our goals?
Thanks for doing what you do with this website… it’s a great tool!!
Hi Bridgette… the Blue Buffalo Weight Loss product you speak of already contains chelated minerals. So, there’s no need to add more. Too many minerals can actually be dangerous. Remember, with all supplements… too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Now, it would probably be OK to feed additional enzymes, though. His weight loss issue may simply be a matter of reducing his daily calorie intake below what he “burns”. Try using my dog food calculator on this website to estimate an appropriate serving size. By the way, you’ll need to look on the bag of dog food to get the “calories per cup” figure. You may be feeding him too much. Hope this helps.
i’ve found your website to be a great source of info. one thing i haven’t seen on here is the subject of large breed puppy food. from what i’ve read on food project, they need low calcium & phosphorous. good ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 and lower proteins. is there any suggestions you can make
Hi Steven… These days, I feel the whole issue of protein may have been greatly exaggerated. I plan to cover the subject of puppy nutrition in more detail in a future post (after I’ve completed my “first pass” of most of the reviews).
Until then, I think you’ll find the white paper published by Champion Petfoods (makers of Orijen and Acana Dog Foods) very informative… a real eye-opener. When it comes to canine nutrition, this report is one of my personal favorites.
Hello Mike,
Thank You for making a big difference for our four legged friends! I have a 6 month old Dutch Shepherd puppy “Kane,”
whom I have been feeding a raw diet of chicken quarters 4-5 days/week and Iams large breed puppy (chicken) for all other meals. He will be a large dog 90lbs +/- and he is 55lbs now. Can you make any recommendations for what you would feed him that is reasonably priced, easily available and best for his breed? I would greatly appreciate your advice and expertise.
Thank You,
Mark Laford
Hi Mark… Although small and medium breed dogs may be considered adults at about 6 months, large breeds usually aren’t classified as adults until about 12 months. You may want to look for a 4 or 5-star dog food on our website that’s specifically rated by AAFCO for growth or “all life stages”. You can safely switch to an adult product at about one year. Hope this helps.