The Amazing Benefit of Chelated Minerals in Dog Food

by Mike Sagman
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What if you ate something you thought was nutritious… only to find out later your body never had the ability to absorb it?

chelated-minerals-dog-foodHow 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.

Dog Food Advisor IconThe Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.


  • sandy

    Emily,

    Is your raw and cooked both homemade or is the raw a commercial prepared raw? That makes a big difference. Commercial prepared raw is complete and balanced. As long as you don’t feed more than 20% homemade with that, they should be ok.

    But if it’s all homemade, I would definitely consult with a recipe book for homemade feeders. This is the one I have, but I’m sure there are others. http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/real-food-for-healthy-dogs-and-cats-cookbook.aspx

    Unbalanced homemade is the worst food you can feed due to the fact that undernutrition can lead to malnutrition which can lead to organ failure.

    http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/karen-becker-best-worst-dog-food/

  • Emily Riley

    I feed my two 15 lbs Cavaliers a raw and a cooked diet. One of my dogs are allergic to many many foods. Are they getting enough minerals through feeding them fresh and raw foods or should I be adding chelated minerals to their food? If so where do you buy them?

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  • jana c

    His stools are very firm he just goes alot throughout the day. 5-8 times a day. is it because hes a puppy

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Jana… Excessively soft stools and frequent defecation can be a problem. And although these symptoms can be related to a new food, they can also be a sign of another health issue. If things don’t clear up soon, you may wish to contact your vet.

  • jana c

    Hello, my 12 week old male golden ret. is on Fromm’s LBP formula. He had loose stools and pooping 4 times a day. his stools are FINALLY nice and firm but yest he pooped 7 times. is it ok he is going this often. today he has gone 4 times so far and it’s only 10 am.. please help

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Ryan… Since we don’t track each individual micronutrient in every dog food, it would be impossible for me to accurately respond to your question. Our reviews routinely assume products meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles contain safe and appropriate amounts of each mineral (including zinc).

  • Ryan S.

    What five star dry kibbles would you recommend would be high in Zinc ?Besides the Natura line who just sold out last year to P and G and will probably go down the tubes in quality .

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Kimba… Since each dog responds to a particular food in its own unique way, it would be impossible for me to assure you feeding her Verus (or any other specific product) would satisfy her appetite. Hunger is usually more related to caloric intake and your dog’s energy needs than almost anything else. So, you may want to compare the calories per cup on the Verus package with the number of calories per cup with your old dog food (information you may be able to find at the company’s website). If the calories per cup is lower on the newer food, you’ll probably need to increase the measured amount of serving. Also, your dog’s weight is remaining constant over a reasonable period of time, it’s unlikely there’s any problem at all (other than the food might not be as filling). Hope this helps.

  • kimba

    Mike – I recently switched my large mixed breed dog (who tends to be quite lean to begin with) to Verus Adult Chicken Dog food (from Calif Natural) …. her stools are much larger and spongier, (feeding too much?) yet she seems hungry (becoming rather insistent in her begging) and looks a bit skinnier. A friend also just switched her dogs, and says they are begging more as well— have you heard any complaints like this about Verus? I’m concerned she isn’t absorbing the nutrients in this food- and have added a scoop of plain yogurt to it, but it doesn’t seem to be helping– any suggestions or comments? I hate to switch again if I am just over-reacting.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi David… Copper is an essential mineral. Whenever you see the word “essential” associated with any nutrient, it means it must be supplied in the diet. Any mineral (or fat soluble vitamins) can become toxic if they exceed a certain level.

    In any case, I cannot assure you chelated copper is any safer in preventing the diseased condition your dog experienced with non-chelated copper. However, chelated minerals can be more readily absorbed from a dog’s intestinal gut wall. So, they are more “nutritious” and we tend to favor products made with these better ingredients.

    Bu the way, even though you may not see copper on a dog food ingredients list, it is still there. Sometimes you’ll just see the phrase “vitamin and mineral supplement”. Most of these “micro” nutrients are purchased as ready-made mixes by the pet food manufacturer. Although we do not track these ingredients, most pet food labels do list all of them on their labels. Hope this helps.

  • http://www.sloanelaw.com David S.

    My Black Lab recently died of Copper-Storage Hepatopathy (Liver Disease brought on by copper binding to certain proteins in the liver rather than being passed in the bile.) Several articles on the disease I read in trying to save my dog mentioned commercial foods having a lot of copper. So naturally I wanted to get on top of this subject in my care decisions for the new pup. (I fed my first Lab Iams every day of her life, and thought I was doing right by her.) I haven’t found copper as a listed ingredient on any dog food label. I wanted to get away from copper! Bad stuff…killed my dog! But from what you are saying I’m giving copper a bad rap, pretty much blaming the mineral the liver stored rather than the disease that made the liver store it? Makes sense. So the key here, if I understand correctly, is when I see a listed mineral on a dogfood label we want it accompanied by some ingredient to indicate they are chelated? And if it’s not on the label it isn’t there?
    By the way, my research in dogfood has been quite a journey but very enlightening. My NEW dog’s food cannot be purchased in Walmart or Albertson!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Jonathan… By use of words and phrases (associated with minerals) like “copper chelate”, “magnesium proteinate”, “zinc amino acid complex”, etc.

  • Jonathan

    How do you tell by the ingredients that the food contains chelated minerals?

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    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.

  • Mark Laford

    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

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    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.

  • steven M

    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

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    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.

  • Bridgette

    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!!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    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.

  • Bridgette

    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?