Skin disease in dogs associated with zinc deficiency: a report of five cases

The literature on zinc deficiency is discussed. Five cases of skin disease in dogs associated with zinc deficiency are described. All the animals were Labrador Retrievers. Lesions in all cases were similar and consisted of a dry hair coat, mild generalized seborrhoea sicca and bilaterally symmetrical, focal, yellow crusts and scale over the distal parts of the limbs and the chin. These were accompanied by ceruminous otitis externa and superficial lymphomegaly. The serum and hair zinc concentrations were markedly subnormal in all cases. Treatment with oral zinc sulphate produced a rapid resolution of physical signs and restoration of serum zinc concentrations to the reference range. All dogs were fed on unsupplemented cereal-based diets. The clinical condition appeared to arise from dietary imbalances rather than an absolute deficiency of zinc, although there may have been accompanying inherent defects of zinc absorption in some cases.