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Important Minerals for Dogs and Cats

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A healthy diet for our pets includes carbohydrates, fats and proteins, but also certain ingredients that must be added to the body in tiny amounts – such as the essential minerals. These essential minerals are important for a healthy balanced diet. Minerals are essential for building bones, teeth, hormones and blood cells. They maintain tissue tension, transmit stimuli and activate enzymes.

Minerals are subdivided according to their tasks and the amount of matter in the body. According to tasks, one differentiates between construction and the other is for regulating materials. The building materials include calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Regulators include iodine, sodium, potassium, iron and chlorine. Some elements have both construction and control properties, such as phosphorus, which is involved in both the construction of teeth and bones, but at the same time also has a regulatory effect on the acid-base balance. A further distinction of the minerals results in the concentration. They are divided into essential and trace elements. The essential elements include calcium, chlorine, potassium, magnesium, sodium and phosphorus; the trace elements include cobalt, iron, fluorine, iodine, copper, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, vanadium, zinc and others. In nature, there are over ninety basic substances, of which about fifty could be detected in mammals. The effect is known for about twenty minerals.

Many scientific studies have shown what an organism needs in terms of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. These important substances are present in sufficient quantities in our natural foods and should complement each other optimally. Natural vitamins and minerals are absorbed by the body exactly as it is needed. In contrast to artificial minerals and synthetic vitamins, the natural minerals are not stored in the body and therefore do not become a burden!

In a balanced and healthy diet as with the premium diet our animals need no artificial additives and synthetic supplements, as with the premium diet of Naturavetal®.

Contact Naturavetal®

Our experts will be happy to advise you personally.

Should you have any questions on this topic, we will be happy to provide you with comprehensive advice. 

You can reach us Monday to Friday
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Quantity elements

As already described above, minerals can also be divided according to their concentration. Thus they are divided into quantity and trace elements. The quantity elements include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium and chlorine.

Calcium

Found in: grains and dairy products

Calcium is effective in supporting heart activity, building healthy bones and teeth, and activating the muscles. The bones contain almost all the calcium in the organism. A small amount is in the blood, this has great importance for nerve and muscle functions as well as for the ability to clot. For a good calcium/phosphorus supply in the body it is important that the calcium/phosphorus ratio is also reflected in the food intake. This should be 1.5 to 1.

Phosphor

Found in: meat, sausage, milk and dairy products, vegetables, grains and legumes

In addition to muscle and brain activity it supports bone and tooth structure and is responsible for the entire metabolism and acid-base balance. Phosphorus is also part of many enzymes and it is also involved as a high-energy compound in cell energy release and rebuilding (ATP, ADP). For a good calcium/phosphorus supply in the body it is important that the calcium/phosphorus ratio is also reflected in the food intake. This should be 1.5 to 1.

Magnesium

Found in: mainly in green leafy vegetables, dairy products and meat, unpeeled rice and oats

Magnesium controls muscle and nerve functions. It is important for bone and tooth structure as well as for enzyme activation (it is involved in the action of around 300 enzymes).

Sodium

Found in: salt, dairy products, milk and meat

It is necessary for muscle and nerve stimulation, water balance, acid-base balance and to regulate osmotic pressure.

Potassium

Found in: potatoes, vegetables, fruits and grain products, especially in bananas 

It is important for muscle and nerve stimulation, digestion and acid-base balance. Together with sodium, calcium and chlorine, it affects the heart muscle activity.

Trace elements

Since their concentration in the body is rather low in relation to the bulk elements, these elements are called trace elements. Trace elements include iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine and sulphur.

Iron

Found in: caviar, meat, beans and peas

Iron is important for the transport of oxygen and electrons as well as necessary for energy conversion. It is indispensable for the formation of red blood cells. Deficiency symptoms include anemia, especially in lactation, increased susceptibility to infections and low weight gain.

Copper

Found in: shellfish and cocoa

It controls the keratin structure of hair and wool. It is important for nervous system and fat metabolism and has an important function in the formation of blood and pigment. Without copper, iron metabolism and cellular respiration cannot work smoothly. Deficiency symptoms: Low iron absorption, liver damage, skeletal and vascular damage (X- and O-leg position), ataxia and anemia. Changes on the skin and hair as well as graying of dark pigmented hair.

Zinc

Found in: eggs and oatmeal

Zinc is a vital element found in over 200 enzymes. It is indispensable for the conversion of vitamin A and the polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, it has great importance for the skin, nails, mucous membrane, pancreas and many other organs. Zinc is also part of insulin. Deficiency symptoms include fur and hair damage, skeletal damage, low testicular development, weakening of the immune system as well as diseased skin thickening and hair loss, delayed wound healing and general fatigue.

Manganese

Found in: oatmeal and green leafy vegetables

Manganese has its importance for bone growth and supports the fat and carbohydrate metabolism. It is also important for cell function/structure and immune function. Deficiency symptoms include the reduction in concentration, nervous disorders, disturbed skeletal structure, thickened joints and lack of movement as well as disturbed fertility and miscarriage.

Selenium

Found in: fish and meat

Selenium is important for protecting cells from oxidative destruction. It helps with fatty acid metabolism and has an important immune function.

Iod

Found in: meat and fish, milk and dairy products, eggs, cereal products such as oats, maize or millet, vegetables such as broccoli, spinach or carrots and fruits such as bananas or apples

Iodine is needed for the formation of thyroid hormone and also for their normal function. It is essential for cell differentiation, growth and development in growing animals. It also regulates metabolism in adult animals.

Further information and frequently asked questions (FAQ) – short mineral guide

What is a healthy diet for dogs?

Various factors influence which
food your dog can digest the best. The course is set in puppyhood, when the little one is imprinted on a food for the first time, which however, can also change direction in the course of the dog's life and bring with it other demands. The development of the intestinal flora determines the optimal feeding for your dog.

If intolerances, allergies or other problems come into play, it is often necessary to adjust the feeding accordingly. Naturavetal's holistic concept combines high-quality ingredients with gentle processing methods and natural recipes so that the dog can build and maintain a stable digestive system. This is of vital importance for digestion to function well and indispensable as a barrier against a wide variety of pathogens.

Whether your dog gets along better with a cold-pressed dry food, gently cooked complete meals, pure meat pots or rolls with a variety of side dishes - at Naturavetal® you will find all the ingredients you need for natural and species-appropriate feeding. For variety, you can also combine our different types of food with each other and perhaps feed one of our gently cooked Canis Plus® complete meals in the morning and cold-pressed Canis Plus® dry food in the evening. Feel free to take a look at the variety finder to help you choosing the right type of feed.

What can I do to boost my cat's immune system?

A high quality and compatible diet is the best basis for good health and a strong immune system at any age. With Felins Plus® you are always feeding the right food. 

For special requirements, as a supplement to BARF or to strengthen the immune system, beneficial supplementary food is also available, especially when it comes to increasing vitality, natural detoxification, stimulation and vitalisation of the entire organism, support during growth, old age, convalescence or rearing kittens, Felins Plus® supplementary food is exactly the right thing. The nutrients and active ingredients contained in it, can promote the body's self-healing processes, stimulate the metabolism and help the immune system - all in a completely natural way. Your pet will receive everything they need for a healthy life, according to their needs and species.

What is protein in cat food?

In a species-appropriate cat food such as Felins Plus® Meal Rolls, the protein (protein made up of amino acids) comes mainly from the processed meat. As a pure carnivore, the cat is dependent on a large proportion of meat in its daily feed and this is exactly what the meal rolls offer. With at least 87% meat, they provide the cat with exactly what a carnivore needs - lots of meat with few carbohydrates.

However, proteins can also be found in plant-based ingredients. Everyone knows that peas, for example, are known for their high protein content. But other legumes such as lentils or beans also contain a lot of vegetable protein. Therefore, caution is advised with cat foods that contain these vegetable protein sources. They are often used to make the crude protein value of a food appear higher (the crude protein value only presents the sum of animal and vegetable protein), without having to resort to valuable and at the same time more expensive ingredients such as meat, which the cat needs to stay healthy for a long time.

In our cat guide you will learn everything you need to know about cats.

What food is best for old cats?

With old cats it is especially important that you feed a natural wet food that does not contain any unnecessary synthetic additives, such as our Felins Plus® Meal Rolls. Synthetic vitamins can put a strain on the metabolism and older animals in particular benefit from having as little strain on their metabolism as possible. The food should only consist of high-quality ingredients. Low-quality by-products such as feathers or claws should not be present, and an unnecessarily high proportion of vegetable ingredients should not be included. You can find out more about this topic in our guide "Food for senior dogs and cats".

Why do cats need meat?

Cats are true carnivores. Their natural prey has always included small mammals such as mice, but also birds and, depending on the availability of prey, insects or fish. Through the stomach contents of its prey, the cat also takes in vegetable components, but only to a small extent. For example, many cats disdain the digestive tract of their prey, because they mainly need meat to get all the nutrients they need to stay healthy. If a cat food contains too high a proportion of carbohydrates - i.e., vegetable components - then this inevitably means that less meat is present. Many cat foods contain synthetic additives to cover this deficient nutrient supply. 

However, due to its high-quality composition with a meat content of at least 85%, a high-quality, species-appropriate cat food should not require unnecessary synthetic additives. 

You can find out more about this on our page "The species-appropriate nutrition of the cat".

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by phone. We are here to help you with comprehensive advice. You can reach us Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by phone at 0208 - 531 7804 or mail info@naturavetal.co.uk.

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