Nutrition for dogs and cats

How should I feed my dog during shedding? A suitable diet is the foundation of your dog's or cat's physical and emotional well-being.

The spring shed, for example, is a particularly demanding period for the body: for several weeks, up to a quarter of the food intake is used to renew the coat. A deficiency at that time can show in the quality, shine or color of the coat.

A few key points to support this period:

• Good-quality animal protein — essential for making keratin (hair), as dogs and cats are carnivores.
• Vegetable oils (canola, soy) or omega-3 fatty acids — for a shiny coat and supple skin.
• Zinc and copper — two minerals involved in hair growth and pigmentation.

More generally, B vitamins (found for example in brewer's yeast) and vitamin A (provided by liver, or by green vegetables in dogs only: cats cannot make it from plants) play an important role in the quality of your dog's or cat's skin and coat.