Food And Pigmentation

[MissMaddy]

My GSD is now 12 months old, and has been fed Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Organic formula since she was around 6 months old, plus meat, bonesm yoghurt and sometimes rice. She looks good on it (coat is nice and shiny and she needs small amounts to keep her weight), but I've noticed she's lost some pigmentation on her nails (they started to get pale lines in them that have gotten bigger) and is getting a tiny pink dot on her nose.

I'm just wondering if there is any link between her food and colouring? Or another possible reason to have lost some of her pigmentation? Her muzzle is still very dark, and the rest of her nose is still black. She had very dark nails and nose when I got her as a puppy and only lost the pigmentation recently, so I'm trying to figure out what the reason may be for this.

What supplements can I give her to try and get her to get this pigmentation back?

Her food already has kelp in it, so I haven't added this in.

Someone suggested zinc for her, and said turkey may help, but wondering if anyone can suggest anything else?

Thanks

[Ashka]

Lack of copper causes loss of pigment in coloured sheep pelts.

http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/pls/portal30/do.../FN028_2004.PDF

Vitiligo (lack of skin pigment, often patchy) is fairly common in humans but doesn't seem to be caused by lack of minerals. (Michael Jackson has it )

Edited January 20, 2008 by Ashka

[MissMaddy]

Thanks for the reply Ashka, I'll check her food to see what the levels of everything are compared to other foods.

I'm thinking of changing her over to BARF patties for a few weeks or longer to see if there is any difference, and if there is, learning how to do it myself and keeping her on it permanently.

I've had someone suggest chlorella tablets, but I'm not sure what they are and where to get them.

[t-time]

Also could be hormonal Miss Maddy - if she's just hitting the 12 month mark, perhaps a season is on the way? I've seen that before - a bitch with stunning black pigment but after her first season got "winter nose" her nose looked liver coloured or pinkish in colour. Winter nose usually goes away but hers never did.

Is it possible she might have just taken a bit of skin off her nose?

Oh, foodwise - what about Livamol? You can get it from produce stores and sprinkle a little on her food.

Edited January 21, 2008 by t-time

[Poodle wrangler]

............... what about Livamol? You can get it from produce stores and sprinkle a little on her food.

My standard poodle's breeder likes to use Livamol for pigment- to try to keep the darker apricot colour as well as noses etc.

Is often given to horses for their coat, too.

Can't say whether or not it works, but shouldn't do any harm.

[MissMaddy]

thanks guys. I'd say her nose is almost definitely hormonal now that you mention it, as she appears to be coming into season at the moment. She was only in 4 1/2 months ago though! She had a pale pink discharge last night but it's pretty much gone, so not sure what it meant. The little pink spot could definitely be skin off from her harassing my cat (she's always trying to love him, and he's not interested!) and him clawing at her.

I'm not sure about her nails, though, as they have been discolouring for quite a few months, starting off completely black, then developing a lighter line on them which has gotten bigger.

I have horses, so have not trouble getting hold of livamol when I next go to a feed store. I was also considering trying the missing link supplement.