WEB Vetnews Feb 2016

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Feb 2016 33
Regulars I Royal Canin page
BECOME THE
PRACTICE OF CHOICE
BY OFFERING SECURE
ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT
SOLUTIONS
Altech NuPay provides SAVA approved payment collection
options to veterinary clinics and animal hospitals in
South Africa. This will assist in:
• growing your practice
• enhancing your standing as a caring practice
• providing pet owners with a range of secure payment
options
• easy collections on one terminal providing real-time
debit and credit card payments as well as future
dated payments
ALTECH NUPAY HAS BEEN SELECTED BY SAVA
AS THE PREFERRED SUPPLIER OF FUTURE
DATED PAYMENT COLLECTIONS.
For more information on the Altech NuPay payment
solution, contact: Clifford Niemand
Tel: 011 617 1958 l Cell: 079 780 2184
the epidermis and the follicles.
• Copper
Deficiencies lead to changes in the coat with
discoloration beginning in the face; it also causes a
thin, dull, brittle coat.
• Iodine
Deficiencies lead to hair loss, excess shedding, dry
and/or lustreless hair coat, excessive scaling and
recurring skin infections.
Essential fatty acid deficiencies
Essential means that they are not able to be
synthesised by the animal and need to be provided for
in the diet. They are primarily the precursors of two
families of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), omega
6 fatty acids and omega 3 fatty acids.
Linoleic acid is a precursor of omega 6 fatty acids
and is found in vegetable oils, primrose oil, sunflower
oil, wheat, corn and soy. Alpha-linolenic acid is a
precursor of omega 3 fatty acids, found in green
vegetables, fruits, grasses, plankton, soy and flax.
Fish oil is rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which are both derived
from alpha-linolenic acid. Cutaneous signs of
deficiencies include xerosis, dull hair and a kerato-
seborrheic disorder.
Overall protein deficiency
Hair growth and the regeneration of skin mobilises
almost 30% of protein intake and because of this
protein deficiencies can lead to keratinisation
problems and diffuse alopecia with dull, brittle hair.
Therefore the specific nutritional role in helping to
prevent and treat certain skin diseases is based on the
balance of both macro and micronutrients in the diet:
1. Strengthening the effectiveness of the skin barrier
with the use of four group B vitamins, namely
niacin, pantothenic acid, inositol and choline,
and one amino acid being histadine. These were
selected based on their synergistic action on
limiting water loss through the epidermis and the
synthesis of skin lipids. These have a beneficial
effect after approximately 3 weeks, due to the time
needed for the epidermal cellular differentiation
process.
2. Controlling inflammation with essential fatty acid
is a dual role: rebalances the composition of the
superficial lipid film to limit skin dehydration and
decreases the synthesis of inflammatory mediators.
3. Ensuring the vitamin intake meets the major
requirements of the coat, this is met with Vit A,
Vit E and Vit H (Biotin).
References available on request. v