Many pet lovers always hope their pets look more beautiful with shinier coats. Currently, there are various grooming products on the market. So, what foods help pets achieve shiny, beautiful coats? Which foods contribute to pets’ coat brightness?

　　Have you paid attention to your pet’s skin health?

　　Pet health involves many aspects, with the top priority being good coat condition and healthy skin surface. This includes healthy skin and hair quality, as well as bright coat color. Pet dogs belong to warm-blooded animals, but their temperature is slightly higher than humans, usually around 37~39 degrees Celsius, with puppies being slightly higher. Maintaining normal body temperature aids the circulation system of the pet’s skin, which is the most basic guarantee. Dog skin plays an important role in blocking fungi, bacteria, and other invasions, isolating ultraviolet rays, and maintaining body moisture. If the skin’s defensive function is impaired, it will trigger inflammation, increased dandruff, redness, itching, or discoloration such as darkening. It is generally believed that whether the skin’s defense function is intact is the foundation of a healthy coat system. Therefore, ensuring healthy pet skin without disease is the prerequisite for a shiny coat. Secondly, pet hair can be divided into three types: guard hair, down hair, and tactile hair (sensory hair). Natural shedding is normal, with winter coats gradually shedding in late spring replacing with summer coats, and a seasonal change once again in late autumn to early winter. Only when pets suffer from prolonged malnutrition, illness, or old age, will they fail to shed properly, resulting in unhealthy coats and making glossy hair out of the question.

　　Which nutrients can help pets shine?

　　There are many dog breeds, both long-haired and short-haired, but all require health and beauty. Having a healthy, shiny coat first requires nutritional diet changes. After meeting pets’ nutritional requirements for protein, fat, amino acids, and vitamins, having a shiny coat becomes a natural outcome.

　　Rich protein nutrition guarantees pet coat gloss

　　Studies have shown that dogs require a minimum daily protein intake equivalent to 12% of their total energy needs. Due to differences in protein sources, plant-based and animal-based proteins have very different effective biological values. This is what we mean when we say the same protein might absorb differently. Some pet food companies, chasing maximum profit, reduce costs by using excessive amounts of indigestible protein sources. Pets eating such foods long-term will exhibit protein deficiency symptoms, including rough, messy coats. It is advised to choose pet food produced by reputable companies and not compromise pet nutrition for lower prices.

　　Also, foods rich in casein protein are among the effective nutrients that help brighten pets’ coats. Casein, or caseinate, is a protein separated from milk, which is why milk is white. Casein is the most nutritious source of essential amino acids. Feeding pets foods rich in casein can promote shiny coats and strengthen bone and tooth matrix. However, casein is hard and dense and difficult to digest, so hydrolysis processing is required before it can be used in pet foods.

　　Therefore, providing pets with sufficient protein to meet their growth needs daily is an effective guarantee of healthy, shiny coats and overall health.

　　Lack of fat nutrients is the main cause of dry pet coats

　　For pets, fat is a crucial component of body tissues and participates in the formation and repair of almost all cells. Fat exists in pet skin, bones, muscles, nerves, blood, and internal organs. In dogs, fat accounts for 10~20% of their body weight.

　　There are three essential fatty acids for dogs: linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid. They are called "essential" because pets cannot synthesize them internally and must obtain them from food. Linoleic acid and arachidonic acid are important for skin health and coat shine, promoting smoothness and brightness. Arachidonic acid can be synthesized from linoleic acid, so providing sufficient linoleic acid in daily food positively affects coat shine.

　　When providing food to your pets, you can supplement linoleic acid by adding fish oil, flaxseed oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, or seaweed products, thus ensuring essential fatty acids and shiny coats.

　　Supplementing vitamin nutrients is an effective method for bright coats

　　Different vitamins have various roles and properties for pets. If pets obtain vitamins that promote skin health and coat gloss through their diet, it ensures skin health and function integrity. Deficiency manifests as rough, dry, and dull coats.

　　It is generally accepted that vitamins A, H (biotin), B6, and riboflavin are among the most influential on coat gloss and skin health, also directly participating in normal nervous system functions. These vitamins significantly enhance pet coat shine.

　　Vitamin sources are diverse and easy to obtain. When cooking or selecting dog food, pet lovers can add leafy green or yellow vegetables and beta-carotene (vitamin A precursor) to pet diets. Feeding cooked eggs supplements biotin, helping prevent skin diseases and dermatitis. However, avoid excessive supplementation, as too much vitamin intake may cause pet nutritional toxicity.

　　Additionally, the mineral copper is essential for beautiful pet coats, improving coat color and preventing rough, dull coats. Zinc plays a vital role in collagen and keratin synthesis and helps beautify coats. Increasing intake of sulfur-containing amino acids and hydrochloric acid can also improve coat gloss.

　　In summary, coat shine depends on overall nutrition level, health status, sufficient trace elements, and other factors. Only by consistently feeding balanced nutrition pet food, preventing disease, and maintaining healthy physiological conditions can a pet's coat become glossy and bright.