What Should I Do If My Pet’s Coat is Turning Red? Most pet foods have phenylalanine/tyrosine levels that are high enough to meet these needs. Though research studies have determined how much phenylalanine and tyrosine are needed for optimal growth and general health in cats and dogs, pets with mostly black hair coats may have even higher requirements in their diet to produce enough eumelanin to make a darker black coat. If there is not enough phenylalanine or tyrosine in the body to make the darker black pigment, eumelanin, then the pet will make the reddish-brown pigment, pheomelanin, instead, which requires less of these amino acids. Tyrosine can be made from phenylalanine, so diets need to either include enough phenylalanine and tyrosine or enough phenylalanine to meet the needs for both of these important amino acids. Dogs and cats must meet their needs for essential amino acids through their diet. Two amino acids, called tyrosine and phenylalanine, are important in making melanin (as a reminder, amino acids are the building blocks of protein). However, in some cases, diet can also play a role. For dogs and cats, the color of their hair coat is decided mostly by their genetics which result in variations in eumelanin and pheomelanin. There are two main types of melanin that the body can make: one is called ‘eumelanin,’ that results in a very dark black color and the other is called ‘pheomelanin,’ which has more of a reddish-brown color when produced by dogs and cats. What Determines the Color of Pet’s Hair Coat?Ĭats and dogs produce a pigment called melanin (the same one humans have), which helps to determine the color in their hair and skin.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |