A water-soluble vitamin, crucial for the health of skin, fur and claws, as well as for the metabolism of macronutrients [1]. It is a cofactor for carboxylase reactions, which play an important role in the metabolism of lipids, glucose, some amino acids and energy. The intestinal bacteria of a healthy animal can produce it on their own. Most of the biotin in food is bound to proteins. It is hydrolyzed in pancreatic juice and then absorbed in the intestine [2]. Raw egg white contains avidin (glycoprotein), which permanently binds biotin, preventing its absorption. [3]. Feeding raw egg white alone in excess may lead to its deficiency. Therefore, it is best to serve the whole egg, because there is so much biotin in the yolk that even after binding a certain part, there is still enough of it.
What it contains: Liver, offal, muscle meat, eggs, fish [3].
Shortage: Dull, brittle coat, peeling skin, brittle and cracking claws [4]. It results from excessive administration of raw egg whites for a long time or from long-term antibiotic therapy.
Excess: Because it is a water-soluble vitamin, its excess resulting from a natural diet is efficiently excreted in the urine [1].
Sources
- National Research Council (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. National Academies Press. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10668/nutrient-requirements-of-dogs-and-cats
- Wedekind, K. J., Yu, S., Kats, L., Paetau-Robinson, I., & Cowell, C. S. (2024). Micronutrients: Minerals and Vitamins. In Small Animal Clinical Nutrition (6th ed.). Mark Morris Institute. https://s3.amazonaws.com/mmi_sacn5/2019/SACN5_6.pdf
- Merck Veterinary Manual. Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-small-animals/nutritional-requirements-of-small-animals
- Frigg M, Schulze J, Volker L (1989). Clinical study on the effect of biotin on skin conditions in dogs. Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde 131(10):621-5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2602924/