Effect of different levels of zinc supplementation on the prostatic fraction of canine ejaculate.

Zinc is an important oligoelement in canine prostatic function. The objective of this study was to describe and compare the effect of two diet concentrations of zinc oxide on prostatic fraction of canine ejaculate. Eight reproductively normal dogs were fed a commercial food containing 275 mg de zinc/kg DM during six months which were divided in pre treatment (PRT), post treatment 1 (POST1) and post treatment 2 (POST2) periods of two months each. During both POST periods the dogs were randomly allocated to a supplemented group, which received 525 mg/DM zinc oxide (Zinc Group; n=4) or a control group (Control Group; n=4) which did not receive any supplement. During PRT there were no differences in zinc concentration between groups (316± 69,5 vs. 356,4 ±54,6; p 0,65), although zinc concentrations were higher in Zinc group during POST1 (348 ± 83,9 vs. 1412,5 ± 190,9; p < 0,01) and POST2 (616,2 ± 142,8 vs. 2556,6 ± 627,5; p <0.05). Zinc concentrations also increased throughout periods when compared among themselves (p <0.01). It is concluded that this zinc supplementation increased zinc concentration in the prostatic fraction of the ejaculate. A promising perspective may be opened in the treatment and prevention of canine of prostatic diseases by diet zinc supplementation.