On April 28, Laura Amundson, Ph.D., research and discovery lead, global pet, Zinpro, presented research on the Tech Talks stage at Petfood Forum 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri, examining how performance trace minerals influence mobility at the phenotypic, molecular and biochemical levels.
Amundson opened by citing a 2025 U.S. pet owner survey conducted by Zinpro in which 76% of respondents said they monitor pet health through visible and behavioral cues, with mobility ranking as the most important visual health indicator. She noted that roughly one in five dogs will face mobility challenges during their lifetime, and that physiological declines in mobility often begin before visible signs appear.
"From a nutritional perspective, what can we do to help keep pets moving, keep them active, with essential foundational nutrition that's already required in the diet?" Amundson said. "That's where trace minerals come in."
Senior dog activity study
In a study conducted approximately five years ago, senior dogs with an average age of 10 years — including Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers and Rottweilers — were fitted with activity-tracking devices on their collars. Dogs fed Zinpro Performance Minerals showed a 35-minute increase in daily activity by the end of the 90-day trial, according to Amundson.
Laura Amundson, Ph.D., with Zinpro, presented research examining how performance trace minerals influence mobility at the phenotypic, molecular and biochemical levels.Lisa Cleaver
Adult dog exercise trial
Amundson also presented findings from a nine-week feeding trial conducted at Four Rivers Kennel using adult Labrador Retrievers with an average age of approximately 3.5 years. The study compared Zinpro Performance Minerals against sulfate inorganic trace minerals as a control, with trace mineral levels held equal across both groups — only the source differed. Zinpro minerals were supplemented at 100 ppm zinc, 25 ppm manganese, 7 ppm copper, 45 ppm iron and 0.35 ppm selenium.
Dogs underwent a conditioning protocol of two three-mile runs per week for nine weeks, culminating in a five-mile challenge run.
Gait and lameness assessments
Standardized questionnaires completed by blinded kennel staff 24 hours after the challenge run found that dogs fed Zinpro minerals showed improvements in perceived quality of life, overall activity, activity during exercise and a reduced effect of lameness on exercise ability compared with controls.
Objective gait analysis using the GAIT4Dog pressure mat system showed improved left-right symmetry in dogs fed Zinpro minerals 24 hours post-run, while control dogs moved further from the ideal symmetry ratio. A proprietary lameness score derived from the same system showed a similar pattern: Zinpro-fed dogs maintained more stable scores after the challenge run, while control dogs' scores declined.
"If they're walking around on an uneven, asymmetrical gait, they're putting undue pressure on joints, muscles and tissues on one side of the body," Amundson said.
Cytokine response
Analysis of systemic cytokine levels revealed differences in inflammatory signaling between groups. Zinpro-fed dogs showed a sharp increase in monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) one hour after the challenge run — a pro-inflammatory signal Amundson described as essential for initiating muscle recovery — followed by a steady decline back toward pre-run levels. Control dogs showed little change at one hour, with MCP-1 rising at the 24-hour mark, suggesting a delayed immune response.
For the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, both groups responded similarly through the six-hour post-run mark. At 24 hours, Zinpro-fed dogs had returned to pre-run IL-10 levels, while control dogs continued to show elevated levels — a pattern Amundson said indicates the control group was still working to resolve a pro-inflammatory state.
Metabolomics
Plasma metabolomics analysis showed that the largest observed difference between groups involved lipid metabolites, which Amundson described as key factors in energy homeostasis, membrane integrity, inflammation and inflammation resolution. Zinpro-fed dogs showed approximately a threefold increase in more than 30 lipid metabolites following the challenge run compared with controls.
"The Zinpro-fed dogs were more metabolically responsive," Amundson said. "They were able to mobilize, get the machinery in there to have an efficient recovery from that challenge run."
