Zinc deficiency

[Pam, Latte and Summer]

Two weeks ago I noticed Bella, my 2 year old labradoodle, had some crusty areas
around her eyes.   We made a trip to the vet.  He wasn't sure what she had but he
started her on Prednisone.  He then called us a few days later.  He had done some
research and decided that she had a zinc deficiency and put her on zinc tablets.
It is 100% better.  Have any of you experienced this problem?  Is it more of a breed
problem?  Diet?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here's the definition of phytate:

phytate (phytic acid) Inositol hexaphosphate, present in cereals, particularly in the bran, in dried legumes and some nuts as both water‐soluble salts (sodium and potassium) and insoluble salts of calcium and magnesium. Magnesium calcium phytate is phytin.

It can bind calcium, iron, and zinc to form insoluble complexes; it is not clear how far phytate reduces the availability of these minerals in the diet, especially since there is phytase in yeast and legumes (and possibly in the human gut) which may liberate these minerals.