Serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in apparently healthy cats regarding age, gender, breed, diet type, reproductive status, and housing condition
Iran J Vet Res 2023;24(3):265-269. doi: 10.22099/IJVR.2023.46793.6721.
S Amirnezhad 1, S Ahmadi Sheikhsarmast 2, J Khoshnegah 3, M Mohri 3
Commercial cat food has a lot of Vitamin D
Background: Optimal vitamin D levels for an effective role in immune function and rickets prevention are thought to vary, but have not yet been definitively determined. Reports on reference values of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in cats are limited.
Aims: The study provides information about serum 25(OH)D values in cats with different age, gender, breed, diet type, reproductive status, housing condition, and also the relationship between these levels and various hematological and biochemical parameters.
Methods: Clinically healthy cats (88) were included in the study. Physical examination and assessment of hematological and biochemical parameters were performed on cats in order to confirm their health status. Reference value of serum 25(OH)D was assayed by ELISA method and the effects of age (under six months and above six months), gender, breed, diet (only commercial diet, only homemade food, mixture of commercial and homemade food), reproduction status, and housing conditions on serum 25(OH)D was determined.
Results: The median, 2.5% and 97.5% of 25(OH)D in sampled cats were 19.74 ng/ml, 3.12 ng/ml, and 92.1 ng/ml, respectively. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was lower when homemade diet was used compared to commercial and mixed diets as well as in cats under six months of age compared to older cats.
Conclusion: Diet type and age can affect serum 25(OH)D levels in healthy cats while other parameters had no significant effects.
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VitaminDWiki - Controversy cats and vitamin D
VitaminDWiki - Overview Veterinary and vitamin D contains:
Veterinary category hasAnimals need Vitamin D too
- Vitamin D is important for pregnancies (pigs as well as people)– Sept 2022
- Many Vitamin D similarities: people and cows - March 2022
- Several advanced-maternal-age problems reduced if given Vitamin D during pregnancy (mice in this case) – July 2021
- Poor immune system associated with low Vitamin D (dogs in this case) – June 2020
- Chicken bones, eggs, and activated vitamin D in eggs increased with 2 hours of daily UVB – Dec 2019
- Vitamin D in eggs increased 4X after UV lighting near legs was added – April 2019
- Hens with Vitamin D were better in at least 5 ways – RCT Aug 2018
Pets as well
- Critically ill dogs with good levels of vitamin D have much better outcomes (humans too) – March 2018
- Half of dogs now get cancer, it used to be just 1 percent (probably low Vitamin D)
- Dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, pet birds, etc need Vitamin D
- Dogs with Cancer have low vitamin D, same as humans – Sept 2017
- Companion animals (dog, cats) need vitamin D too – March 2016
- Hospitalized cats 8X more likely to die if low vitamin D (Vit. D helps humans too) – May 2015
- Rickets increasing in dogs
Farm Vets are paid when their "patients" are healthy,
vs doctors who are paid only when "patients" become sick
Cows are routinely given 30 IU per kilogram (which would be 10,000 IU for a 150 lb person)
Same information is available on Cattle need 66 IU of vitamin D per pound
The US RDA of vitamin D for cows is 13 IU per kilogram (which would be 4,300 IU for a 150 lb 'cow')
Virtually all US farmers who raise livestock use feed that is supplemented with vitamin D
Merick Vet Manual supplement if not have UV or sunlight
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