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Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps dogs regulate the balance and retention of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, so unlike water-soluble vitamins, when a dog – or other animal – gets too much, the excess is not rapidly excreted in his or her urine. Instead, it’s stored in fat tissue and the liver.
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Causes
Signs of Illness
Diagnosis
Treatment
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Functions
Vitamin D has many functions within the canine body, primarily revolving around its regulatory effects on calcium levels. These calcium regulatory effects mean vitamin D is also essential for healthy muscle and nerve function in canines.
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King vitamin D status to physiological health and disease states in the dog, as evidenced by the recent increase in publications in this area. However, there are important differences in vitamin D intake and metabolism between humans and dogs that should be accounted for. The understanding of basic vitamin D metabolism and the relationship between vitamin D intake and vitamin D status in dogs remains even more limited than current knowledge in humans.
This review will summarize current knowledge of vitamin D in the dog, including metabolism and dietary recommendations. Studies investigating links between vitamin D and disease will be discussed in light of this knowledge.
Vitamin D Poisoning
Orts multiple aspects of good health.
Depending on how much a dog is exposed to and for how long, vitamin D poisoning can cause a variety of symptoms:
increased thirst
loss of appetite
excessive drooling
diarrhea
vomiting
weight loss
joint issues
Vitamin D’s best-known role in the body is to regulate the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. The heart, arteries, gastrointestinal tract, and kidneys are especially likely to suffer damage as a result of this hardening of tissues.