Author(s) :

Sarah Nadeem Bhatti, Eman Zahra, Fiza Tariq, Ahmad Raza, Abu Bakar Saleem.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

Vitamin D (Vit. D) plays a vital role in canine health, particularly in maintaining calcium and phosphorus balance, promoting bone mineralization, and supporting immune, cardiovascular, and neuromuscular function. Vit. D resides mostly in the diet in dogs whose skin produces negligible levels of Vit. D upon exposure to sunlight. It could occur as a result of poor dietary intake, malabsorption, disease of the liver or kidney that affects the metabolism of Vit. D, and an elevated metabolic demand. Clinical effects include skeletal disorders in advancing puppies, which include rickets and the presence of osteomalacia, muscle weakness, and secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism in adults. In addition to bone health, Vitamin D Deficiency (Vit. DD) has been associated with poor immunity, heightened inflammation, and a potential connection with some chronic illnesses. Primary prevention and management require early identification with the help of dietary history, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), and measuring calcium-phosphorus balance. The restoration of sufficient Vit. D status in dogs entails nutritional correction using balanced commercial diets or supplementation, together with the correction of nutritional causes.

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