Vitamin D is an essential vitamin (or hormone) that both animals and humans need to maintain calcium levels in the body. It is also known as the “sunshine” hormone because humans are able to synthesise vitamin D from sunlight exposure. Ever wondered why do dogs sunbathe? Part of the reason is that it is programmed into their natural instincts to get vitamin D from the sun. Even though dogs can’t synthesise vitamin D from direct sunlight, vitamin D3 stays on their fur and is ingested into their body when they lick their fur. However, the majority of their vitamin D intake mostly comes from the food they eat.
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is largely responsible for the calcium and phosphorus intake in the body. This helps to keep bones strong and plays a vital role in maintaining the muscular and nervous system.
There are 2 types of vitamin D– vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Vitamin D2 mainly comes from plants and Vitamin D3 derives mainly from animal sources such as fatty meats and liver. As such, dogs get their vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 from eating plant and animal sources.
Foods That Are Rich In Vitamin D
While there are kibble manufacturers that throw in vitamin D in their food mix, the good news is that you don’t have to rely on them for your dog’s vitamin D intake. There are many rich in vitamin D foods that are safe for your dog to eat.
Here are some examples of vitamin D rich foods for your dog to enjoy:
- Fatty fish – Salmon,Cod Liver Oil, Trout, Tuna, Sardines, Halibut, Mackerel etc.
- Eggs
- Dairy products- yogurt, milk
- Animal liver – kangaroo liver, beef liver
*Something to note about cod liver. Cod liver oil has high amounts of vitamin D and vitamin A and it is not recommended to feed your dogs cod liver oil with other animal liver.
How Much Vitamin D Should I Give My Dog?
A general guideline to follow is for dogs to get their vitamin D intake from their food diet and only resort to eating supplements when low levels of vitamin D have been diagnosed by a vet. A recent study showed that wild salmon (not farmed salmon) contains a lot more vitamin D than other fishes. According to AAFCO, a range of 125- 750 IU of vitamin D per 1,000 calories of food is recommended. So, if you think your dog is not getting enough vitamin D, throw in an ounce of wild salmon into his diet and that should suffice.
Does Pet Food Provide Adequate Vitamin D For Dogs?
Majority of pet food has been formulated to meet the minimum benchmark set by AAFCO but it may not meet the optimal levels required by your dog as each dog is built differently. Over the years, many commercial pet foods have added too much vitamin D to their foods and have caused illness and even death in the animals eating it.
Major dog food manufacturers had their food products recalled in 2018 due to the excessive amount of vitamin D found in their food mix. The issue about these pre mix fortified foods is that even if the synthetic vitamin added to the food mix is the correct amount, the manufacturer may not factor in the amount of natural vitamin D in the ingredient resulting in the level of vitamin D in the final mix to be too high.
Symptoms of Vitamin D Poisoning In Dogs
One thing to note for this is that the clinical signs are pretty subtle and might not show up around 2-3 days. And so, the symptoms would typically appear around 12-36 hours after ingestion.
Vitamin D Poisoning Symptoms:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal Pain
- Weakness
- Increase in Thirst
- Increase in urination
- Excessive drooling
- Weight loss
Kidney failure may occur due to the elevated levels of calcium and phosphorus in the body. If you see such signs in your dog, immediately see a vet. If left untreated, it may risk possible death.
Is Too Much Vitamin D Bad Or Toxic For Dogs?
Like everything in life, balance must be struck. As mentioned earlier, vitamin D is an essential nutrient that promotes bone and muscle health for proper development. So no, vitamin D as a nutrient is important for dogs but an excessive amount of it is toxic for them. Your dog can get sufficient vitamin D from his food as long as you incorporate vitamin D rich foods into his diet.
3 Main Causes of Vitamin D Poisoning In Dogs
1. Ingestion of Rodent Poison
Rodent poison contains this substance called Cholecalciferol which in other words means activated vitamin D. To dogs, rat poison tastes good to them so it is pretty common for dogs to eat it.
2. Vitamin D supplements
Dogs are curious creatures and let’s be honest, the majority of them are always looking for food. If these vitamin D tablets are left lying around, there is a good chance that your canine might have accidentally eaten it mistaking it for “safe food”.
3. Excess vitamin D in dog food
In 2018, a major dog food manufacturer had their food recalled for having excessive amounts of vitamin D in their food pre-mix. Thankfully, most commercial pet food makers now test their food to ensure proper levels.
Symptoms Of Vitamin D Deficiency In Dogs
Most dogs are real troopers and they hide their pain very well. Observation will be the very key to noticing the less obvious symptoms that manifest in them. If you suspect that your dog is low on vitamin D, take him to the vet for blood work.
Here are some of the major symptoms of vitamin D deficiency:
- Heart failure
- Muscle aches
- Hair loss
- Lethargy
- Excessive drooling
- Weight loss
- No appetite
How To Treat Vitamin D Poisoning In Fogs?
Immediately send your dog to the vet if you suspect him of vitamin D poisoning. As it is a life threatening condition, aggressive treatment must be sought straightaway to prevent kidney failure. Depending on the severity of the amount ingested, if the treatment happens within a few hours of ingestion, the vet might induce vomiting to purge out the remaining food left in the stomach and administer a drug that helps bind to vitamin D to prevent further absorption into his system.
If the substance has been fully absorbed into the body, your dog might be put on intravenous fluids (IV) to stabilise his condition, stay hydrated and balance the electrolytes levels. IV fluids also help flush out excess calcium through urine. Sometimes, an oral medication will be given to help lower the absorption of calcium in the gastrointestinal tract or in the bones. Hospitalisation care will be required for the vet to monitor your dog’s daily calcium, phosphorus levels and kidney functions until your dog is stable enough to be taken off IV.
Frequently Asked Questions
[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h3″ question-0=”How much vitamin d is toxic to a dog? ” answer-0=”The recommended amount from The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) for adult dog food ranges from a minimum of 500 IU to maximum of 3,000 IU per kilogram of food a day in your canine’s diet. However, this amount only applies to commercial pet food. ” image-0=”” headline-1=”h3″ question-1=”My dog ate a 2,000 IU vitamin D pill. What should I do? ” answer-1=”Observe your dog very closely for 2-3 days and look out for symptoms of vomiting, lethargy, abdominal pain, excessive thirst etc. Alternatively, for peace of mind, bring your dog to the vet and get his bloodwork done to check for abnormalities in his calcium and phosphorous levels. ” image-1=”” headline-2=”h3″ question-2=”Is vitamin D3 safe to eat for dogs? ” answer-2=”Yes, it is when consumed in adequate amounts that your vet recommends. In fact, vitamin D3 is necessary for promoting the development of your pet’s bone and muscular growth. However, between the two different types of vitamin D- vitamin D2 vitamin D3, Vitamin D3 is more potent and has a narrower margin of safety. This could result in severe poisoning when eaten in small amounts so be careful what you feed your canine. ” image-2=”” headline-3=”h3″ question-3=”Can I feed my dog human vitamin D supplements? ” answer-3=”The safest way is to consult your vet on the recommended dosage for your dog. Some human vitamin D supplements may contain different concentrations of vitamin D and have added additives that might be harmful for your dog. So, check with your vet first. ” image-3=”” count=”4″ html=”true” css_class=””]