VETN 211B: Vitamins

Vitamin D toxicity includes…

Hypercalcemia, bone resorption, soft tissue calcification, death

What is true about water soluble vitamins?

Low potential for toxicity but deficiencies develop quicker

What are the micrminerals?

Fe, Zn, Cu, Se, I, Cr

What are the macrominerals?

Ca+, P, Mg, Na+, Cl-

What is vitamin K used in rats for?

To treat poison ingestion cases because of its blood clotting mechanism

Which B Complex vitamins are used to convert food to energy?

Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin, Pyridoxine (B6), Pantothenic acid, and Biotin

Which is the least toxic vitamin?

Vitamin E

What is Riboflavin?

B2

What are folic acid, Cobalamin, and Choline used for?

Cell maintenance and growth

What does calcium deficiency cause in small breed dogs?

Eclampsia

What does Riboflavin (and other Vitamin B’s) do?

Release energy from carbs, fats, and proteins in our food

Does magnesium have no deficiencies seen in healthy dogs or cats?

Yes, they don’t

What does Vitamin C deficiency lead to?

Scurvy (you’re a pirate argh)

What are some animals that require vitamin C?

Humans, non-human primates, guinea pigs

Can iron deficiency cause anemia?

Yes

What is one characteristic of a vitamin?

They are organic compounds different from fats, proteins, and carbohydrates

What are the water soluble vitamins?

Vitamin C and B Complex

Where are excess fat soluble vitamins stored?

Lliver

What does Vitamin A deficiency cause?

Lesions in epithelium, night blindness, abnormal reproduction

Can excess phosphorus cause increased blood clotting times?

No, excess phosphorus causes calcium deficiency

What is Thiamin?

B1

What are the fat soluble vitamins?

A, D, E, K

What is a true about fat soluble vitamins?

They have a much higher potential for toxicity but deficiencies develop at a slower rate

Are water-soluble vitamins stored?

No, they’re excreted through the urine

What happens if you have too much Vitamin A?

Skeletal malformation, spontaneous fractures, intestinal hemorrhage

What can be seen in Vitamin D deficiency?

Rickets, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism

What are the forms of Vitamin D?

D2 and D3

What are the functions of Vitamin D2/3?

Enhance intestinal absorption, mobilization, retention, and bone deposition of calcium and phosphorus

What does Vitamin E deficiency lead to in dogs?

Degenerative skeletal muscle disease, impaired spermatogenesis, failure of gestation

What does Vitamin E deficiency lead to in cats?

Pansteatitis, focal interstitial myocarditis, focal myositis of skeletal muscle

What does Vitamin K deficiency lead to?

Increased clotting time, which means more hemorrhage if you have a cut

Where can you find Vitamin A?

Plants, but mostly in animals (liver, fish liver oils, milk, egg yolks)

Where do you find Vitamin D?

Liver, some fish, egg yolk, sunlight*

Where do you find Vitamin E?

Synthesized only by plants, like vegetable oils, seeds, cereal grains (which is why grain-free diets is a big nono)

Where does Vitamin K come from?

Green leafy plants, liver, some fish Whmeals

What are the different forms of Vitamin K?

K1 (in green plants), K2 (synth. in large intestine), and K3 (synthetic)

How many vitamins are in the Vitamin B-Complex?

9 vitamins (all water soluble)

What is the function of Vitamin B-Complex as a whole?

They act as coenzymes - molecules that are needed with an enzyme for a specific reaction to occur

Where does the vitamins in the Vitamin B-Complex come from?

Organ meats, germinal parts of grains and yeasts

What is Niacin?

B3

What is the function of niacin?

Acts as a hydrogen transfer agent in several enzymatic pathways involved in the use of fats, carbs, and proteins

What does niacin deficiency look llike?

Pellagra (black tongue), dermatitis, diarrhea, dementiaq

What does thamin (B1) deficiency lead to?

Impairment of carbs metabolism, clinical signs in CNS

What are the sources of pyridoxine (vitamin B6)?

Organ meats, fish, wheat germ

What does pantothenic acid deficiency lead to in dogs?

Erratic appetites, depressed growth, fatty liver, decreased antibody response, hypocholesterolemia

What does pantothenic acid deficiency lead to in cats?

Fatty liver, weight loss

What is folic acid?

B9

What is the function of folic acid?

Component of DNA - cellular growth and maturation

What is Cobalamine?

B12

What is special about vitamin B12?

It’s the only vitamin synthesized by only microorganisms

What is special about choline?

It’s an exception to the vitamin rule and can be synthesized in the liver from serine (also considered essential nutrients)

Where does vitamin C come from?

Citrus fruits, dark green vegetables

What are minerals?

Inorganic portion of the diet - they cannot be destroyed by heat, air, acid, or mixing

How many essential minerals are for mammals?

>18

What does excess calcium lead to?

Wobbler’s, OCD, HOD in large breed, fast growing puppies

Where would you get calcium from?

Meat meals, soybean meal, flaxseed meal

What is the function of phosphorus?

For bones and teeth, structural component of DNA and RNA, cell growth, differentation, etc.

What does magnesium do?

Provide structure to the skeleton

What does excess amount of magnesium do?

Create struvite stones and crystals in the urine

What are the functions of sodium and chloride?

Maintaining osmotic pressure, regulating acid-base balance, transmitting nerve impulses and muscle contractions

What are the functions of iron?

Oxygen activation, electron + oxygen transport

What are the 2 types of iron found in food?

1. Heme iron

2. Nonheme iron

What does deficiency in iron lead to?

Chronic blood less → anemia

Parasitic infections

Where do you get iron from?

Most meats, beet pulp, soymill run, peanut hulls

What are some functions of zinc?

Carbs, lipids, proteins, and muscle acid metabolism, growth and development, etc.

What does zinc deficiency lead to?

Dermatoses, hair depigmentation, growth retardation, but mainly reproductive failure

What does copper deficiency lead to?

Hypochromic, microcytic anemia, depigmentation of colored haircuts, impaired skeletal development

What does excess amount of copper do?

Interferes with Zn and Fe metabolism

What is the function of iodine?

Synthesize thyroxine and T3

Are there any deficiency or toxicity problems with iodine?

No

What is the function of selenium?

Helps protect cellular and subcellular membranes from oxidative damage

Are there any selenium deficiencies or toxicities?

No

What is the function of chromium

Carbs and lipid metabolism + maintaining homeostasis by enhancing insulin activity

What are the vitamins in the B complex we should know?

1, 2, 6, 12

What is the function of Vitamin D?

Enhance intestinal absorption, mobilization, retention, and bone deposition of calcium and phosphorus

What is the function of Vitamin E?

Potent antioxidant - prevent chain reaction of free radicals producing more free radicals (basically decrease the number of free radicals)

What does Vitamin E deficiency lead to in generally?

Oxidative damage

What is the only instance of Vitamin K toxicity?

When rats ingested poison and they were given a supplement of Vitamin K to treat it

What affects biotin that is inside eggs?

Avidin