Vitamin A is also called retinol. Vitamin A can promote animal growth and bone and teeth development, and improve immune function. If a dog lacks vitamin A, it will cause vitamin A deficiency in the dog. 1. Causes of vitamin A deficiency in dogs: 1....
Vitamin A is also called retinol. Vitamin A can promote animal growth and bone and teeth development, and improve immune function. If a dog lacks vitamin A, it will cause vitamin A deficiency in the dog.
1. Causes of vitamin A deficiency in dogs:
1. Vitamin A deficiency in dogs rarely occurs, but if they are fed a single feed with incomplete nutrition for a long time, or suffer from chronic gastroenteritis for a long time, which affects the absorption of vitamin A, the disease is easily caused.
2. Dogs during pregnancy and lactation have an increased need for vitamin A. If the vitamin A content in the food is not increased at this time, it will not only cause the dog to suffer from vitamin A deficiency, but also affect the growth and development and disease resistance of the fetus or young dogs.
3. Fat in food can promote the digestive tract of dogs to digest and absorb vitamin A. Therefore, when food is deficient in fat and protein, it can also lead to the occurrence of vitamin A deficiency in dogs.
2. Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency in dogs:
1. Vitamin A deficiency in adult dogs is manifested as anorexia, weight loss and loose hair. If further development occurs, keratosis of hair follicles, increased dander, night blindness and dry eye disease, thickening of the cornea, turbidity, inflammation of the conjunctiva, shyness and tears, and red secretions.
2. Due to changes in squamous epithelial cells, the surface of the cornea is dry and blood vessels appear. After secondary bacterial infection, the cornea ulcers occur and perforations form.
3. Vitamin A deficiency in male dogs: testicles atrophy, few or no sperm in the semen.
4. Vitamin A deficiency in female dogs: Severe illnesses do not go into estrus. Although mild cases are in estrus and pregnancy, they are prone to miscarriage or stillbirth. Even if they give birth to weak living animals, they are prone to respiratory diseases and have a low survival rate. The seborrheic retention is also common after childbirth.
5. Young dogs who do not die after childbirth often become thicker due to bone deformities. The foramen magnum narrows the occipital foramen, compressing the cerebellum and spinal cord. Clinically, ataxia, tremor and spasm, and finally paralysis. All the young people in the litter have an illness, but the severity is different.
3. Prevention and treatment of vitamin A deficiency in dogs:
1. Dogs with vitamin A deficiency after weaning mostly die from secondary respiratory diseases. Referring to the amount of vitamin A required for adults and growing young dogs, it increases the supply of dogs during pregnancy and lactation, and promotes the digestion and absorption of vitamin A.
2. Add appropriate amount of fat to the food. Strengthen feeding and feeding green vegetables, carrots, yellow corn, milk, eggs, meat and other foods containing vitamin A and carrots. If necessary, add an appropriate amount of cod liver oil to the food.
