Am not a nutritionist, but have an interest in the subject...and also a book on nutrition in small animals, which helps.
The list recommendation for vitamin A in dogs is 5000 IU/kg. (Small Animal Clinical Nutrition III) For a 7 kg cavalier, that would be 35000 IU. Very high doses interfere with other fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin K, and can cause fatal bleeding. Less severe symptoms of overdose are loss of appetite and bone decalcification. The maximum dose as specified by AAFCO for vitamin A for the dog is 50000 IU/kg (www.speedyvet.com/NIP/fatsol/Vitamins%20-%20fat%20soluble.htm) Re: sardines. They used to say that canned fish, particularly small ones, were safe fish, as far as mercury was concerned, and that's what most websites say. But there was a recent press release that implicated sardines in mercury poisoning, and pregnant women are again advised to limit sardine consumption to one serving per week. I would think that would be a reasonable precaution in dogs as well. Three ounces of sardines only contain 191 IU of vitamin A. (USDA nutrient database) Too much vitamin A produces cleft palates in mice/rats; I do not know of conclusive studies in dogs. More info below. Leanne Equivalents for the mathematically inclined: 1 International Unit = 0.3 micrograms retinol or 0.6 micrograms beta carotene 1 Retinol Equivalent = 1 microgram retinol or 6 micrograms beta carotene or 12 micrograms of other mixed carotenoid provitamin Interesting abstract: J S Afr Vet Assoc 1983 Mar;54(1):21-4 Fatal soft tissue calcification in suckling puppies.Howerth EW. "Renal, pulmonary and vascular calcification was observed in 2 suckling puppies. The lesions were similar to those associated with hypervitaminosis D and possibly hypervitaminosis A. It was suspected that high contents of vitamin D and A in the diet of the lactating bitch had elevated the activity of these vitamins in the milk to levels toxic for the suckling puppies." Am J Vet Res 1975 Nov;36(11):1597-1603Hypervitaminosis A in the dog.Cho DY, Frey RA, Guffy MM, Leipold HW. Toxic effects of excessive vitamin A and of excessive vitamin ADE were studied in 9 mixed Labrador Retriever pups. Clinical signs were loss of body weight, dullness, emaciation, roughened coat, evident pain in limb joints, and retarded growth. Radiologic changes were decreases in overall length and thickness of long bones, development of osteophytes, periosteal reaction, and premature closure of epiphyses. Pathologic changes were degenerative epiphyseal plate, hemorrhage and exostotic proliferation of periosteum, fatty liver, and microcalculi in kidney. Toxic effects of excessive vitamin A did not appear to be so great when it was administered as vitamin ADE. http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v06je14.htm Groups of two to three female and three to four male dogs received 0, 0.1 or 1.0 g of carotenal daily per animal during 14 weeks. All remained healthy and no significant effect was noted. No pathological lesions related to the test substance were seen at post- mortem. Peripheral blood picture, liver function tests, serum enzymes and blood urea were normal. Vitamin A and carotenal levels of serum, liver, kidney, adrenal and mesenteric fat were estimated. The kidney level of Vitamin A was three to five times that of controls. The serum level of carotenal was elevated in the group receiving 1.0 g and there was an occasional trace in the group on 0.1 g. Tissue amounts were variable. The only microscopic finding was pigmentation of the adipose tissue, kidney and adrenal cortex. Organ weights were normal (Bagdon et al., 1962). ----- Original Message ----- > The problem which I see is that I'm not sure that NRC, Waltham Center or > any other entity has come out with minimum/maximum requirements for such > that are applicable today. > > Perhaps there are nutritionists around who know the answer to this? ========================================================= "Magic Commands": to stop receiving mail for awhile, click here and send the email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20NOMAIL to start it up gain click here: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20MAIL E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] for assistance. Search the Archives... http://apple.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ckcs-l.html All e-mail sent through CKCS-L is Copyright 2002 by its original author.
