Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dogs with acute polyradiculoneuritis have lower vitamin D levels than
By Laws, E J et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2018·School of Veterinary Sciences, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: 25-Hydroxy vitamin D3 serum concentration in dogs with acute polyradiculoneuritis compared to matched controls.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with acute polyradiculoneuritis, a condition that affects the nerves and can cause weakness or paralysis, was found to have lower levels of vitamin D compared to dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. Specifically, the dogs with polyradiculoneuritis had an average vitamin D level of 87.1 nmol/L, while the epilepsy group averaged 113 nmol/L. The exact reasons for this difference and its significance are still unclear, but it suggests that vitamin D might play a role in this nerve condition. More research is needed to understand how vitamin D levels could affect treatment and management of dogs with polyradiculoneuritis.
People also search for: dog weakness vitamin D · polyradiculoneuritis in dogs · dog nerve problems treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To determine if dogs with acute polyradiculoneuritis have lower serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 concentration compared to a control group of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective case-control study of 21 dogs with acute canine polyradiculoneuritis and 21 control dogs with idiopathic epilepsy matched for year and season of presentation from a referral hospital population in the UK. Serum concentration of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 was compared between groups using Student's t-test. RESULTS: Dogs with acute canine polyradiculoneuritis had significantly lower (P=0·033) serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 concentration (87·1 nmol/L ±55·4 nmol/L) compared to a control group with idiopathic epilepsy (113 nmol/L ±66·3 nmol/L). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The cause and clinical significance of the altered vitamin D status in dogs with acute polyradiculoneuritis are not clear and require further investigation. Our findings pave the way for improved understanding of acute canine polyradiculoneuritis and, potentially, improved clinical management, if a causal role for 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 is defined.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29171025/