Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vitamin D levels linked to respiratory illness in shelter dogs
By Jaffey, Jared A et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2021·Department of Specialty Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and infectious respiratory disease complex in shelter dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of shelter dogs, some showing signs of respiratory infections, had lower levels of vitamin D compared to healthy dogs. Specifically, dogs with symptoms of canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC) had vitamin D levels that were significantly lower. Additionally, dogs that tested positive for canine herpesvirus had even lower vitamin D levels. This suggests that vitamin D might play a role in respiratory infections in shelter dogs. Ensuring adequate vitamin D levels could be important for their health.
People also search for: dog respiratory infection treatment · shelter dog vitamin D levels · canine infectious respiratory disease complex symptoms
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hypovitaminosis D is a risk factor for the development of respiratory infections in humans and repletion can be protective. OBJECTIVES: Determine if serum 25-hydroxyvitamin (OH)D concentrations are lower in shelter dogs and if 25(OH)D concentrations are associated with clinical signs of canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC) or with time in the shelter. ANIMALS: One hundred forty-six shelter dogs (clinically ill n = 36, apparently healthy n = 110) and 23 nonshelter control dogs. METHODS: Prospective cohort study. Shelter dogs were grouped as clinically ill or apparently healthy based on the presence or absence, respectively, of clinical signs associated with CIRDC. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured with a competitive chemiluminesence immunoassay. Nucleic acids of agents associated with the CIRDC were amplified by polymerase chain reaction assays. RESULTS: The concentration of 25(OH)D was 7.3 ng/mL (4.5-9.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]) lower in dogs with signs of CIRDC than apparently healthy shelter dogs (t(142) = 2.0, P = .04). Dogs positive for DNA of canine herpesvirus (CHV)-1 had serum 25(OH)D concentrations 14.9 ng/mL (-3.7 to 29.6, 95% CI) lower than dogs that were negative (t(137) = 2.0, P = .04). Serum 25(OH)D concentrations in shelter dogs were not different from control dogs (t(45) = -1.4, P = .17). Serum 25(OH)D concentration was not associated with duration of time in the shelter (F(1, 140) = 1.7, P = .2, R= 0.01). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Vitamin D could have a role in acute respiratory tract infections in shelter dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33319408/