Vitamin D: Crucial for Cellular Health
Pet vitamin D testing is a simple blood test that can make a huge difference in your pet’s health. Low stores of vitamin D are associated with a wide range of diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, infection, and kidney disease.
Vitamin D is not a simple vitamin but the precursor to an active hormone. Well understood for its role in calcium homeostasis, vitamin D is also recognized for its role in gene regulation and the maintenance of cellular health. Many tissues have vitamin D receptors, and low stores of vitamin D are associated with a wide range of diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, infection, and kidney disease.
Unlike humans, dogs and cats do not produce vitamin D from sunlight; their sole source of vitamin D comes from their diet. Recent studies have shown that vitamin D varies significantly by commercial pet food manufacturers. Further, intestinal absorption varies considerably from pet to pet. Expanding models of vitamin D have generated new terminology of “Deficiency,” “Insufficiency,” and “Sufficiency” to define the protective effect that increasing stores of vitamin D have against disease. Dietary supplementation is warranted when a pet’s vitamin D levels are inadequate.
If you have any questions about vitamin D testing or are curious if it might be a good choice for your pet, call us today at (804) 325-1600.