Vitamin E
My-Dog.info > Dogs, Diet & Food
Vitamin E was first discovered in 1922 when it was determined
that female rats required vitamin E in order to maintain a normal
pregnancy. Vitamin E is a natural fat-soluble vitamin and is
stored in the liver. It is found in most tissues of the body.
Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that neutralizes harmful
molecules called "oxygen-free radicals" that can damage
cells. It has also been shown to have reduce inflammation,
enhance the immune system, and help cells fight infection.
The requirements for vitamin E in a diet depend on a number of
factors, including the dietary levels of polyunsaturated fatty
acids and selenium, with which it is closely linked.
In commercial pet foods, vitamin E is used to prevent the
oxidation of fatty acids which leads to rancidity. It
accomplishes this by "neutralizing" the free radicals
which cause rancidity. However, during this process, vitamin E is
used up. Therefore, an increase in the amount of fatty acids in a
diet, especially unsaturated, requires a corresponding increase
in the amount of vitamin E and also increases an animal's
requirement for vitamin E. For this reason, feeding a diet that
has been improperly prepared or stored, or supplemented with
large amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, can lead to a vitamin E
deficiency.
The effects of vitamin E deficiency, while uncommon in dogs
and cats, are well-recognized. In dogs, vitamin E deficiency has
been associated with impaired immunological response, retinal
atrophy, muscle dystrophy, testicular problems, and failure of
gestation. In cats fed marginal or low levels of vitamin E and
high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, pansteatitis or
"yellow fat disease" can result.
Vitamin E supplementation has been shown to have some
anti-inflammatory effect on certain skin disorders in dogs. It is
used in the treatment of certain immune-mediated diseases,
including such diseases as dermatomyositis, discoid lupus
erythematosus, pemphigus erythematosus, and epidermolysis
bullosa, with varying degress of success.
Vitamin E at high doses ( four to ten times the normal canine
daily intake) has been shown to be effective in the treatment of
a disease called primary acanthosis nigricans in dachshunds, with
reductions in inflammation, crusting, and itchiness. No toxic
effects were reported. In fact, high levels of vitamin E are
considered to be non-toxic to animals, although an excess intake
may increase the requirements for vitamins A and D.
Studies have shown vitamin E to be ineffective on its own in
the treatment of itchiness and inflammation in dogs with allergic
disease Decreased blood levels of vitamin E were thought to cause
suppression of the immune system leading to demodicosis, a mite
infestation in dogs that is the result of a faulty immune system.
Dogs with demodicosis were reported to show significant
improvement when treated with supplemental vitamin E . However,
these findings were contradicted by other studies which
demonstrated no significant improvements in dogs with demodicosis
when supplemented with vitamin E.
Vitamin E plays a role in both canine and feline nutrition,
both in preventing certain deficiency-related disorders and as a
form of adjunctive therapy in certain skin diseases . It can also
play an important role, along with vitamin C, as an effective
antioxidant in commercial pet foods.
Reprinted with permission from www.animalhealthcare.ca
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