The pathology of vitamin D deficiency in domesticated animals: An evolutionary and comparative overview.
Abstract: Although vitamin D is critical to calcium/phosphorus homeostasis, bone formation and remodeling, there is evolution-based variation between species in vitamin D metabolism and susceptibility to rickets and osteomalacia. Most herbivores produce vitamin D3 in response to sunlight, but dogs and cats have generally lost the ability as carnivore diets are rich in vitamin D. Nutritional deficiencies and/or poor exposure to sunlight can induce rickets in birds, swine, cattle and sheep, but horses are less susceptible as they have evolved a calcium homeostasis that is quite different than other animals. Adaptations to specific environments also affect disease incidence: llamas/alpacas out of their natural high altitude intense solar radiation environments are highly susceptible to vitamin D deficiency. The pathology of rickets/osteomalacia is similar across species, however fibrous osteodystrophy is more common and may also be present. Rickets/osteomalacia were likely more common in animals before the advent of commercial diets, but can be difficult to definitively diagnose especially in single archeological specimens. Consideration of species susceptibility, location - especially in terms of latitude, and any available information on diet, season of occurrence, husbandry practices or descriptions of affected animals can support the diagnosis of metabolic bone disease in animals.
Copyright © 2018 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2018-03-13 PubMed ID: 29544996DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.03.001Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research article explores the role of vitamin D in the health of domestic animals, focusing on the variations in vitamin D metabolism and susceptibility to diseases like rickets and osteomalacia. It explains how differences in diet, sunlight exposure and adaptation to natural environments affect an animal’s vitamin D levels and consequently, their susceptibility to bone disease.
Vitamin D Function and Metabolism in Animals
- The paper begins by acknowledging the fundamental role played by vitamin D in the calcium/phosphorus homeostasis and the processes of bone formation and remodeling in animals.
- It also highlights that there is a variation in how different species metabolize vitamin D due to evolution.
- Most herbivores, for instance, have developed the ability to produce their own vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. However, carnivorous animals like cats and dogs have generally lost this ability as their diets, which primarily consist of meat, are already rich in vitamin D.
Impact of Nutritional Deficiencies and Sunlight Exposure
- The author delves into how nutritional deficiencies and/or inadequate exposure to sunlight can lead to diseases such as rickets in birds, swine, cattle, and sheep.
- Interestingly, the article explains that horses are less likely to be affected due to their unique evolution of calcium homeostasis, which is quite different from other animals.
Effects of Environmental Adaptation on Vitamin D deficiency
- The article underscores the impact of environmental adaptations on the incidence of vitamin D deficiency and associated diseases.
- For example, animals like llamas and alpacas, when moved out of their natural high altitude intense solar radiation environments, are quite susceptible to vitamin D deficiency.
Rickets and Osteomalacia Across Species
- It is pointed out that the pathology of diseases like rickets and osteomalacia is similar across different species.
- These diseases were likely more prevalent in animals before the development of commercial feeds that are balanced in terms of nutrients. However, they may be challenging to diagnose definitively, especially in archeological samples.
Considerations for Diagnosing Metabolic Bone Disease
- The final section of the article suggests some factors that can support the diagnosis of metabolic bone disease in animals. These include consideration of the species susceptibility, geographical location (especially in terms of latitude), and any available information on diet, time of occurrence, husbandry practices, or descriptions of affected animals.
Cite This Article
APA
Uhl EW.
(2018).
The pathology of vitamin D deficiency in domesticated animals: An evolutionary and comparative overview.
Int J Paleopathol, 23, 100-109.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.03.001 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, 501 DW Brooks Drive, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602-7388, United States. Electronic address: euhl@uga.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Domestic
- History, 15th Century
- History, 16th Century
- History, 17th Century
- History, 18th Century
- History, 19th Century
- History, 20th Century
- History, 21st Century
- History, Ancient
- History, Medieval
- Vitamin D Deficiency / history
- Vitamin D Deficiency / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 14 times.- Arora P, Bhagat S, Krishnendu MR, Singh S. Emerging trends of biomedical nanotechnology in nutrition, health monitoring and disease diagnosis. 3 Biotech 2025 Jun;15(6):152.
- Saleh WMM, Alabada HKM, Naeem RM, Alsaad IA, Naji HA. The pathology of vitamin D3 deficiency in the growing Najdi lambs. Braz J Vet Med 2025;47:e005223.
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- Sadhir S, Eller AR, Canington SL, Sholts SB. Investigating factors of metabolic bone disease in baboons (Papio spp.) using museum collections. Am J Biol Anthropol 2022 Mar;177(3):489-500.
- Ro Y, Choi W, Hong L, Kim E, Choe E, Kim D. Spontaneous Alteration of Blood pH By a Bicarbonate Buffer System During Experimental Hypercalcaemia in Cows. J Vet Res 2021 Dec;65(4):539-543.
- Wang Y, Gan Z, Lu H, Liu Z, Shang P, Zhang J, Yin W, Chu H, Yuan R, Ye Y, Chen P, Rong M. Impact of High-Altitude Hypoxia on Early Osseointegration With Bioactive Titanium. Front Physiol 2021;12:689807.
- Načeradská M, Návojová Horáčková K, Fridrichová M. Case Report: Human Recombinant Growth Hormone Therapy in a DSH Cat Presented With Dwarfism. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:773355.
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- Zafalon RVA, Ruberti B, Rentas MF, Amaral AR, Vendramini THA, Chacar FC, Kogika MM, Brunetto MA. The Role of Vitamin D in Small Animal Bone Metabolism. Metabolites 2020 Dec 3;10(12).
- Boucher BJ. Why do so many trials of vitamin D supplementation fail?. Endocr Connect 2020 Oct;9(9):R195-R206.
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