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Studies of Pantothenic Acid Deficiency in Dogs

Three Figures

Merck Institute for Therapeutic Research, Rahway, New Jersey

1. The first manifestations of pantothenic acid deficiency in pups were an erratic, decreasing appetite and a decrease in urinary excretion of the vitamin. Growth and food intake showed parallel decreases prior to collapse after 2 months. The deficiency responded to oral therapy.

2. Older dogs showed a delayed effect on appetite; the urinary pantothenic acid content was decreased, but was still essentially normal after 3 months depletion. This is in agreement with the fact that the pantothenic acid requirement of older dogs is lower.

3. The concentration of pantothenic acid in blood and other tissues of pantothenic acid depleted dogs was below that of controls dosed with large amounts of calcium pantothenate; however, when compared with stock diet dogs, the only significantly low pantothenic acid levels were found in liver, muscle, brain and blood. Repeated oral dosage with calcium pantothenate increased tissue levels above those found in dogs on stock diet and appeared to have a delaying effect on the progress of subsequent depletion.

4. The only gross pathological changes observed as a result of the deficiency were fatty livers. These were observed primarily in the depleted pups but also, to a lesser degree, in the control dogs on the same diet supplemented with calcium pantothenate. This was not true of control dogs which received a dried beef liver supplement in addition. Spasticity was observed in the hind quarters during the last week of the deficiency.