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The Use of the Dog for Studies on Iron Availability¹

Two Figures

Department of Biochemistry, College of Agriculture, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Young growing dogs were placed on a raw whole milk ration, supplemented with vitamins, copper and manganese. When the dogs were anemic, supplements of ferric pyrophosphate at levels ranging from 200 µg to 1000 µg of iron per kg of body weight per day were supplied. A minimal level of 600 µg of iron was found to give an optimal hemoglobin response.

Plasma iron levels were followed throughout the period of iron supplementation, and it was found that when iron in excess of that required for optimal hemoglobin formation was fed, the amounts of iron in the plasma increased. If suboptimal amounts of iron were fed, the plasma iron level dropped to and sometimes below the critical level of 50 µg of iron per 100 ml plasma.

Wheat bran and spinach were fed at a level to supply 600 µg of iron per kg of body weight per day, and the response compared with that obtained with ferric pyrophosphate. The iron in bran was found to be almost completely available while the iron in spinach was only 20–40% available.

Supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.

Manuscript received 7 January 1946.