B12 Deficiency - Page 2

Thanks for the article Blitzen! Very good info!

Like dogs that are deficient in vitamin B12, these animals will be lethargic. They may lose weight. If not treated, these dogs can begin to experience gastrointestinal disease.

Which comes first, lack of B12 or SIBO/EPI ? Very interesting...

Good question sitasmom! I don't know if b12 deficiency somehow assists in causing them to develop SIBO/EPI, but I do know that this pup just has the b12 problem at this point and will just need to be in monthly injections oral medication (more often than monthly, but I'm not sure of the frequency). The vet does not seem to think this will have a big impact of the pups life and future health as long as he gets the B12 that he needs.

I also read articles on B12 being a vitamin that boosts fertility (in humans). Just curious if anyone gives b12 injections to breeding stock for this purpose. I do not, but ran across this as I was researching about the deficiency and it just sparked my interest.

To help support this deficiency I would google foods high in B-12 and supplement this puppy in every feeding with some type of B-12 extra foods.  Hopefully in time the food will take over and he will not need B-12 shots.  That would be how I would handle this problem.  Foods high in B-12 have to be nutritious and wholesome foods and obviously whatever the owner is feeding does not have enough in it for THIS particular puppy.  That would be my thought.  JMHO; and maybe Hexe will chime in with her expert information bank.  Good luck with the puppy and can you let us know how he does.  Nan

Thanks Nan! I completely agree about making sure there is additional b12 in his diet. From what I've read though, he just doesn't process it, so has to have very high dosage to get what he needs (and most foods are not going to have this much). So, she will probably still need to do some supplementation, but my pups are on multivitamins anyways to Make sure they are getting what they need. So, if she has him on a high b12 diet in addition to a regular canine multivitamin then that might be sufficient.

Thanks for the input!

So is there a possibility that the pup "might" grow out of this?  That would be my next question and concern.  You also don't want to have an overdose for a length of time but if you are supplementing how is the puppy supposed to learn to produce or use his own B-l2.  That would also be a concern.  I would put him on a raw diet without question.  Kibble is such crap these days and even if they have a high B-12 kibble it is probably destroyed in the heating process and if they use the spray on method that would be like pissing in the Atlantic ocean for the puppy's body to learn how to use it.  This type of deficiency concerns me for long term health reasons.  Again JMHO  Nan

I am not familiar with B12 Deficiency, but here is a bit of information related to issues with lack of B vitamins.

My older GSD, Baron, has a condition called Onychomadesis.  This is an auto-immune issue where his nails crumble.  In non-medical terms, the body attacks the nail glue that holds the different layers of the nails together.  This condition appears to be consistent with a deficiency in B3.

The solution was to put him on Niacinamide, supplement for B3.  It has much improved Baron's condition; plus he has great skin and coat as an added bonus.  He will have to be on this forever.  Thankfully this is an over the counter medication that I can find in powder and capsule form.
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Good luck

Nan, I don't think it is a lack of him using b12, it is a lack of him being able to absorb it (similar to what fawndallas is describing about b3). I don't think it is something that he can outgrow, but I will def have the owner ask the specialist about this. My understanding is that he will be to be on b12 his whole life. The owner isn't worried about this since b12 is such a popular supplement for humans she can get it anywhere and even in liquid if that is easier to just squirt in his food.

if she supplements orally and things don't seem to work as well as the shots, tthey sould use B12 with intrinsic factor.  metagenics is one brand name.  It is what I used with my EPI guy and I am using it with my 13 1/2 yo male.  if it is just a feeding issue, tonuge and cheek have high b 12, but also higher fat,,,,  I seem to have to beat the hispanics to the butcher to get the toungue though...  and I guess it depends on how the animal is killed if i can get cheek meat from the butcher.

Darcy

OH OK Darcy, I now know you are talking beef tongue and cheek.  Readily available around here but I doubt my 12.5 year old male would eat it.  He needs B12 to stimulate his appetite;  am also going to look into food additives instead of pills.  Just don't want to force pills down his throat at this point.  So is this common in elderly dogs that you know of or not?  Just curious, I have so rarely had any dogs that did not like to eat but my old man is just terrible with this problem.  Nan  Thx for sharing.