Folic Acid - Page 1

Does anyone here give folic acid to there breeding bitches?

Have your vet do a serum level for folate and cobalamin. Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin, used to treat folic acid deficiency in dogs, cat, and horses, often due to small intestinal disease.  Folic acid is required for several metabolic processes.  In humans synthetic folic acid is safe to use during pregnancy and is prescribed as part of prenatal vitamin supplementation as folate deficiencey can increase riskf or fetal neural tube defects. The FDA says this drug as catagory A ( Adequate studies in preg. woman have not demonstrated risk to the fetus in the 1st trim. and there is no evidence of risk in later trim).  Very high oral doses in human  have occasionally caused CNS effects ( diffuculty sleeping, excitement, confusion) Folic acid is distributed into milk, but is safe. Folic acid requirements may be increased in lactating animals. 

I use it routinely.  Here is a convincing article regarding the benefits for breeding

females.http://clubs.akc.org/astc/health/astchlth/folic/

Judy