Vitamin D toxicosis in cats: natural outbreak and experimental study. 1995

T Morita, and T Awakura, and A Shimada, and T Umemura, and T Nagai, and A Haruna
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, Japan.

A pathological study on 5 of 21 cats affected naturally with systemic calcinosis was performed. The animals ranged in age from 1 to 9 years. Hematology and serum chemistry analyses showed the elevated values of phosphorus, blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine. X-ray examination disclosed the increased density of systemic bones. Histologically, marked calcification was present at the vascular walls of almost all the organs including the lungs, trachea, kidneys, heart, aorta, alimentary tracts, choroid plexus and bones. In the lungs, kidneys and stomach, the calcified lesions were associated with deposition of oxalate crystals. Serum chemistry showed more elevated values of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (vitamin D) of the affected cats than the normal level. Retrospective examination revealed that these cats had been fed the commercial pet foods containing a large amount of vitamin D (6,370 IU/100 g diet) from their young age, and its value was about ten times as much as that of the control food (680 IU/100 g diet). Pathological changes found in the cats from the experimental vitamin D3 toxicosis were similar to those in the natural cases. In addition, tissue levels of calcium, phosphorous and zinc in the lungs and kidneys were markedly elevated in both natural and vitamin D-intoxicated cases. These findings suggest that long-term feeding of the pet food containing excessive vitamin D was responsible for the outbreak of the systemic calcinosis in the cats.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007564 Japan A country in eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula. The capital is Tokyo. Bonin Islands
D007668 Kidney Body organ that filters blood for the secretion of URINE and that regulates ion concentrations. Kidneys
D008168 Lung Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood. Lungs
D008297 Male Males
D010070 Oxalates Derivatives of OXALIC ACID. Included under this heading are a broad variety of acid forms, salts, esters, and amides that are derived from the ethanedioic acid structure. Oxalate,Ethanedioic Acids,Oxalic Acids,Acids, Ethanedioic,Acids, Oxalic
D010758 Phosphorus A non-metal element that has the atomic symbol P, atomic number 15, and atomic weight 31. It is an essential element that takes part in a broad variety of biochemical reactions. Black Phosphorus,Phosphorus-31,Red Phosphorus,White Phosphorus,Yellow Phosphorus,Phosphorus 31,Phosphorus, Black,Phosphorus, Red,Phosphorus, White,Phosphorus, Yellow
D001806 Blood Urea Nitrogen The urea concentration of the blood stated in terms of nitrogen content. Serum (plasma) urea nitrogen is approximately 12% higher than blood urea nitrogen concentration because of the greater protein content of red blood cells. Increases in blood or serum urea nitrogen are referred to as azotemia and may have prerenal, renal, or postrenal causes. (From Saunders Dictionary & Encyclopedia of Laboratory Medicine and Technology, 1984) BUN,Nitrogen, Blood Urea,Urea Nitrogen, Blood
D001842 Bone and Bones A specialized CONNECTIVE TISSUE that is the main constituent of the SKELETON. The principal cellular component of bone is comprised of OSTEOBLASTS; OSTEOCYTES; and OSTEOCLASTS, while FIBRILLAR COLLAGENS and hydroxyapatite crystals form the BONE MATRIX. Bone Tissue,Bone and Bone,Bone,Bones,Bones and Bone,Bones and Bone Tissue,Bony Apophyses,Bony Apophysis,Condyle,Apophyses, Bony,Apophysis, Bony,Bone Tissues,Condyles,Tissue, Bone,Tissues, Bone
D002112 Calcifediol The major circulating metabolite of VITAMIN D3. It is produced in the LIVER and is the best indicator of the body's vitamin D stores. It is effective in the treatment of RICKETS and OSTEOMALACIA, both in azotemic and non-azotemic patients. Calcifediol also has mineralizing properties. 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol,25-Hydroxyvitamin D 3,25-Hydroxycholecalciferol Monohydrate,25-Hydroxyvitamin D3,Calcidiol,Calcifediol Anhydrous,Calcifediol, (3 alpha,5Z,7E)-Isomer,Calcifediol, (3 beta,5E,7E)-Isomer,Calderol,Dedrogyl,Hidroferol,25 Hydroxycholecalciferol,25 Hydroxycholecalciferol Monohydrate,25 Hydroxyvitamin D 3,25 Hydroxyvitamin D3,Anhydrous, Calcifediol,Monohydrate, 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol
D002114 Calcinosis Pathologic deposition of calcium salts in tissues. Calcification, Pathologic,Calcinosis, Tumoral,Microcalcification,Microcalcinosis,Pathologic Calcification,Calcinoses,Calcinoses, Tumoral,Microcalcifications,Microcalcinoses,Tumoral Calcinoses,Tumoral Calcinosis

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