A Case Series of Four Dogs Presenting with Neurological Deficits Due to Suspected Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism after Being Fed an Exclusive Diet of Raw Meat
Abstract
Simple Summary Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism in dogs arises from either a deficiency in vitamin D or an improper calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in their diet. This report covers four cases of large-breed puppies fed exclusively boneless, non-supplemented raw meat diets. These puppies exhibited severe pain and difficulty walking. Imaging studies, including radiographs and computed tomography scans, showed decreased bone density, and two of the puppies suffered pathological fractures, resulting in their euthanasia. The other two puppies recovered quickly after receiving pain relief and a balanced commercial diet. Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism is triggered by low levels of active vitamin D and calcium, causing elevated parathyroid hormone levels in the blood to correct mineral imbalances. This mechanism includes pulling calcium from the bones, making the bones weak and increasing fracture risk. Once uncommon due to balanced commercial dog foods, nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism has reappeared with the trend of feeding raw meat diets. Timely diagnosis and treatment are vital for recovery, highlighting the necessity of balanced diets to prevent serious skeletal and neurological problems in developing puppies. Abstract Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (NSH) in dogs is a condition that develops in response to a vitamin D deficiency or an imbalanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in dog food. Puppies of large-breed dogs exclusively fed a…
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Evidence Hub reads this as a case series, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.
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