Boosting your cat s intake of vitamin b12.
Vitamin b12 for cats uk.
This is a simple blood test that gives a very general idea as to the cat s cobalamin status.
In a healthy cat the tissues retain b12 for an average of 13 days but in a cat with gastrointestinal disease or other health problems b12 may stay in the body for only about 5 days.
Since your body doesn t make vitamin b12 you have to get it from animal based foods.
Kidney disease or chronic renal failure is a health problem that can afflict dogs and cats as well as people.
Alternatively try rx b12 with cyanocobalamin a man made form of vitamin b12 that comes solution or liquid forms.
Every cat who has chronic gi symptoms should have their cobalamin levels evaluated.
Vitamin b12 does a lot of things for your body.
The recommended oral cobalamin for cats is 250 µg daily for at least 12 weeks followed by a check on its serum concentration a week after the last dose.
Cobalamin is usually given via an injection under the skin.
So reserves of this vitamin get depleted quickly in cats and this causes low b12 levels.
Cats with inflammatory bowel disease ibd may have concurrent low vitamin b12 levels tams 2014 a case recently presented with a history of chronic intermittent vomiting inappetence and mild weight loss.
It is interesting to note that there is one study from the uk that would suggest that cobalamin deficiency is much less common in cats in the uk than in the usa.
Vitamin b12 may be a particular concern for older cats.
You can also buy oral supplements specifically formulated for cats which you can add to their daily diet.
One of the treatments given by veterinarians is injections of vitamin b 12.
In one study 49 of 80 cats 61 with chronic signs of gastrointestinal disease had cobalamin deficiency as evidenced by a subnormal serum cobalamin concentration.
For example the rx b12 normal dosage for.
Vitamin b12 drops in liquid form for best absorption methylcobalamin b12 great for energy sublingual nutrition and weight loss 4 3 out of 5 stars 239 14 98 14.
In addition vitamin b12 only stays in the body for a limited time.
It helps make your dna and your red blood cells for example.
One of the easiest ways of ensuring your cat gets a boost of vitamin b12 in their diet is to feed them some fresh meat and in particular liver which is high in b12.
If the results are low or even at the low end of the normal range cobalamin supplementation is called for.
There are many treatments for the disease which is progressive but there is no cure.
Vitamin b 12 is given to.