Association of Vitamin D Status and Clinical Outcome in Dogs with a Chronic Enteropathy

Background: Dogs with a chronic enteropathy (CE) have a lower vitamin D status, than do healthy dogs. Vitamin D status has been associated with a negative clinical outcome in humans with inflammatory bowel disease.

Objectives: To examine the relationship between serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations at diagnosis and clinical outcome in dogs with a CE.

Animals: Forty-one dogs diagnosed with CE admitted to the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, Hospital for Small Animals between 2007 and 2013.

Methods: Retrospective review. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were compared between dogs which were alive at follow up or had died because of non-CE-related reasons (survivors) and dogs which died or were euthanized due to their CE (non-survivors). A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine significant predictors of death in dogs with CE.

Results: Serum concentrations of 25(OH)D at the time a CE was diagnosed were significantly lower in nonsurvivors (n = 15) (median nonsurvivors 4.36 ng/mL, interquartile range 1.6-17.0 ng/mL), median survivors (n = 26) (24.9 ng/mL interquartile range 15.63-39.45 ng/mL, P < .001). Serum 25(OH)D concentration was a significant predictor of death in dogs with CE (odds ratio 1.08 [95% CI 1.02-1.18)]).

Conclusions: Serum 25(OH)D concentrations at diagnosis are predictive of outcome in dogs with CE. The role of vitamin D in the initiation and outcome of chronic enteropathies in dogs is deserving of further study.