# Thiamine deficiency in dogs



## FEWill (Sep 2, 2009)

Thiamine deficiency in dogs can cause several problems with your pets vessels as well as nerve damage. It can also cause your dog to become stressed in situations that otherwise would not bother them. Thiamine is considered an anti-stress vitamin because it helps to strengthen your dogs immune system and improves their ability to handle stressful situations.

If a deficiency of this vitamin becomes severe, it will lead to a loss of nerve controls, a loss of reflexes, and eventually cause the death of your dog.

Thiamine, Vitamin B1, is a member of the B class of water soluble vitamins and your dogs body does not store this vitamin, and as a result, your pet will need to get an adequate intake in their diet or by some type of a supplement. Because it is a water soluble vitamin it is virtually impossible to be toxic to your dog, even in very large doses. Excess of any of the water soluble vitamins is excreted in their urine.

Causes of Thiamine Deficiency:

Thiamine deficiency in your dog is most commonly caused by eating too much raw fish or raw meats in the diet. Raw fish is extremely dangerous, especially Herring, Smelt, or Catfish. Fish contains an ingredient known as thiaminase which is an enzyme that destroys thiamine.

Originally thought to be just a concern for cats, feeding your dog raw fish is as much, if not a bigger concern in dogs, simply because they eat more than cats. Raw meats are also dangerous to your dog. Not only is in deficient in thiamine, it is also very low in calcium. Raw meat also carries the treat of bacteria and parasites, especially those that can easily cause Salmonella poisoning in your dog.

Thiamine deficiency can also be caused by feeding your dog an unbalanced diet, or food that has been over processed. However, perhaps the largest single cause of this deficiency in your dog is by Sulfites. Sulfites are naturally occurring compounds that are helpful in preventing microbial growths and are used extensively on fruits to preserve their original color.

However, they are also used as preservatives in several commercial dog foods and they interfere with the absorption of thiamine in your dogs body. If you use commercial dog food, it is extremely important to look for brands that do not use this chemical as a preservative.

Symptoms:

There are several symptoms that you can watch for in your dog that they may be developing a thiamine deficiency. The first symptom will be a condition referred to as Ventroflexion. This is a condition where your dogs neck starts to bend in a downward position and the chin will start to lower and rest near the middle of their body instead of squared off. 
Your dog will also start to walk with their weight placed on their back legs and they will quickly develop a gait. As the deficiency increases, their back legs will almost look like they are constantly in a crouched position with a much wider stance, and their back legs will also become very stiff.

The next symptom that you can watch for is Ataxia, which is a medical term that means without order. This is a very serious situation for your dog as they will start to show several different disturbances in their ability to control their body. They will start to walk in a very wobbly manner because they are losing their motor coordination. However, it can get much more serious.

Ataxia can also affect the nerves in the face and effect their eye movements. If you notice any type of abnormal eye movements, it is time to get them to your veterinarian as soon as possible. If severe enough, this condition can also affect your dogs brain.

If this is starting to happen you will see even more strange developments with your dogs eyes. The muscles surrounding their eyes will become paralyzed and as a result they will have very limited eye movement and the pupils will become fixed as well as dilated. At this stage, thiamine deficiency is now threatening the life of your dog.

There are also additional symptoms that can affect your dog with a deficiency of this vitamin and they may be as severe in some cases. Although Beriberi is thought to be solely a deficiency in humans, several of the same symptoms can affect your dog. This deficiency affects your dogs nervous system, and as a result it can cause tingling in their limbs the same as Beriberi affects humans

If you notice your dog starting to lick all of their feet almost in a chronic manner, it may be because they are having burning or tingling sensations; but unlike humans, they have no way of communicating it other than to licking them.

Treatment:

If your dog has developed a serious Thiamine deficiency, your veterinarian will immediately begin Thiamine injections for several days to several weeks, depending on the severity.

If you do feed your dog raw fish or raw meat on any type of a regular basis, you will need to immediately stop. You will also need to check very closely the type of food you are buying if you use commercial food and make sure that there are no Sulfites used as preservatives.

However, the best form of treatment for Thiamine deficiency in dogs is to make sure that they are not developing a deficiency to start with. A multi liquid vitamin or a liquid tablet daily can very easily supply your dog with an adequate amount of Thiamine.

To help stimulate your dogs immune system and to make it even stronger, you can also sprinkle in a tablespoon of brewers yeast into your dogs food once a day. One tablespoon contains 1.25 mg of B1, Thiamine, and it can be bought at any pet store or health food store, and it is a very inexpensive way to completely eliminate your dog ever getting this deficiency.

Liquid Vitamins for Humans Cats and Dogs


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## alphadog (Jan 29, 2009)

There are so many dietry factors that contribute, or are alledged to contribute to dogs' behavioural and physical development that it is almost impossible to keep track. 

If I'm being honest, my dog enjoys a better diet than I do... I care more about what goes into her food than I do my own. Yet I still worry that I'm not doing the best by her. Why is that? Could it be that there is always someone out there putting the frighteners on me and suggesting that I am missing the most crucial element of her diet, the element that will essentially ensure her health and longevity more than any other?

I'm a bit of a grumpy drawers this week, so I'll sit back now, shut up, and absorb everyone elses opinions


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

FEWill said:


> Raw meat also carries the treat of bacteria and parasites, especially those that can easily cause Salmonella poisoning in your dog.


Going to be a grumpy drawers myself now - there's no evidence that raw feeding causes salmonella in dogs. Or cats. Many many people feed raw nowadays.

Also - dogs can, will and do eat raw fish on a regular basis. Huskies, for instance.... I would say that for pet dogs, as long as raw fish is not the main part of the diet, I can see no issues if the rest of their food is nutritionally sound. I know my dog loves raw fish on the rare occasions he has it - and I've always treated my cats to a raw sardine or sprat now & then.


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## nickmcmechan (Aug 1, 2009)

Fascinating. 

Hope you don't mind me going slightly off topic for a wee min. Thiamine, which is a B vitami also has a similar effect on Humans with regards to the nervous system and the ability to release energy from food. 

I had a discussion with a Vet from the Veterinary Hospital (it was all to do with spinal probs in my older dog) as I had been giving him Glucosamine & Chrondroitin. He was telling me that the these additives are actually more effective on canines than humans - Vets research has actually proven that these additives actually work whereas they remain unproven for humans.

Where this gets to, for me and in my opinion, is that dogs need less nutrition per 1lb of flesh than a human does to turn it into something useful....these creatures never fail to amaze me.

So, do they need additives? Depends on what your feeding them as their staple in my opinion.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

I could see it never ceases to amaze me what people will say to persuade people to buy things they don't need - but having seen it all before, it no longer surprises me in the least. This 'article' says the biggest cause of thiamine deficiency in dogs is feeding them sulphites and goes on about dried fruit preserved with sulphites. The commonest fruits preserved with sulphites are stoned prunes, apricots and pears. Do you feed these to your dog? Prunes?!! 
I have never heard of anyone feeding these dried fruits to dogs. Even if dog food is preserved with sulphites, the other sources should more than outweigh any negative effects. Of course feeding just raw meat to dogs is deficient in many nutrients - that's what the bones are for! People feeding BARF diets normally supplement with fresh veg, not preserved.
Apart from yeast, other normal sources of thiamine aren't mentioned. Brown rice, whole wheat, peas (all common ingredient in dog food), liver, potatoes, eggs, pork are good dietry sources.


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## FEWill (Sep 2, 2009)

Hi Burrowzig,

Please re-read some of the key points

Thiamine deficiency can also be caused by feeding your dog an unbalanced diet, or food that has been over processed. However, perhaps the largest single cause of this deficiency in your dog is by Sulfites. Sulfites are naturally occurring compounds that are helpful in preventing microbial growths and are used extensively on fruits to preserve their original color.

However, they are also used as preservatives in several commercial dog foods and they interfere with the absorption of thiamine in your dogs body. If you use commercial dog food, it is extremely important to look for brands that do not use this chemical as a preservative.

***

If you want to feed your dog food that has Sulfites added, go for it--it is your dog. My 15 year old Dalmatian has been Sulfite free now for about 10 years.

My 2nd Dalmatian died from severe complications with Sulfite additives, fully documented my Michigan State University. Do you want the records?

That is a far cry from prunes and not reading the full intent of what was delivered. Additives slowly kill pets unless you can give them some help. If you do not agree that at least add something more.

And more on thiamine...from the article...

However, the best form of treatment for Thiamine deficiency in dogs is to make sure that they are not developing a deficiency to start with. A multi liquid vitamin or a liquid tablet daily can very easily supply your dog with an adequate amount of Thiamine.

To help stimulate your dogs immune system and to make it even stronger, you can also sprinkle in a tablespoon of brewers yeast into your dogs food once a day. One tablespoon contains 1.25 mg of B1, Thiamine, and it can be bought at any pet store or health food store, and it is a very inexpensive way to completely eliminate your dog ever getting this deficiency.

I really appreciate your feedback

Thanks
Frank Will

Liquid Vitamins for Humans Cats and Dogs


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

Oh, so you're nothing to do with the site selling supplements? 

The point, which I think I made clearly enough, is that the thiamine content of the food via its ingredients would more than outweigh any negative effects of any sulphite used as a preservative. I found the article needlessly scaremongering. I believe the regulations concerning the content of dog food is much stricter here in the UK that in the US. 

As sulphites are naturally occuring compounds, dogs will have evolved to cope with a reasonable amount of them, as have humans. How many cases of thiamine deficiency do you claim exists, in say per thousand dogs? Thiamine deficiency is uncommon in humans (apart from heavy drinkers), even those eating food preserved with sulphites, because it occurs so widely in basic foods.


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## FEWill (Sep 2, 2009)

Hi Burrowzig,

Aw, some people just dont get it.

Yes, I have a website and a make a whomping 400 to 500 dollars a month which goes to the local rescue fund. I usually spend both Sat and Sun afternoons helping. It breaks my heart to see any type of animal left to die. 

Some people just do not get it and would rather argue mute points without any real merit to research--but thats where you embarrass yourself--but who really cares--

If anything helps either dogs or cats live a better life that is all that matters--not you and your smugness--or me and my smugness--none of that matters.

If I can help any pet owner in any way at all--with just one symptom of any type of condition--than everynight that I write and my website is worthwhile. 

Everything is not always about money--not when it comes to pets--it is about how long we can love and share these guys with our family. It is about how much we love to hold them every night and how much they want to be part of the family--both cats and dogs


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

FEWill said:


> Hi Burrowzig,
> 
> Aw, some people just dont get it.
> 
> ...


Not even remotely embarrassed!


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