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Companion Animals: Pantothenic Acid
Deficiency

On the basis of observations on pantothenic acid-deficient animals and studies in human volunteers, deficiency of the vitamin is shown in the following signs and symptoms:

  • Reduced growth and feed conversion efficiency.
  • Lesions of skin and its appendages.
  • Disorder of the nervous system.
  • Gastrointestinal disturbances.
  • Inhibition of antibody formation and thus, decreased resistance to infection.
  • Impairment of adrenal function.

 

Clinical signs of pantothenic acid deficiency take many forms and differ from one animal species to another. For humans, additional emotional and neurological symptoms include hyperventilation, irritability, insomnia, depression, headache, and dizziness. Pantothenic acid deficiency does occur under certain feeding regimens with animals.

Studies of pantothenic acid deficiency in various animal species indicate lowered tissue levels and decreased urinary excretion of the vitamin and decreased tissue coenzyme A (Nelson, 1978). Deficient dogs have reduced concentrations of pantothenic acid in blood, liver, muscle, and brain (Silber, 1944). Scudi and Hamlin (1942) found lowered blood levels of cholesterol, lipids, and lipid phosphorus in panthothenic acid-deficient puppies. However, present data are insufficient to establish pantothenic acid status for dogs and cats based on critical concentrations.
A. Deficiency in Dogs

Fouts et al. (1940) reported clinical signs of pantothenic acid deficiency to result in decreased appetite and loss of body weight. Diarrhea occurred in all animals between seven and 66 days of the start of the experiment. Diarrhea became severe and bloody just prior to death. Vomiting was frequent. Animals became quiet and very weak prior to death. Schaeffer et al. (1942a) reported that vomiting was sometimes so severe in pantothenic acid-deficient dogs that feces occurred in the vomit. In the terminal stages of pantothenic acid deficiency, dogs exhibit spasticity of the hind quarters, sudden prostration or coma, usually accompanied by rapid respiratory and heart rates and possible convulsions (NRC, 1985).

From the Fouts et al. (1940) study, skin ulcers were found over the shoulder, neck and back of the pantothenic acid-deficient dogs. There were alopecia and graying of some hair. Anemia was noted in six of seven dogs. Survival averaged 243 days, varying from 197 to 289 days. Fatty livers were noted along with ulcers in the mouth, ileum, and stomach (Ralston Purina, 1987).

Gantt et al. (1959) demonstrated the effect of pantothenic acid deficiency on conditional reflexes. Noticeable loss of conditional reflex performance was found four to 10 days before any neurologic signs or blood alteration. This loss of conditional reflex was reversible with added pantothenic acid.
B. Deficiency in Cats

The terminal stages of acute pantothenic acid deficiency were observed after 2.0 to 4.5 months in kittens fed an unsupplemented semi-purified diet (Gershoff and Gottlieb, 1964). There was no alopecia or graying of hair. Livers and intestinal tracts were particularly affected. Livers had fatty metamorphosis, vacuolar formations, but no cirrhosis or increased fibrous tissue. Giant, blunted villi were seen in some areas of the jejunum and upper ileum with the tops of the villi in some animals necrotic.

 
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