Vitamin A is an essential vitamin that dogs need to survive.
It’s important to keep your dog’s levels of vitamin A in check, so you can ensure that they’re getting all the nutrients they need to stay healthy, happy and active.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps with growth and development, immunity, eye health and reproduction. It also supports skin health, bone strength and fertility in both males and females.
In addition to being a critical part of your dog’s diet, vitamin A can be found in many different forms: retinol, beta-carotene and other carotenoids—all of which have different functions in the body. Confusing? Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with this guide to understanding all things vitamin A for dogs.
Vitamin A For Dogs
Vitamin A, also known as retinol, is necessary for all vertebrate species, humans and dogs included. Retinol is a fat-soluble vitamin found in many foods, supplements, and even human skincare products.
Canines store vitamin A in their fat cells, where it helps with many bodily processes from mucus production to cell growth and division. Dogs need vitamin A in all stages of life since their bodies cannot function properly without it — but more on that later. Now that we’ve established that vitamin A is vital for dogs, what does it do exactly?
Functions of Vitamin A for Dogs
This essential vitamin helps maintain nearly every organ system, from the skeletal to the reproductive system.
Vitamin A is most well-known for supporting vision and skin health, but its functions stretch far beyond the eyes and coat. The need for vitamin A starts in utero, where it is imperative for brain and skeletal development. Vitamin A functions at the molecular level, helping cells transform into more specialized cells through a process called cellular differentiation.
Vitamin A even prevents dogs from getting sick since it helps power the immune response, helping to create the protective mucus that lines the lungs. Since it’s present in almost every body system, some vets compare vitamin A to the “oil” that keeps human and canine bodies running properly.
Daily Recommended Intake
Experts recommend 3,333 IU of vitamin A per kilogram of dry matter diet for dogs of all life stages and breeds. Though, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual, dogs can ingest up to 100 times that amount safely.
Food Sources
Animals get vitamin A by digesting foods that contain beta-carotene. You probably know that green leafy vegetables like spinach are chock full of beta-carotene, but this essential vitamin is hiding in some foods that might surprise you.
Oranges (yes, dogs can eat oranges!) are another food source that is jam-packed with vitamin A. Other sources include milk, liver, carrots, broccoli, and watermelon. If you’re going to feed your pup milk, make sure you do so in moderation since a lot of dairy can spell tummy troubles for some dogs.
Signs of Vitamin A Deficiency in Dogs
The most well-documented side effects of a vitamin A deficiency in dogs are skin and coat problems. Vitamin A deficient dogs commonly have sparse fur or hairless patches and dry, scaly skin with bumps or lesions.
Sometimes these open sores will develop bacteria or yeast infections, which can cause an unpleasant odor. It’s not uncommon for dogs with low vitamin A levels to have ear irritation or frequent ear infections too.
Low vitamin A is known to cause abnormalities in the cells that produce mucus. These abnormalities can manifest as dry, itchy eyes and lung problems like a tendency to develop pneumonia when fighting a (usually mild) common cold.
Dogs with severe vitamin A deficiency tend to be very weak and may refuse food altogether. They may also have difficulty navigating at night due to deficiency-related night blindness.
Vitamin A deficiencies are especially hard on young dogs since retinol plays a crucial role in bone growth and restructuring. This can translate into stunted growth and irregularities of the bones in the inner ear, causing some dogs to become deaf or hard-of-hearing. Fetal deformities can also occur in pregnant dogs who are deficient in vitamin A.
Vitamin deficiencies rarely have anything to do with food, especially when dogs are eating high-quality, nutritionally balanced food. More often than not, deficiencies stem from genetics and malabsorption — or a little bit of both. Breeds predisposed to vitamin A deficiency include:
- Cocker Spaniel
- Labrador Retriever
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Shar-Pei
Signs of Vitamin A Overdose in Dogs
Like most things, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, and this rings true for Vitamin A too. Skin creams like retinol serums and the like can cause vitamin A overdose in dogs that eat them.
Signs of an overdose include:
- seizures
- lethargy
- vomiting
- joint stiffness
- abnormal bone growth
- refusal of food
- hiding
- paralysis
Severe cases of vitamin A overdose can cause cardiac arrest and even death.
Call your vet immediately if you suspect your pet has gotten into your skincare products or any other product with high concentrations of vitamin A.
Vets will typically administer activated charcoal to treat vitamin A overdose for short-term occurrences (like a dog eating a tube of skin cream). Prolonged vitamin A toxicity is more difficult to treat and may require surgery to repair bones damaged by the excess vitamin A. This type of toxicity sometimes occurs in dogs who exclusively eat human food.
Vitamin A Supplements for Dogs
While a balanced diet usually takes care of a dog’s vitamin A needs, some dogs require supplements for various reasons.
As we mentioned above, not all dogs can absorb vitamin A from food; this can be because of medications that block absorption or digestive problems. Some genetic mutations can make metabolizing certain vitamins difficult or even impossible. These pups will typically benefit from vitamin A supplements for dogs.
Vitamin A supplements are a great energy booster for dogs with minor deficiencies. Supplementation can also promote a healthier, shinier coat and clearer skin. Since vitamin A is crucial in bone development, puppies can benefit from a little extra vitamin A to keep their growth on track.
Vitamin A supplements can also help dogs as they age since they promote eye health and may reduce the onset of night blindness. Some vets even recommend vitamin A for pregnant females since it can prevent deficiency-related fetal deformities.
While you can buy dog-specific vitamins over-the-counter, it’s a good idea to talk to your vet about them before giving them to your pet. Your vet may want to run blood tests to see where your pup’s vitamin levels are before going ahead with a vitamin regimen.
Never give your dog human vitamin supplements without explicit instruction from your vet. These may be too strong or contain ingredients that will hurt your dog. Instead, opt for a dog-specific vitamin — preferably a flavored one — to make administration easier (and tastier too!).
Worried your pet isn’t getting enough vitamin A? Chat with a vet today to see what you can do about it.
Written by Emily Gantt
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 03/03/2021, edited: 11/03/2021
how much vitamin a is toxic to dogs
For dogs, the requirement is 3,333 IU/kg of diet fed, with up to 333,300 IU/kg of diet considered to be safe. Signs associated with acute vitamin A toxicity include general malaise, anorexia, nausea, peeling skin, weakness, tremors, convulsions, paralysis, and death.
How much vitamin A can a dog have per day?
The National Research Council( 13 ) recommends a safe upper limit of 13·10 μmol retinol (12 500 IU vitamin A)/4184 kJ (1000 kcal) for growing dogs, the American Association of Feed Control Officials( 14 ) recommends 74·86 μmol retinol (71 429 IU vitamin A)/4184 kJ (1000 kcal) and the Federation Européenne de l’ …
What happens if my dog gets too much vitamin A?
Too much vitamin A – Vitamin A toxicity takes time to develop (sometimes months), which makes supplementation particularly difficult. The main symptom is stiffness. The increased amount of vitamin A in the system causes new bone to grow around joints, sometimes making it hard for your dog to move its neck entirely.
Will vitamin A hurt a dog?
Vitamin A is an essential vitamin for cats, dogs, and humans. Deficiency in vitamin A can lead to serious conditions, especially blindness. However, too much vitamin A or hypervitaminosis A can lead to serious toxicity.
What happens if a dog eats a vitamin?
While you may think that your multivitamins pose little poisoning risk to your dog, they can be poisonous when ingested in larger amounts. There are 4 potentially toxic ingredients commonly found within multivitamins including xylitol, vitamin D, iron, and calcium.
What is vitamin A good for in dogs?
Because it’s an antioxidant, Vitamin A helps support eye health in your dog. The right nutrients may also help maintain their night vision capabilities. Reproductive health: For dogs who are breeding, pregnant or nursing, adding extra Vitamin A to the diet can be a great way to offer support.
What does vitamin D do for animals?
But the name stuck and so far, vitamin D is best understood as a regulator of calcium and phosphorus, the major minerals that make up bone. “A lot is known about how humans, rodents, horses, cattle, pigs and sheep are able to synthesize vitamin D in their skin after exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet light,” says Dr.
How much vitamin A should dogs get?
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) recommends that adult dog food provide 5000 IU of Vitamin A per kilogram of food. The most common sources of Vitamin A are liver, fish liver oil and egg yolks, but it can be found in vegetable such as sweet potato, carrots and kale too.
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Can you get vitamin A poisoning?
Vitamin A toxicity can be caused by ingesting high doses of vitamin A—acutely (usually accidentally by children) or chronically (eg, as megavitamin therapy or treatment for skin disorders). Acute toxicity causes rash, abdominal pain, increased intracranial pressure, and vomiting.
What is a toxic level of vitamin D for dogs?
Causes of Vitamin D Poisoning in Dogs
It can take as little as a dose of 0.1 mg/kg to cause vitamin D poisoning. That’s about 0.45 mg per 10 pounds of body weight. The fatal dose is around 2 mg/kg, which equals about 9 mg in a 10-pound dog.
How much vitamin A do puppies need?
Daily Recommended Intake
Experts recommend 3,333 IU of Vitamin A per kilogram of body weight for dogs of all life stages and breeds. Though, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual, dogs can ingest up to 100 times that amount safely.
What does vitamin A toxicity cause?
Most people with vitamin A toxicity have a headache and rash. Consuming too much vitamin A over a long period of time can cause coarse hair, partial loss of hair (including the eyebrows), cracked lips, and dry, rough skin. Chronic consumption of large doses of vitamin A can cause liver damage.
What causes vitamin A deficiency in animals?
Vitamin A deficiency occurs most commonly due to a lack of vitamin A in the diet, or inhibition of absorption from the digestive tract. It is commonly seen in cattle and sheep in feedlots, and also those being fed high concentrate diets in the absence of green pasture, as is common during droughts.
Is Vit D bad for dogs?
In both humans and dogs, vitamin D supports multiple aspects of good health. But for dogs, high levels of this vitamin can be toxic. Depending on how much a dog is exposed to and for how long, vitamin D poisoning can cause a variety of symptoms: increased thirst.