Results of a study of pet cats could offer new insights into the health benefits of vitamin D. Dr Richard Mellanby, Head of Small Animal Medicine at the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies (Scotland, UK), and colleagues investigated the impact of vitamin D levels on survival in hospitalized pet cats. The researchers examined blood samples from 99 pet cats that were admitted to the University’s Small Animal Hospital with life-threatening conditions. Results showed that cats with higher levels of vitamin D in their blood were more likely to still be alive 30-days after admission than those with the lowest levels. The encouraging results provide the foundations for studies to investigate whether giving supplementary vitamin D to seriously ill cats would improve their chance of survival. Positive results would then pave the way for clinical trials of vitamin D supplementation in humans.
