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Low folic acid (folate deficiency)
dog moderate
Call your vet, describe what happened, and follow their guidance.
cat moderate
Call your vet, describe what happened, and follow their guidance.
horse unknown
Severity not yet documented — when in doubt, call your vet or animal poison control.
- Summary
- Low folic acid (folate deficiency) is a deficiency of vitamin B9 that occurs in dogs, cats, and horses, most commonly secondary to small intestinal disease, pancreatic insufficiency, or chronic use of certain medications such as trimethoprim. Folic acid is essential for DNA synthesis and red blood cell production, and deficiency is associated with anaemia, poor body condition, and weight loss; in cats, low folate has been documented in 38.8% of ill cats with alimentary tract diseases, while in dogs it is frequently linked to chronic enteropathy and immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia. Clinical signs associated with the underlying conditions and deficiency include anaemia, reduced body weight, poor body condition score, and gastrointestinal disturbances.
- Trend Term
- Low folic acid
- Confidence
- high
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