title: Beyond the skeleton: the role of vitamin D in companion animal health.
abstract: While the role of vitamin D in the maintenance of skeletal health has been well-established for many years, the discovery that many non-skeletal tissues express the vitamin D receptor stimulated renewed interest in vitamin D and its wider physiological roles. Subsequently, a vast literature has emerged over the past three decades which has linked vitamin D deficiency to the development of many human diseases including cancer, autoimmune, infectious and cardiovascular disorders. In contrast, the role vitamin D plays in the physiology of non-skeletal tissues in cats and dogs has received little attention. The situation is now starting to change with the publication of several studies that have indicated that vitamin D metabolism is deranged in numerous companion animal disorders. This article reviews the biology of vitamin D in companion animals and highlights some of the recent studies which have advanced understanding of vitamin D homeostasis in cats and dogs. Finally, the essay discusses how a "One Health" approach could further the understanding of vitamin D metabolism in mammals. Investigating vitamin D homoeostasis in companion animals offers many advantages compared to human studies in which vitamin D status is influenced by many more variables.
authors.affiliation: Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, Division of Veterinary Clinical Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Hospital for Small Animals, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mellanby
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D002415:Cats / Q000378:metabolism*; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D004285:Dogs / Q000378:metabolism*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D