Vitamin A toxicity (urgent!)
Hello and sorry for the abrupt introduction.
One of our pigs (male, about half a year old, ca. 1100 g in weight) is having an as of yet uncertain issue manifesting as a paresis of the hind legs and (possibly unrelated) gas/bloating issues. It may be a virus infection. However, that is NOT what I'm writing about.
Today the piglet was at the vet and received several subcutaneous injections, including a vitamin solution. This was the Vitamin ADE aniMedica solution.
https://myhealthbox.eu/en/medicine/vita ... ica/266473
Later this evening I received a phone call from the vet to let me know they had MADE A MISTAKE with the dosage. The pig was meant to receive 0.1 ml but had received 1 ml.
1 ml of this solution contains, according to the page linked above:
176 mg of Vitamin A (specifically, retinyl palmitate), or 300 000 IU
50 mg of Vitamin E (All-rac-alpha-tocopherolacetate)
2.5 mg of Vitamin D (cholecalciferole), or 100 000 IU.
I repeat, the pig is a young adult and is a little over 1 kg. And he just received ten times what he should have in a SQ vitamin injection.
The vet was of the opinion that, while it could lead to digestion issues, it shouldn't be serious, and recommended we give him more fluid intake. However, given that the main ingredient in this mix is Vitamin A, which is fat soluble, I don't know why that should do any good. Furthermore, vitamin A acute toxicity is pretty dangerous.
It's been about six hours since the injection and it's hard to say if he's affected. The toxicity symptoms listed in the vitamin solution manual are confusion, disrupted or abnormal movements, scaly skin and vomiting. Obviously guinea pigs can't vomit. However, he already had slightly abnormal movements and lethargy before this as a result of this illness. So it's impossible to tell if it's just more of the same, or an effect of the vitamin toxicity.
I have already scoured the internet for information on what a one-time dosage of vitamin A like this could do to a cavy and have come up short. There are some studies on Vitamin A being teratogenic but that's not exactly relevant here. I have found the following data sheet for all-trans-Retinol that suggests an LD50 value of 1500-2000 mg/kg for mouse or rat. (http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924809 ) With that in mind (and assuming an LD50 value for guinea pigs would be at least somewhat comparable), he should be in the clear. However, I'm worried the hypervitaminosis will exacerbate his symptoms or cause permanent liver damage.
On the other hand, I've found data that Vitamins E and B2 (which he also received) actually alleviate Vitamin A toxicity.
Does anyone have specific experience with vitamin A toxicity in guinea pigs and knows what to expect, or has any advice to give? Can this permanently damage his liver or can the liver handle even high one-time doses like that?
(No, we're not very happy with the vet right now. But I'm trying to focus on what can be done. The vet's offered to give the pig an infusion tomorrow, would it help? Should we take them up on it?)
One of our pigs (male, about half a year old, ca. 1100 g in weight) is having an as of yet uncertain issue manifesting as a paresis of the hind legs and (possibly unrelated) gas/bloating issues. It may be a virus infection. However, that is NOT what I'm writing about.
Today the piglet was at the vet and received several subcutaneous injections, including a vitamin solution. This was the Vitamin ADE aniMedica solution.
https://myhealthbox.eu/en/medicine/vita ... ica/266473
Later this evening I received a phone call from the vet to let me know they had MADE A MISTAKE with the dosage. The pig was meant to receive 0.1 ml but had received 1 ml.
1 ml of this solution contains, according to the page linked above:
176 mg of Vitamin A (specifically, retinyl palmitate), or 300 000 IU
50 mg of Vitamin E (All-rac-alpha-tocopherolacetate)
2.5 mg of Vitamin D (cholecalciferole), or 100 000 IU.
I repeat, the pig is a young adult and is a little over 1 kg. And he just received ten times what he should have in a SQ vitamin injection.
The vet was of the opinion that, while it could lead to digestion issues, it shouldn't be serious, and recommended we give him more fluid intake. However, given that the main ingredient in this mix is Vitamin A, which is fat soluble, I don't know why that should do any good. Furthermore, vitamin A acute toxicity is pretty dangerous.
It's been about six hours since the injection and it's hard to say if he's affected. The toxicity symptoms listed in the vitamin solution manual are confusion, disrupted or abnormal movements, scaly skin and vomiting. Obviously guinea pigs can't vomit. However, he already had slightly abnormal movements and lethargy before this as a result of this illness. So it's impossible to tell if it's just more of the same, or an effect of the vitamin toxicity.
I have already scoured the internet for information on what a one-time dosage of vitamin A like this could do to a cavy and have come up short. There are some studies on Vitamin A being teratogenic but that's not exactly relevant here. I have found the following data sheet for all-trans-Retinol that suggests an LD50 value of 1500-2000 mg/kg for mouse or rat. (http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924809 ) With that in mind (and assuming an LD50 value for guinea pigs would be at least somewhat comparable), he should be in the clear. However, I'm worried the hypervitaminosis will exacerbate his symptoms or cause permanent liver damage.
On the other hand, I've found data that Vitamins E and B2 (which he also received) actually alleviate Vitamin A toxicity.
Does anyone have specific experience with vitamin A toxicity in guinea pigs and knows what to expect, or has any advice to give? Can this permanently damage his liver or can the liver handle even high one-time doses like that?
(No, we're not very happy with the vet right now. But I'm trying to focus on what can be done. The vet's offered to give the pig an infusion tomorrow, would it help? Should we take them up on it?)
- Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
It sounds like you have done some pretty thorough research. I tend to side with the vet that you are likely okay. If you are giving pellets, you might switch for a while to upping the high quality hay and fresh leafy greens so an artificial addition of vitamin A is not eaten but I don't know that even that is an issue.
I believe the problems with excess vitamin A I believe have to do with long term buildup from giving a multivitamin vs. plain vitamin C when pet owners want to increase vitamins in the diet. I think your guinea pig will be okay with this one time dose.
p.s. you would edit by clicking on the slanted pencil within 15 minutes of posting.
I believe the problems with excess vitamin A I believe have to do with long term buildup from giving a multivitamin vs. plain vitamin C when pet owners want to increase vitamins in the diet. I think your guinea pig will be okay with this one time dose.
p.s. you would edit by clicking on the slanted pencil within 15 minutes of posting.
He is not really eating by himself sufficiently (at least not in sufficient amounts, just the odd bit of straw here and there) so we're feeding him through a syringe at least as a supplement with this http://www.beaphar.com/en-gb/product/be ... guinea-pig .
And that's my hope as well - that just a single high dose isn't going to do much damage. The poor pig, though. Even if it's not damaging I doubt it's made him more comfortable.
Ok, I think more than 15 min passed so that would explain it. My bad.
Thanks for the quick response.
And that's my hope as well - that just a single high dose isn't going to do much damage. The poor pig, though. Even if it's not damaging I doubt it's made him more comfortable.
Ok, I think more than 15 min passed so that would explain it. My bad.
Thanks for the quick response.