Oral supplementation of vitamin B12 in dogs with chronic enteropathy or pancreatic insufficiency

Cobalamin(vitamin B12) is an essential molecule for mammals being a cofactor involved in fundamental biochemical processes in the animal organism. Since it cannot be synthesized by the animals’ bodies, it must be introduced through the diet. For its proper absorption, which occurs in the ileum, intrinsic factor (FI) synthesis and secretion are required. As the exocrine pancreas is the main source of FI in dogs, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a common cause of cobalamin deficiency in these animals. Another common cause of B12 deficiency is chronic enteropathy (CE) in which, because the ileal mucosa is damaged, there i...