Abstract
BackgroundVitamin D deficiency and related metabolic bone diseases in pet rabbits have been intermittently debated. In human research, the parathyroid hormone concentration in relation to the 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration is used to determine vitamin D deficiency. Thus, this study aimed to identify the breakpoint in the 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration indicating a significant change in the parathyroid hormone concentration in 139 pet rabbits. An enzyme immunoassay kit was used for 25-hydroxyvitamin D analysis and the intact parathyroid hormone (PTH 1–84) immunoradiometric assay kit for parathyroid hormone analysis. The mid-tibial cortical bone density was measured using peripheral quantitative computed tomography. A segmented linear regression analysis was performed, with the 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration as the independent variable, and parathyroid hormone, ionised calcium, total calcium, inorganic phosphorus concentrations and the mid-tibial cortical density as the dependent variables.ResultsThe breakpoint for the parathyroid hormone concentration occurred at a 25(OH)D concentration of 17 ng/mL, whereas the cortical bone density breakpoint occurred at a 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration of 19 ng/mL. No breakpoints were found for ionised calcium, total calcium or phosphorus.ConclusionsThese results suggest that a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration of 17 ng/mL serves as the threshold for vitamin D deficiency in rabbits. Nearly one-third of the rabbits had a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration below this threshold. Concerns persist regarding the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in pet rabbits and the possible health consequences caused by a chronic vitamin D deficiency, including the risk for metabolic bone diseases.
Highlights
Vitamin D deficiency and related metabolic bone diseases in pet rabbits have been intermittently debated
The serum 25(OH)D concentration fell below the observed parathyroid hormone (PTH)-related breakpoint in about 30% of the pet rabbits we studied, suggesting that every third rabbit was vitamin D deficient
The association between the parathyroid hormone and 25(OH)D concentrations changed at 17 ng/mL, marking the threshold for vitamin D deficiency in pet rabbits
Summary
Vitamin D deficiency and related metabolic bone diseases in pet rabbits have been intermittently debated. The parathyroid hormone concentration in relation to the 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration is used to determine vitamin D deficiency. A segmented linear regression analysis was performed, with the 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration as the independent variable, and parathyroid hormone, ionised calcium, total calcium, inorganic phosphorus concentrations and the mid-tibial cortical density as the dependent variables. Vitamin D deficiency and the existence of related metabolic bone diseases in pet rabbits are topics of intermittent debate [1,2,3,4,5]. Because calcium absorption in the intestines is vitamin D-dependent in humans and many other mammals, vitamin D deficiency appears to reduce the serum calcium concentration leading to increased PTH concentrations. Calcium absorption is primarily passive in rabbits, higher PTH concentrations occur more frequently in vitamin D deficient rabbits than in control rabbits [12, 13]
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