Before I started taking vitamin D, I was almost a recluse in the fact that I didn't want to meet people incase I caught a cold. I have very good reason having lung disease it makes me very ill when I catch a cold. Just a few days into starting the Vit D I had to take my dog to the vets and when the vet called me in it was very apparent that he had a streaming cold. He knows me and so he knew that I was scared of his cold so we had this strange conversation with him on one side of the room speaking to me with his head to one side so his breath wasn't coming in my direction and me on the other side looking away from him!! When he came closer to examine the dog I moved away and it was quite comical, however, I told him that I hoped that this wouldn't happen any more and we got talking about Vitamin D and it turns out that his small son is asthmatic and of course gets very sick when he gets a cold and so he was VERY interested in what I had to say as I think he said he was sleeping in the shed while he had the cold!. I was also interested to know if animals needed extra Vitamin D as well and he said he would look into it. Thankfully, I didn't get the cold and the vitamin D message is going down another route now!
A Humorous Event At The Vets Re Vitamin D - Thyroid UK
A Humorous Event At The Vets Re Vitamin D
Not that long ago was reading about the vitamin D levels of outdoor bred versus various indoor arrangements. Seems outdoor have considerably more vitamin D - for the obvious reason of being in the sun!
Well I know that cats have to get Vit D through their skin. I had two blind cats and would make sure they got sunshine whenever I could by putting them out in a "playpen" in the summer. I can't find any animal research re extra Vit D doing the same as it does for us.
I dared to think that animals kept indoors are worse off 'cos of no sun, but I thought they mostly got it from diet. I did read about more cats becoming hyper possibly 'cos of teflon on sofas - but of course any opportunity they lie in the sun (they don't know about glass blocking UV rays!).
Love the fact that a Vet would actually listen, sadly docs don't!
And for the record, I haven't had my usual streaming cold since supplementing last arch- but I get the sneezes for a day then it goes - eek - touch wood! Jane 
drat my dodgy keyboard - that's UVb rays and last march
I would rather be treated by my vet !
Yep - vets are good ! Mine has recently increased my dog's thyroxine up to 400 mcg. The improvement in her coat is amazing and she has stopped shedding and the bald scaly patches on her elbows have recovered and now her hair has grown over. Her depressed soulful eyes are livelier too ! She still carries too much weight though......it seems a constant battle for both of us ! Yes for her VitD boost she finds the sun too......
And vets have to treat myriads of different species!! Doctors just humans , at least as far as we know!.
....also vets have to look for signs as doggies can't explain how shattered they feel after a walk - or how the weight gain bothers them !
Aww bum typed question it went into hyperspace lol. Sorry if this is stupid question, but does it have to be sunny to help bits or can you get it on drab winter days when we can't see the sun ? Told u its a stupid question lol
Hi Twinks
Not a stupid question at all. Cloudy days do mean that the ultra violet light from the sun is obscured. Yet even on cloudy days the sun UV emissions are still available to a degree. So walking outside is good as long as face and hands are exposed.
I think it is worthwhile making sure you have a diet rich in Vitamin D is eaten especially in the winter.
Food Sources of Vitamin D:
Cod liver oil - 1 tablespoon - 1,360 iu
Salmon, cooked - 3.5 ounces - 360 iu
Tuna fish, canned in oil - 3 ounces - 200 iu
Milk, vitamin D fortified - 1 cup - 98 iu
Cereals, fortified - 3/4 to 1 cup - 40 iu
Egg - 1 whole - 20 iu
Cheese, Swiss - 1 ounce - 12 iu
Mackerel
We need about a 1000 ius of Vitamin D per day so it may be worth supplementing in the winter. If unable to manufacture D3 or not enough exposure (about 20 mins full sun per day) then supplementation would be important all year round. Make sure you have D3 and calcium blood tests and buy your own supplements. They are very cheap and can range from cod liver to D3 contained in vegi capsules. Avoid taking gp prescribed vits if you can. If your D3 levels are low then you will need to supplement to a higher degree to start with. The internet has lots of information and a good book is
The Vitamin D Revolution by Soram Khalsa 4.49 from amazon.
Hope this is not too much information, but I am passionate that everyone should have good Vitamin D3 levels. I nearly died because my levels became so lowand am grateful to people hear that helped me work out what was wrong with me.
Regards
Lin
Between March and November in the Northern Hemispheres (us) as one doctor explained it, you can stand naked in the sun all day and you won't get any Vitamin D as the sun is simply not strong enough! Also if you are elderly the Vit D cannot be synthesized through the skin efficiently so the elderly don't get the benefit even if they do sit out in it. Children the same with the sunscreen. You have to have 20 minutes of unadulterated unprotected by sunscreen sun daily between 11am and 2pm to get your levels up, just the times they tell you not to sit out in it! You can get it on the right sunbeds as well but that's another topic! It's better insurance to take supplements.
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