Plasma Tocopherol Concentrations and Vitamin E Deficiency in Dogs

SUMMARY The plasma tocopherol concentrations of 71 dogs were measured in 3 groups of animals. In the 1st group of 43 pups, low plasma tocopherol values were associated with the rigors of a commercial breeding farm. The concentrations of 21 animals from the dog population at large indicated that most healthy dogs have adequate plasma concentrations, whereas those of debilitated dogs vary widely. A 3rd group of dogs fed an experimental ration, which apparently had deteriorated in tocopherol activity during storage, provided evidence of pathologic changes in smooth muscle, the central nervous system, skeletal muscle, and the retina.