Back to the knowledge base

Thiamine (B1) in dog and cat diets

A short guide to the role of Thiamine (B1) in dog and cat nutrition.

Thiamine (B1)

It belongs to the water-soluble vitamins, which means that the body of the dog and cat does not store it — reserves are depleted within a dozen or so days and it must be supplied regularly with food [1]. It plays a key role in the energy metabolism of carbohydrates and in the proper functioning of nerve tissue and the brain. The cat needs it proportionally much more than the dog: NRC (2006) gives RA = 1.4 mg / 1000 kcal ME for the cat versus 0.56 mg / 1000 kcal ME for the dog (dog MR: 0.225 mg) [1].

Where it's found: The best practical source in BARF is heart (beef, poultry, lamb) — about 0.2–0.5 mg per 100 g [6]. Next, pork, liver, egg yolks, brewer's yeast. Fish with thiaminase (carp, herring, mackerel) must first be cooked, or choose species free of it (salmon, trout, cod, halibut).

Deficiency: Most often results from feeding raw fish containing thiaminase — an enzyme that destroys vitamin B1 in the meal and in the digestive tract [2] [4]. The second cause is meat preserved with sulfur dioxide [5]. Thiamine is also sensitive to heat — cooking destroys a significant part of its content (Retention after processing). Symptoms: drooling, anorexia, vomiting, unsteady gait, convulsions, and in cats the characteristic bending of the head toward the back (the "star-gazing" posture). Untreated deficiency ends in death [3]. The cat is particularly sensitive to it due to its high requirement.

Excess: It is continuously filtered by the kidneys and excreted in the urine. On a natural diet an overdose is impossible [1].

Sources

  1. National Research Council (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, ch. 6. National Academies Press. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10668/nutrient-requirements-of-dogs-and-cats
  2. Markovich JE, Heinze CR, Freeman LM (2013). Thiamine deficiency in dogs and cats. JAVMA 243(5):649–656. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.243.5.649
  3. Balk L, et al. (2017). The Role of Thiamine and Effects of Deficiency in Dogs and Cats. Veterinary Sciences 4(4):59. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci4040059
  4. Hilker DM, Peter OF (1966). Thiaminase in Fishery Products: A Review. https://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf-content/mfr1042.pdf
  5. Studdert VP, Labuc RH (1991). Thiamin deficiency in cats and dogs associated with feeding meat preserved with sulphur dioxide. Australian Veterinary Journal 68(2):54–57. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.1991.tb03129.x
  6. Hand MS, Thatcher CD, Remillard RL, Roudebush P, Novotny BJ (2010). Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, 5th Edition. https://www.markmorrisinstitute.org/sacn5.html