Nutrition in relation to skeletal growth deformities

The pathophysiology of alimentary hyperparathyroidism and its pathological fractures and growth deformities are described. Renal hyperparathyroidism with hyperostotic osteodystrophy in young animals and isostotic osteodystrophy in old animals is briefly mentioned. Hypercalcitoninism caused by excessive prolonged calcium intake in growing dogs will go together with disturbances in skeletal remodelling and disturbed enchrondral ossification, leading to such entities as canine wobbler syndrome, enostosis, osteochrondrosis dissecans, and radius curvus syndrome. Dogs, who are dependent upon dietary vitamin D sources, can develop rickets with skeletal growth deformities when a diet deficient in vitamin D is fed under controlled conditions. Growth plates and mineralisation grade normalised when commercial dog food was given. As a sole therapy normalisation of the diet will not be sufficient in all skeletal growth deformities as described above. Prevention by feeding diets with optimal contents will be of benefit to veterinarians and their patients.