The Minimum Vitamin A Requirement of the Fox

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Abstract
Experimental vitamin A deficiency in the fox is characterized by nervous disturbances — trembling and “cocking” of the head, periods of whirling and in some cases coma, xerophthalmia, widespread epithelial metaplasia, demyelinization of many nerve fibers and abortions. The earliest signs of a deficiency of vitamin A are the nervous symptoms. The growth of deficient animals while good at first, declined in the late stages. No specific effect of avitaminosis A was noted on the quality of the fur. The minimum vitamin A requirement necessary to prevent the occurrence of the nervous symptoms in growing pups lies between 15 and 25 I. U. per kilogram of body weight per day. Storage of vitamin A did not occur in the liver until 50 to 100 I. U. of vitamin A per kilogram per day was fed.