Folic Acid
Also known as: Folvite, Deplin
- **Purpose:** Folic acid is a B-vitamin used to treat deficiencies often caused by chronic intestinal diseases, pancreatic issues, or long-term use of certain antibiotics. - **Safety:** It is a very safe supplement. Because it is water-soluble, the body easily eliminates any excess in the urine. - **Administration:** Can be given with or without food. Follow your veterinarian's instructions carefully. - **Long-term Care:** If your pet has chronic intestinal disease or pancreatic insufficiency, lifelong monitoring of vitamin levels and periodic replacement therapy may be required to keep them healthy.
Dosage must be set by your veterinarian for your specific pet. Never give human medication or another pet’s prescription without veterinary guidance.
What it is used for
- Severe folate deficiency
- Folate deficiency secondary to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency
- Long-term use of high dose trimethoprim/sulfa (for treating Nocardia)
- Adjunctive therapy in cats with inflammatory bowel disease
- Prolonged therapy with antifolate medications (e.g., trimethoprim, pyrimethamine)
- Severe folate deficiency
- Folate and cobalamin deficiency secondary to inflammatory bowel disease
How it is given
Possible side effects
- Hypersensitivity reactions (rare)
- Gastrointestinal effects (rare)
- CNS effects such as difficulty sleeping, excitement, or confusion (seen only at very high oral doses in humans, e.g., 15 mg/day)
Cautions & contraindications
- Known intolerance or hypersensitivity to folic acid
- Undiagnosed anemias (folic acid therapy may mask the hematologic signs of pernicious anemia/cobalamin deficiency while neurologic damage progresses)
- > **Important:** Do not administer therapeutic doses of folic acid to dogs with enteropathies until baseline serum folate and cobalamin levels have been determined, as dogs may have increased, normal, or decreased folate levels depending on the specific disease process (e.g., bacterial overgrowth vs. malabsorption). - Prolonged folic acid supplementation can potentially decrease serum cobalamin (B-12) levels. - Folic acid is considered very safe during pregnancy (FDA Category A) and lactation. Requirements may actually increase in lactating animals.
Drug interactions
- Chloramphenicol: May delay the hematologic response to folic acid.
- Methotrexate: Inhibits dihydrofolate reductase; interferes with folic acid utilization.
- Trimethoprim: Inhibits dihydrofolate reductase; interferes with folic acid utilization.
- Pyrimethamine: Inhibits dihydrofolate reductase; interferes with folic acid utilization.
- Phenytoin: Folic acid may decrease serum phenytoin levels, potentially requiring a dosage increase; increased seizure frequency can occur.
- Sulfasalazine: May increase the risk for folate deficiency.
- Barbiturates: May increase the risk for folate deficiency.
- Nitrofurantoin: May increase the risk for folate deficiency.
- Primidone: May increase the risk for folate deficiency.
Frequently asked questions
What is Folic Acid used for in pets?
- **Purpose:** Folic acid is a B-vitamin used to treat deficiencies often caused by chronic intestinal diseases, pancreatic issues, or long-term use of certain antibiotics. - **Safety:** It is a very safe supplement. Because it is water-soluble, the body easily eliminates any excess in the urine. - **Administration:** Can be given with or without food. Follow your veterinarian's instructions carefully. - **Long-term Care:** If your pet has chronic intestinal disease or pancreatic insufficiency, lifelong monitoring of vitamin levels and periodic replacement therapy may be required to keep them healthy.
Is Folic Acid safe for my pet?
Dosage must be set by your veterinarian for your specific pet. Never give human medication or another pet’s prescription without veterinary guidance.
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. If your pet is unwell, please consult a veterinarian.
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