Nicotinamide in Veterinary Practice

What is Nicotinamide?

Nicotinamide (also known as Niacinamide) is a form of vitamin B3, which is necessary for the body’s processing of lipids, amino acids, and glucose. A deficiency can have an impact on appetite as well as red blood cell production. Vitamin B3 is an essential vitamin for cats, because they cannot produce it in their bodies and must consume it).

Nicotinamide is given as a nutritional supplement to cats to control phosphorus levels in their blood. This is important for cats with chronic kidney disease as their kidneys cannot excrete phosphorus and this accumulates in their blood, leading to hyperphosphatemia.

Additionally, nicotinamide can also be used in conjunction with other medications to treat inflammatory skin conditions in dogs, such as lupoid or pemphigoid (1).

How is it given?

Nicotinamide is administered orally as a tablet or capsule. It can also be combined with water to form a liquid or administered with or without food (2).

Side effects 

The most common side effects are loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, and sleepiness. Seizures and an increase in liver enzymes are two serious side effects. However, because this supplement is used in conjunction with tetracycline, side effects from niacinamide may not be solely attributable to it (1).

Our work

We offer analysis of nicotinamide in feline plasma. Contact us here for more information. 

References

1. VCA Animal Hospital. Niacinamide. (Internet) (Cited on 2021 Nov 28) Available from: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/niacinamide