What are the clinical signs of vitamin A deficiency?
Ocular (Eye) Changes: Early in vitamin A deficiency, mild eyelid swelling may be the only sign present. As the deficiency progresses, the eyelid swelling may become quite pronounced, and significant conjunctivitis may be seen. Secondary bacterial infections may result. Because vitamin A is essential for vision, blindness may ultimately result. Anorexia: Turtles are strict visual feeders. If they cannot see, they will not eat. Once eye changes become severe enough to interfere with vision or cause blindness, the turtle will stop eating. This further contributes to the vitamin A deficiency. Pneumonia/Upper Respiratory Infection: Infections of the respiratory tract occur frequently because of the essential role that vitamin A plays in epithelial cell health. Epithelial cells line the skin, digestive tract and respiratory tract. When they are not healthy, they cannot resist infection. Respiratory infections are often associated with open-mouth breathing, neck extension (to facilitate breat
