Puppy with low-normal B12 levels

Hi! I have an 11-month-old BC puppy who, ever since she moved in, has been keen on eating grass, plants, snails, faeces, and occasionally small stones and foreign objects. She has calmed down a bit with age, but I also think she is unusually uncoordinated and she bites her tail and hindquarters quite a lot. We have taken blood tests, gastro plus E and A. NB I cannot find the results for folate. Everything is within the normal range, but I can see that B12 is at the lower end of normal. Can we give her B12 supplements in tablet form instead of an injection to see if that helps? That way, the puppy can avoid an unnecessary number of vet visits? I have been wondering whether we should have an ultrasound scan to rule out any other explanations.

• Hi Benedicte! It’s interesting to see the results, and I see what you mean. B12 is within the reference range, but at the lower end of the normal range. So I understand why you’re concerned, especially as you’re also describing gastrointestinal behaviour (grass-eating, faecal eating, snails/foreign objects, biting at the tail/hindquarters). Regarding B12 supplements: Many vets use injections if they suspect poor absorption from the gut, as this completely bypasses the gut. It’s certainly possible that this could be improved with relatively simple measures, such as dietary adjustments, better gastrointestinal support, or possibly B12 in tablet form. At the same time, it’s the vet who knows the full medical history and can assess whether tablets are sufficient, whether an injection is more…
• Thank you! The vet suggests a B12 injection as a first step. Thanks for your reply!