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Mohamad Yusof L, Ahmad H, Hassim HA, Mustaffa-Kamal F, Omar S, Zainundin NK, Padam BS. A study on the impact of diet supplementation of fermented dried seaweed powder (Kappaphycus alvarezii) on healthy cat gut performance, skin and hair coat conditions, and behaviour. Vet Res Commun 2024:10.1007/s11259-024-10479-w. [PMID: 39052189 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10479-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
One of the key goals the feed industry emphasizes when exploring the incorporation of novel substances into animal diets is to enhance feed utilization efficiency, to bolster animal health and well-being. Fermented seaweed powder holds promise as a valuable and sustainable component of animal feed, owing to its rich nutrient profile and purported benefits for livestock and aquaculture species. This study provides some interesting and original preliminary data regarding the benefits of supplementing cats' diets with fermented dried seaweed. Using a broad investigative approach to measure and analyse multiple health benefits of feeding fermented dried macroalgae to cats as a nutritional supplement, the results of this 8-week study identified several positive health attributes related to body coat quality, nutrient digestibility, behavioural changes, a healthy gut microbiota ratio, and enhanced immunity. There were no adverse effects observed in the cats after supplementation with the fermented seaweed powder. The sample size in this study with cats should be increased, but this preliminary work showed that the seaweed-supplemented cats exhibited improvements in the measured health parameters over the control cats. As a result of this 8-week trial, key information has been provided regarding future research direction focusing on skin health application which is essential to the overall animal wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loqman Mohamad Yusof
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, 43400, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Hafandi Ahmad
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Hasliza Abu Hassim
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Farina Mustaffa-Kamal
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sharina Omar
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nur Karmila Zainundin
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Birdie Scott Padam
- Seadling Sdn. Bhd., Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park,, Kota Kinabalu, 88450, Sabah, Malaysia
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Vecchiato CG, Schwaiger K, Biagi G, Dobenecker B. From Nutritional Adequacy to Hygiene Quality: A Detailed Assessment of Commercial Raw Pet-Food for Dogs and Cats. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12182395. [PMID: 36139257 PMCID: PMC9495138 DOI: 10.3390/ani12182395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) are widely used as unconventional diets for dogs and cats at different life stages, despite concerns regarding nutritional adequacy and microbial contamination. The aim of this study was to evaluate both the nutritional and hygiene quality profile of RMBDs purchased in Germany. For this purpose, crude nutrients were assessed in 44 RMBDs and compared to declared values. In addition, selected minerals were determined in 31 RMBDs labelled as complete and compared to the minimum requirement (MR) for intended species and life stages. Aerobic colony count (ACC) and Enterobacteriaceae were used to assess the hygiene quality of 37 commercial RMBDs, while the presence of Salmonella spp. was examined in 10 products. Fat and protein content exceeded tolerated deviation from declared values in 33% and 45% of RMBDs, respectively. Each RMBD showed at least one concern regarding nutrient content. The RMBDs had high fat contents (mean 69, range 33−95 g/Mcal) that were negatively correlated with protein (r = −0.74, p < 0.0001). Considerable contaminations by ACC and Enterobacteriaceae were found (2.61 × 108 ± 3.63 × 108 and 3.61 × 106 ± 8.39 x106 CFU/g, respectively). A higher count of Enterobacteriaceae was detected in a frozen RMBDs made of poultry or carcasses from different animals, compared to the thawed counterpart (p = 0.003), as well as compared to other sources, such as beef, horse, and lamb, regardless of the storage condition. Salmonella spp. were found in 2/10 RMBDs. This study confirmed that feeding commercial RMBDs might pose a risk to pet health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Giuditta Vecchiato
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy
| | - Karin Schwaiger
- Unit of Food Hygiene and Technology, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Wien, Austria
| | - Giacomo Biagi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy
| | - Britta Dobenecker
- Chair of Animal Nutrition and Dietetics, Department of Animal Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Schönleutnerstr. 8, D85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany
- Correspondence:
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Villaverde C, Chandler M. Commercial vs Homemade Cat Diets: What you need to know. J Feline Med Surg 2022; 24:415-428. [PMID: 35311418 PMCID: PMC11104037 DOI: 10.1177/1098612x221090389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
PRACTICAL RELEVANCE A feeding plan recommendation for cats, both healthy and with disease, should include diet choice, amounts to feed and the feeding method. Diet choice can be complex owing to the abundance of products, sometimes with conflicting marketing messages, and the prevalence of information with no scientific basis. It is important to be aware of the specific challenges of both commercial and homemade diets. Moreover, a nutritional assessment is a prerequisite when recommending a diet to ensure that it is safe, appropriate for the cat's life stage and nutritious for long-term feeding. COMMERCIAL VS HOMEMADE DIETS There are a variety of commercial diets available, allowing considerable customisation. These products are regulated and can be tested to determine nutritional adequacy and safety, although as the industry is partly self-regulated, choice of manufacturer is important. Properly formulated homemade diets can be customised to the patient and are a good option when no commercial product that meets the patient's needs exists. Homemade diets can be an owner preference. A serious limitation is the lack of testing, potentially affecting safety and also resulting in a reliance on database information to determine nutritional adequacy. Generic homemade diet recipes (eg, sourced from the internet) have additional risks of deficiencies and imbalances, and are not recommended. Homemade diets should be devised by a veterinary nutrition specialist with consideration of both patient and owner factors. CLINICAL CHALLENGES Dietary misinformation, which is all too readily available on the internet, may result in owners making questionable feeding choices for their pets. A homemade diet may be requested by owners based on the perception that there are poor ingredients in commercial foods. The veterinary healthcare team needs to have good evidence-based information to present to owners about diet choice. EVIDENCE BASE Several decades of research on feline nutrition forms the basis for nutritional requirements and dietary recommendations. There are varying degrees of evidence regarding requirements for each nutrient, and a lack of data on the effects of different types of processing on nutrient needs.
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Kim Y, Xu W, Barrs V, Beatty J, Kenéz Á. In-depth characterisation of the urine metabolome in cats with and without urinary tract diseases. Metabolomics 2022; 18:19. [PMID: 35305176 PMCID: PMC8934335 DOI: 10.1007/s11306-022-01877-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Our understanding of the urine metabolome and its association with urinary tract disease is limited in cats. OBJECTIVES We conducted a case-control study to characterise the feline urine metabolome, investigate its association with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC), and assess its compositional relationship with the urine microbiome. METHODS The urine metabolome of 45 owned cats, including 23 controls, 16 CKD, and 6 FIC cases, was characterised by an untargeted metabolomics approach using high-performance chemical isotope labelling liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS We detected 9411 unique compounds in the urine of controls and cases and identified 1037 metabolites with high confidence. Amino acids, peptides, and analogues dominated these metabolites (32.2%), followed by carbonyl compounds (7.1%) and carbohydrates (6.5%). Seven controls from one household showed a significant level of metabolome clustering, with a distinct separation from controls from other households (p value < 0.001). Owner surveys revealed that this cluster of cats was fed dry food only, whereas all but one other control had wet food in their diet. Accordingly, the diet type was significantly associated with the urine metabolome composition in our multivariate model (p value = 0.001). Metabolites significantly altered in this cluster included taurine, an essential amino acid in cats. Urine metabolome profiles were not significantly different in CKD and FIC cases compared with controls, and no significant compositional relationship was detected between the urine metabolome and microbiome. CONCLUSION Our study reveals in-depth diversity of the feline urine metabolome composition, and suggests that it can vary considerably depending on environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Younjung Kim
- Centre for Applied One Health Research and Policy Advice, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QG, UK.
| | - Wei Xu
- Beijing Research Center of Intelligent Equipment for Agriculture, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Vanessa Barrs
- Centre for Animal Health and Welfare, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Julia Beatty
- Centre for Animal Health and Welfare, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Ákos Kenéz
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
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Reilly LM, Hu Y, von Schaumburg PC, de Oliveira MRD, He F, Rodriguez-Zas SL, Southey BR, Parsons CM, Utterback P, Lambrakis L, da Costa DV, Bertechini AG, Saad FMOB, de Godoy MRC. Chemical composition of selected insect meals and their effect on apparent total tract digestibility, fecal metabolites, and microbiota of adult cats fed insect-based retorted diets. J Anim Sci 2022; 100:6518149. [PMID: 35100391 PMCID: PMC8903139 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skac024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect meals are novel and potentially sustainable protein sources. The objectives of this study were to determine the chemical composition and standardized amino acid digestibility using the cecectomized rooster model of three selected insect meals (i.e., speckled cockroach [SC], Madagascar hissing cockroach [MC], and superworm [SW]) and to determine the effects of these insect meals on food intake, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of macronutrients, fecal scores, and metabolites of adult cats fed insect- or chicken-based retorted diets. This study consisted of a complete randomized design, with 28 adult cats randomly assigned to one of the four experimental retorted diets: Control (chicken-based diet), SC diet, MC diet, or SW diet. All animal procedures were approved by the University of Illinois Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. All diets were formulated to be complete and balanced and meet or exceed the nutritional requirements of adult cats. The experimental period was 28 d, with the first 7 d allotted for diet adaptation. The total fecal collection was completed during the last 4 d of the experimental period. On day 21, a fresh fecal sample from each cat was collected for the determination of fecal metabolites and microbiota. Food was offered twice daily to maintain body weight and body condition score. Among the three selected insect meals evaluated, oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, and stearic acid were the most prevalent fatty acids. Branched-chain amino acids and arginine were the most preponderant indispensable amino acids in these insect meals. ATTD of dry matter, organic matter, acid-hydrolyzed fat, and crude protein did not differ among treatments (P > 0.05), and all diets were well digested by the cats. Similarly, fecal scores did not differ among the treatments and were within ideal range. No differences (P > 0.05) in fecal metabolite concentrations or microbiota diversity were observed among cats fed different experimental diets; only a few genera from Firmicutes and Bacteroidota phyla differ (P < 0.05) in cats fed SW diet in contrast to other dietary treatments. In conclusion, the selected insect meals evaluated herein are rich in linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid for cats. Insect-based retorted diets led to comparable results to those achieved with a chicken-based retorted diet, suggesting that these novel protein sources might be adequate alternative ingredients in feline diets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Reilly
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Yi Hu
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | | | - Maiara R D de Oliveira
- ADM, Decatur, IL 62526, USA,Department of Animal Sciences, Federal University of Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fei He
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | | | - Bruce R Southey
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Carl M Parsons
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Pam Utterback
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | | | - Diego V da Costa
- Agricultural Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Antonio G Bertechini
- ADM, Decatur, IL 62526, USA,Department of Animal Sciences, Federal University of Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Flávia M O B Saad
- ADM, Decatur, IL 62526, USA,Department of Animal Sciences, Federal University of Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Maria R C de Godoy
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA,Corresponding author:
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Lipid Fraction Properties of Homemade Raw Cat Foods and Selected Commercial Cat Foods. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app112210905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to characterize lipid fraction extracted from five self-prepared and seven commercial cat foods using gas chromatography (GC) and pressurized differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC) techniques. Self-prepared food recipes were composed using BARFny kalkulator, software dedicated for balancing cat diets, and prepared on the basis of fresh raw meat and offal. Extracted fat fractions were compared qualitatively and quantitatively with literature data for the fat of whole prey items to check the main assumptions of the software used. The fatty acid (FA) composition and distribution were determined using GC. The PDSC method was used for the determination of the oxidative stability of extracted fats. The obtained results indicate that self-prepared cat foods contained a high level of essential fatty acids (EFA) but low oxidative stability, especially for those with significant amounts of polyunsaturated FA. The FA profile and oxidative stability were examined for four dry and three wet commercial cat foods. It was found that their omega-6 to omega-3 ratio was beneficial reaching 5.3:1 to 10.1:1, despite the low amount of EFA. The longer induction time was determined for fats extracted from commercial cat foods than for self-prepared ones, which indicate their higher oxidative stability.
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7
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Badri DV, Jackson MI, Jewell DE. Dietary Protein and Carbohydrate Levels Affect the Gut Microbiota and Clinical Assessment in Healthy Adult Cats. J Nutr 2021; 151:3637-3650. [PMID: 34587256 PMCID: PMC8643606 DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxab308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Relative levels of dietary protein and carbohydrate intake influence microbiota and their functional capabilities, but the effect has not been well documented in cats. OBJECTIVES The impact of 3 foods with different protein:carbohydrate ratios on the gut microbiota and functional attributes in healthy adult cats was evaluated. METHODS Male and female cats (n = 30; mean age: 5.1 y; mean body weight: 5.26 kg) were fed 1 of 3 foods [P28 (28.3% protein, dry matter basis), P35 (35.1%), and P55 (54.8%)] for 90 d in a Williams Latin Square design. Each food had a 1:1 ratio of animal (dried chicken) to plant (pea) protein; protein replaced carbohydrate as protein level increased. Fecal microbiota and their functional capability were assessed with 16S sequencing and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database, respectively. RESULTS Fecal pH, ammonia, and branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) were higher when cats consumed P55 food than when they consumed P28 and P35. Clear separation of samples between P28 and P55 based on bacterial genera was observed, with partitioning into saccharolytic and proteolytic functions, respectively. Significantly higher α diversity was seen with P55 than with P28 and P35. Amino acid metabolism, mucin foraging pathways, and urea metabolism were higher with P55 than with P28, whereas feces from cats fed P28 had higher concentrations of carbohydrate-active enzymes and enzymes involved in SCFA pathways than with P55. Bacterial genera that showed positive associations with amino acid catabolism also showed positive associations with mucin degradation. CONCLUSIONS Despite higher protein digestibility and less protein arriving to the colon, when healthy adult cats consumed the highest level of protein (P55), their gut microbiota exhibited higher mucin glycan foraging and amino acid metabolism, leading to higher fecal pH, ammonia, and BCFAs. This is likely due to lower availability of carbohydrate substrates and dietary fiber as protein replaced carbohydrate in the food.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dennis E Jewell
- Department of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
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Abstract
Veterinarians are faced with the challenge of understanding and discussing the wide array of commercial pet foods with their clients. To promote these discussions, a pet food processing categorization system is applied to define familiar heat processed dry and can pet foods as ultra-processed commercial diets (UPCD) and other less processed diets as minimally processed commercial diets. A review of the FDA pet food recalls on commercial diets are used to discuss well-known health risks, such as nutritional imbalances, bacterial pathogens, aflatoxin, and toxic contaminations. A less-known concern of advanced glycation end products found in UPCDs is presented.
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9
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Sato J, Merenda MEZ, Uemoto AT, Dos Santos MP, Barion MRL, Carciofi AC, de Paula Dorigam JC, Ribeiro LB, Vasconcellos RS. Modelling of sulphur amino acid requirements and nitrogen endogenous losses in kittens. Arch Anim Nutr 2020; 74:414-427. [PMID: 32840134 DOI: 10.1080/1745039x.2020.1797433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to estimate the sulphur amino acid (methionine + cystine) requirements and nitrogen endogenous losses in kittens aged 150 to 240 d. Thirty-six cats were distributed in six treatments (six cats per treatment) consisting of different concentrations of methionine + cystine (M + C): T1, 6.5 g/kg; T2, 8.8 g/kg; T3, 11.3 g/kg; T4, 13.6 g/kg; T5, 16.0 g/kg; and control, 6.5 g/kg. Diets were formulated by serial dilution of T5 (a diet relatively deficient in M + C but containing high protein concentrations) with a minimal nitrogen diet (MND). Thus, crude protein and amino acid concentrations in diets T1-T5 decreased by the same factor. The control diet was the T1 diet supplemented with adequate concentrations of M + C (6.5 g/kg; 8.8 g/kg; 11.3 g/kg; 13.6 g/kg and 16.0 g/kg). All diets were based on ingredients commonly used in extruded cat diets. Digestibility assays were performed for the determination of nitrogen balance. Nitrogen intake (NI) and nitrogen excretion (NEX) results data were fitted with an exponential equation to estimate nitrogen maintenance requirement (NMR), theoretical maximum for daily nitrogen retention (NRmaxT), and protein quality (b). M + C requirements were calculated from the limiting amino acid intake (LAAI) equation assuming a nitrogen retention of 45 to 65% NRmaxT. The NMR of kittens aged 150, 195, and 240 d was estimated at 595, 559, and 455 mg/kg body weight (BW)0.67 per day, respectively, and M + C requirements were estimated at 517, 664, and 301 mg/kg BW0.67 per day, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Sato
- Department of Animal Science, State University of Maringá , Maringá, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Aulus Cavalieri Carciofi
- Department of Clinical and Veterinary Surgery, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP) , Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Juliano César de Paula Dorigam
- Department of Clinical and Veterinary Surgery, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP) , Jaboticabal, Brazil
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10
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Wernimont SM, Radosevich J, Jackson MI, Ephraim E, Badri DV, MacLeay JM, Jewell DE, Suchodolski JS. The Effects of Nutrition on the Gastrointestinal Microbiome of Cats and Dogs: Impact on Health and Disease. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1266. [PMID: 32670224 PMCID: PMC7329990 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome of cats and dogs is increasingly recognized as a metabolically active organ inextricably linked to pet health. Food serves as a substrate for the GI microbiome of cats and dogs and plays a significant role in defining the composition and metabolism of the GI microbiome. The microbiome, in turn, facilitates the host's nutrient digestion and the production of postbiotics, which are bacterially derived compounds that can influence pet health. Consequently, pet owners have a role in shaping the microbiome of cats and dogs through the food they choose to provide. Yet, a clear understanding of the impact these food choices have on the microbiome, and thus on the overall health of the pet, is lacking. Pet foods are formulated to contain the typical nutritional building blocks of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, but increasingly include microbiome-targeted ingredients, such as prebiotics and probiotics. Each of these categories, as well as their relative proportions in food, can affect the composition and/or function of the microbiome. Accumulating evidence suggests that dietary components may impact not only GI disease, but also allergies, oral health, weight management, diabetes, and kidney disease through changes in the GI microbiome. Until recently, the focus of microbiome research was to characterize alterations in microbiome composition in disease states, while less research effort has been devoted to understanding how changes in nutrition can influence pet health by modifying the microbiome function. This review summarizes the impact of pet food nutritional components on the composition and function of the microbiome and examines evidence for the role of nutrition in impacting host health through the microbiome in a variety of disease states. Understanding how nutrition can modulate GI microbiome composition and function may reveal new avenues for enhancing the health and resilience of cats and dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Eden Ephraim
- Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., Topeka, KS, United States
| | | | | | - Dennis E. Jewell
- Department of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Jan S. Suchodolski
- Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, College Station, TX, United States
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Butowski CF, Thomas DG, Young W, Cave NJ, McKenzie CM, Rosendale DI, Bermingham EN. Addition of plant dietary fibre to a raw red meat high protein, high fat diet, alters the faecal bacteriome and organic acid profiles of the domestic cat (Felis catus). PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216072. [PMID: 31042730 PMCID: PMC6493751 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Commercial diets high in animal protein and fat are increasingly being developed for pets, however little is understood about the impacts of feeding such diets to domestic cats. The carbohydrate content of these diets is typically low, and dietary fibre is often not included. Dietary fibre is believed to be important in the feline gastrointestinal tract, promoting stool formation and providing a substrate for the hindgut microbiome. Therefore, we aimed to determine the effects of adding plant-based dietary fibre to a high animal protein and fat diet. Twelve domestic short hair cats were fed three complete and balanced diets in a cross-over design for blocks of 21 days: raw meat (Raw), raw meat plus fibre (2%, ‘as is’ inclusion of inulin and cellulose; Raw+Fibre) and a commercially available Kibble diet. A commercially available canned diet was fed for 21 days as a washout phase. Apparent macronutrient digestibility, faecal output, score, pH, organic acid concentrations and bacteriome profiles were determined. Diet significantly affected all faecal parameters measured. The addition of dietary fibre to the raw meat diet was found to reduce apparent macronutrient digestibility, increase faecal output, pH and score. Thirty one bacterial taxa were significantly affected by diet. Prevotella was found to dominate in the Kibble diet, Clostridium and Fusobacterium in the Raw diet, and Prevotella and a group of unclassified Peptostreptococcaceae in the Raw+Fibre diet. Our results show that diets of different macronutrient proportions can strongly influence the faecal microbiome composition and metabolism, as shown by altered organic acid concentrations and faecal pH, in the domestic cat. The addition of 2% of each fibre to the Raw diet shifted faecal parameters closer to those produced by feeding a Kibble diet. These results provide a basis for further research assessing raw red meat diets to domestic cats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina F Butowski
- Food & Bio-based Products, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North, New Zealand.,Centre for Feline Nutrition, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - David G Thomas
- Centre for Feline Nutrition, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Wayne Young
- Food & Bio-based Products, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North, New Zealand.,Riddet Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.,High-Value Nutrition National Science Challenge, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Nick J Cave
- Centre for Feline Nutrition, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | | | - Douglas I Rosendale
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd., Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Emma N Bermingham
- Food & Bio-based Products, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North, New Zealand.,High-Value Nutrition National Science Challenge, Auckland, New Zealand
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