Weight measurements result in improved accuracy and precision in preparation of cooked homemade diets for dogs

OBJECTIVE

Accurate measurement of ingredients for cooked homemade diets helps ensure diets are complete and balanced. Studies have demonstrated measuring dry dog food with measuring cups results in significant inaccuracy. Therefore, measuring ingredients by volume when preparing these diets may be inaccurate. The purpose was to determine the accuracy of preparing cooked homemade diets by measuring ingredients by volume (measuring cups and spoons) or weight (digital gram scale with a syringe for measuring oil only).

SAMPLES

42 diet samples prepared by 21 participants.

PROCEDURES

21 participants were instructed on homemade diet preparation based on weight or volume measurement methods. Diet samples underwent proximate analysis and mineral analysis. Data, expressed on a dry matter basis (DMB) and an energy density basis (EDB), from both groups were compared to the anticipated nutrient profile to determine which method resulted in more accuracy. Data from individual samples within each group were compared to each other to determine the precision of both methods.

RESULTS

Weight measurements were more precise for crude protein, crude fat, nitrogen-free extract, and potassium (DMB and EDB) and more accurate for ash (DMB and EDB) and iron (EDB). Comparatively, volume measurements were more precise for ash (DMB) and more accurate for iron (DMB).

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Findings suggest weight measurements should be utilized to prepare cooked homemade diets for dogs to promote precision and accuracy.

Pet owners’ and companion animal veterinarians’ perceptions of weight-related veterinarian-client communication

OBJECTIVE

To compare pet owners’ and veterinarians’ perceptions of veterinarian-client conversations concerning pet weight and identify challenges related to communication about weight.

SAMPLE POPULATION

Veterinarians (n = 24) and pet owners (27) in southern Ontario, Canada.

PROCEDURES

3 veterinarian and 5 pet owner focus groups were conducted with a semistructured interview format. Thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts was conducted.

RESULTS

Pet owners valued weight as an important health indicator for pets yet did not expect to discuss weight extensively at every appointment. Owners expected veterinarians to provide options and tailor recommendations when discussing weight management. Owners appeared more concerned with underweight animals, whereas veterinarians focused on obese animals. Veterinarians identified communication challenges, including the perception that owners are uninterested in discussing weight and conversations can become adversarial. Veterinarians reported various benefits and challenges of using humor to address pet weight and emphasized that weight-related conversations often depend on the existing veterinarian-client relationship.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Some perceptions of pet owner expectations expressed by veterinarians in this study align with owner preferences, yet several opportunities exist for changes to veterinarians’ approaches to weight-related communication with clients.

Veterinary professionals’ weight-related communication when discussing an overweight or obese pet with a client

OBJECTIVE

Pet weight may be difficult for veterinary professionals to address with clients, particularly when pets are overweight or obese. The objective of this study was to characterize the communication processes and content of weight-related conversations occurring between veterinary professionals and clients.

SAMPLE

Audio-video recordings of 917 veterinarian-client-patient interactions involving a random sample of 60 veterinarians and a convenience sample of clients.

PROCEDURES

Companion animal veterinarians in southern Ontario, Canada, were randomly recruited, and interactions with their clients were audio-video recorded. Interactions were reviewed for mentions of weight, then further analyzed by means of a researcher-generated coding framework to provide a comprehensive assessment of communication specific to weight-related interactions.

RESULTS

463 of 917 (50.5%) veterinary-client-patient interactions contained an exchange involving the mention of a single patient’s (dog or cat) weight and were included in final analysis. Of the 463 interactions, 150 (32.4%) involved a discussion of obesity for a single patient. Of these, 43.3% (65/150) included a weight management recommendation from the veterinary team, and 28% (42/150) provided clients with a reason for pursuing weight management.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Findings illustrate opportunities to optimize obesity communication to improve the health and wellbeing of veterinary patients.

In extruded feline diets, thiamine degraded at a similar rate when stored at -20°C, compared to room temperature

Thiamine is an essential dietary nutrient in cats; however, studies on the stability of thiamine in pet food are limited. The objective of this study was to analyze thiamine concentrations in commercial feline extruded diets over time at room and freezing temperatures. Twelve diets were split in half and thiamine concentrations were assessed using fluorometry. One half of each diet was then stored at room temperature (24°C) and the other half was frozen (-20°C). Subsamples were analyzed at 2 other time points at 6-month intervals up to 1 year. Data were assessed using a mixed procedure (2-factor factorial model with factors time and treatment). Based on F-tests, thiamine concentrations decreased over time (P = 0.001), with no treatment*time interaction (P = 0.9534). In conclusion, regardless of treatment, thiamine degraded at a similar rate over time.

Dog owner's accuracy measuring different volumes of dry dog food using three different measuring devices

Prior research demonstrates significant inaccuracy when repeatedly measuring the same amount of dry dog food using a dry-food measuring cup, bringing into question the accuracy of measuring devices. This study aimed to determine dog owners’ accuracy when measuring different volumes of dry dog food using different types of measuring devices. One hundred dog owners, randomly assigned one of three measuring devices (a one-cup dry-food measuring cup, a two-cup graduated-liquid measuring cup or a two-cup commercial food scoop), were asked to measure ¼, ½ and 1 cup of dry dog food. Accuracy was assessed with an electronic gram scale by comparing measured volumes with the correct weight in grams. Individual accuracy ranged from −47.83% to 152.17% across devices and volumes. Measuring accuracy was found to be associated with the volume of food measured (p<0.001) and the type of measuring device used (p<0.001). Findings highlight approaches for decreasing excess intake of calories by dogs, including promotion of tactics to improve measurement accuracy (eg, gram scales, volume-calibrated dry-food measuring devices), especially for measuring small volumes.

Assessment of dog owners' knowledge relating to the diagnosis and treatment of canine food allergies

Canine food allergies are the result of an immune-mediated hypersensitivity reaction to dietary proteins and can manifest as a variety of dermatologic and/or gastrointestinal clinical signs. Food elimination trials followed by provocation tests are used to diagnose food allergies; however, no research has been conducted to determine whether elimination trials and provocation tests are being properly implemented by pet owners. The objectives of this study were to determine the level of knowledge of dog owners regarding food allergies, and to investigate how dog owners approach diagnosis and treatment with their veterinarians. This information will provide veterinary teams with insight on how to work with dog owners to obtain successful diagnosis and treatment. The results indicate that appropriate diet selection for the food elimination trial, owner education on compliance during the trial, and re-challenging with the previous diet should be the focal points for veterinarians suspecting food allergies in a canine patient.

Assessment of canine and feline body composition by veterinary health care teams in Ontario, Canada

Nutritional assessment guidelines recommend that veterinary teams assess the body composition of pets at every visit. The objective of this study was to determine how veterinary teams in Ontario, Canada assess body composition in cats and dogs. An online survey was distributed to veterinary teams, with questions on how often body composition is assessed, what methods are used, and demographics. The results demonstrated that 66.7% of respondents reported always assessing body composition. Of those, body condition scoring (99.4%) and body weight (99.4%) were used most often, with morphometry (41.2%) and muscle condition scoring (33.9%) used less frequently. Veterinary technicians were less likely to assess body composition compared with veterinarians. These results indicate that veterinary teams do not assess body composition as indicated by nutritional assessment guidelines. Thus, education of veterinary teams is needed, as body composition should be assessed for every patient as part of a complete nutritional assessment.

Dietary imbalances in a large breed puppy, leading to compression fractures, vitamin D deficiency, and suspected nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism

A 6-month-old intact female giant schnauzer dog fed a nutritionally unbalanced homemade diet was evaluated because of a 1-month history of lameness and difficulty walking. Abnormalities identified on ancillary tests, in conjunction with the dog's clinical improvement following diet change, suggested a diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency and nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism. This report underlines the importance of appropriate feeding management, especially during the vulnerable growth phase.

The Role of Thiamine and Effects of Deficiency in Dogs and Cats

Recent pet food recalls for insufficient dietary thiamine have highlighted the importance of adequate thiamine intake in dogs and cats, as thiamine is an essential dietary nutrient with a critical role in energy metabolism. Prolonged thiamine deficiency leads to clinical signs that can span several organ systems, and deficiency can be fatal if not reversed. In this review, the current knowledge of thiamine metabolism will be summarized. Dietary recommendations for dogs and cats will be discussed, and the risk factors and clinical signs associated with thiamine deficiency will be examined.

Owners' attitudes and practices regarding nutrition of dogs diagnosed with cancer presenting at a referral oncology service in Ontario, Canada

OBJECTIVES

To investigate owner attitudes and dietary practices following cancer diagnosis in a dog.

METHODS

A retrospective cross-sectional survey of 75 dog owners presenting with their dogs to a tertiary referral oncology service through a demographic questionnaire and in-person or telephone interviews regarding the dog's nutrition.

RESULTS

Conventional diets (71%) were most commonly fed as a single diet to canine cancer patients followed by homemade cooked (7%) and homemade raw (4%). Several owners (18%) provided combinations of these diets. Owners reported some distrust towards conventional diets (51%). Appetite loss occurred in 35% of dogs and diet changes reported for 25% of dogs in the study involved exclusion of a conventional (63%) and/or inclusion of a homemade (54%) component. 90% of owners noted the diet change was associated with the cancer diagnosis. Supplements were given by 39% of owners. 85% of owners highly valued veterinary nutritional advice.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Following a cancer diagnosis, dog owners appear to change their approach to managing their dog's nutrition. Given the value owners place on veterinary nutritional advice, veterinarians have a key role in guiding nutritional management of the canine cancer patient.

Handling alternative dietary requests from pet owners

The goal of this article was to provide veterinary practitioners with an overview of the types of alternative dietary options available to pet owners and a practical method by which to evaluate the nutritional adequacy of these various options. Our approach to categorizing the alternative dietary options is based on the nutritional adequacy of these dietary options, because patients will be at risk for nutrition-related diseases if fed a nutritionally incomplete or improperly balanced diet long term.

Common Confounders of Dietary Elimination Trials Contain the Antigens Soy, Pork, and Beef

Nutritionists and dermatologists recommend avoiding flavored over-the-counter (OTC) products and medications during dietary elimination trials because those products are thought to contain common proteins that may confound the trial. The objective of this study was to determine if there are soy, pork, and beef antigens in flavored OTC products and medications and, if so, could those antigens be identified. Seven products, three OTC products and four veterinary therapeutics, were tested using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for the presence of soy, pork, and beef antigens, in addition to positive and negative controls. All OTC test products produced ELISA results in agreement with their ingredient lists. ELISA testing of veterinary therapeutic products did not agree with either their ingredient lists or product inserts because of other ingredients not listed. Veterinarians should contact manufacturers of oral therapeutics prior to prescribing them to determine other ingredients. Likewise, manufacturers should be contacted regarding “natural and artificial flavors.” Lastly, gelatin capsules may contain either beef or pork proteins and should not be administered during a trial. In conclusion, flavored medications contain the common antigens soy, pork, and beef although they may or may not be listed on the ingredient list or product insert.

Effects of in utero and postnatal sodium saccharin exposure on the nutritional status of the young rat. II. Dose response and reversibility

A previous study in our laboratory demonstrated that 30-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to 7.5% sodium saccharin (NaS) since conception differ from untreated rats in several physiological parameters. In the present study, to determine the dose response of the changes associated with NaS treatment, animals were evaluated at 30 days post-birth, after treatment with dietary levels of 0, 1, 3 or 7.5% NaS since conception. Most physiological consequences of NaS treatment in the weanling rat, including anaemia and reductions in serum folate and vitamin A concentrations, were dose dependent. Serum vitamin E, cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were decreased at the two lower doses of NaS but were significantly increased with 7.5% NaS. The no-effect level (NOEL) was similar for physiological effects and for bladder tumour production in two-generation studies (1% NaS in the diet). The reversibility of the effects of 7.5% NaS was examined in 90-day-old rats. The increases in lipids and vitamin E were reversible. Although values for haematological parameters and serum vitamin A remained significantly reduced at 90 days, changes were less severe than at 30 days. Histological examinations revealed that the effects of 7.5% dietary NaS on the bladder were negligible, indicating that the physiological changes observed in the young rat are probably not directly related to the production of bladder tumours.

Training developmentally disabled adults in independent meal preparation. Acquisition, generalization, and maintenance

This study examined the generalization and maintenance effects of a structured meal preparation training program for mildly and moderately developmentally disabled adults living in a community home. Dependent measures comprised the percentage of self-initiated steps and disruptive behavior during each of two meal preparation settings. The first comprised the training setting and the second a generalization probe setting. A variety of measures of staff implementation of the treatment procedure were also employed, including correct use of prompts and reinforcement. Following baseline sessions, where staff used their existing preferred mode of teaching meal preparation skills, treatment was introduced within a multiple baseline design across subjects. Experimental treatment consisted of a pictorial cookbook and instructions, and feedback to trainers regarding the appropriate use of prompts and social reinforcement. Results showed that training was effective in increasing the number of steps clients were able to complete independently in both the training and generalization settings. Maintenance probes at post training and at 3-month follow-up revealed that skill levels had been maintained and that staff continued to implement training instructions with a high level of accuracy.