Oral Palatability and Owners' Perception of the Effect of Increasing Amounts of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) in the Diet of a Cohort of Healthy Dogs and Cats.

The nutraceutical supplementation of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) in dogs and cats has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the dietary supplementation of increasing amounts of Spirulina for 6 weeks is palatable to pets and to assess the owner's perception of such supplementation. The owners of the 60 dogs and 30 cats that participated in this study were instructed to daily provide Spirulina tablets starting with a daily amount of 0.4 g, 0.8 g, and 1.2 g for cats as well as small dogs, medium dogs, and large dogs, respectively, and allowing a dose escalation of 2× and 3× every 2 weeks. The daily amount (g/kg BW) of Spirulina ranged from 0.08 to 0.25 for cats, from 0.06 to 0.19 for small-sized dogs, from 0.05 to 0.15 for medium-sized dogs, and from 0.04 to 0.12 for large-sized dogs. Each owner completed a questionnaire at the time of recruitment and the end of each 2-week period. No significant effect on the fecal score, defecation frequency, vomiting, scratching, lacrimation, general health status, and behavioral attitudes was detected by the owners' reported evaluations. Most animals accepted Spirulina tablets either administrated alone or mixed with food in the bowl. Daily supplementation of Spirulina for 6 weeks in the amounts provided in this study is therefore palatable and well tolerated by dogs and cats.

Characterization of intestinal microbiota in normal weight and overweight Border Collie and Labrador Retriever dogs.

Obesity in dogs is an emerging issue that affects canine health and well-being. Its development is ascribed to several factors, including genetic predisposition and dietary management, and recent evidence suggests that intestinal microbiota may be involved as well. Previous works have shown obesity to be linked to significant changes in gut microbiota composition in humans and mice, but only limited information is available on the role played by canine gut microbiota. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate whether composition of canine faecal microbiota may be influenced by overweight condition and breed. All the enrolled companion dogs were young adults, intact, healthy, and fed commercial extruded pet food; none had received antibiotics, probiotics or immunosuppressant drugs in the previous six months. Labrador Retriever (LR) and Border Collie (BC) were chosen as reference breeds and Body Condition Score (BCS) on a 9-point scale as reference method for evaluating body fat. The faecal microbial communities of 15 lean (BCS 4-5/9; 7 LRs and 8 BCs) and 14 overweight (BCS > 5/9; 8 LRs and 6 BCs) family dogs were analysed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Moreover, for each dog, the daily intake of energy (kcal/d) and dietary macronutrients (g/d) were calculated according to an accurate feeding history collection. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes resulted the predominant phyla (51.5 ± 10.0% and 33.4 ± 8.5%, respectively) in all dogs. Bioinformatic and statistical analysis revealed that no bacterial taxon differed significantly based on body condition, except for genus Allisonella (p < 0.05); BC gut microbiota was richer (p < 0.05) in bacteria belonging to phyla Actinobacteria (family Coriobacteriaceae in particular) and Firmicutes (Allobaculum and Roseburia genera). No remarkable differences were recorded either for diversity indices (i.e., alpha diversity, p > 0.10) or for divergence within the sample set (i.e., beta diversity, p > 0.05). PERMANOVA tests performed on single factors demonstrated the tendency of dietary protein to influence the recruited dogs' microbiota beta-diversity at amplicon sequence variant level (p = 0.08). In conclusion, the faecal microbiota of dogs involved in this exploratory study showed no major variations based on body condition. However, our findings suggested that certain bacterial taxa previously acknowledged in obesity-related studies may be detected in dissimilar amounts depending on canine breed.

Evaluation of Salivary Biochemistry in Dogs with and without Plaque, Calculus, and Gingivitis: Preliminary Results.

This study evaluated whether salivary alpha-amylase, lysozyme, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), calcium, and phosphorus can be used as markers of periodontal disease in dogs. Plaque, calculus, and gingivitis indexes were used to allocate 79 dogs in three groups: none (Group 1), moderate (Group 2), and severe (Group 3) periodontal disease. A blood sample and a saliva sample were collected from each dog to quantify biochemical parameters. LDH and phosphorus showed the highest values in Group 3 (LDH: Group 1, 2559.85 ± 676.95; vs. Group 2: 1636.76 ± 597.36 vs. Group 3: 4099.18 ± 545.45 U.I./l, p = 0.016; phosphorus: Group 1, 3.02 ± 0.76 vs. Group 2: 5.34 ± 0.67 vs. Group 3: 5.85± 0.61 mg/dl, p = 0.049) whereas calcium, amylase, and lysozyme did not differ among groups. A ROC curve analysis permitted the establishment of a salivary phosphorus cut-off value of 4.04 mg/dl, above which periodontal disease could be predicted (70% sensitivity (95% CI: 50.6-85.3%) and 72.41% specificity (95% CI: 52.8-87.3%)). Only salivary calcium was higher in males; no other salivary parameters appeared affected by gender or age. Although further results on a larger population are needed, this study shows that salivary LDH and phosphorus increase in dogs affected by plaque, supragingival calculus, and gingivitis, and this suggests their potential use as markers of periodontal disease in canine species.

A Survey among Dog and Cat Owners on Pet Food Storage and Preservation in the Households.

BACKGROUND: Pet food storage plays a crucial role in maintaining the nutritional and sensory properties of purchased products over time. METHODS: An online survey was developed to collect data regarding owners' storage habits for both commercial and home-made diets. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 1545 dog owners and 676 cat owners. Pet and owner age played roles in the choice of the type of diet (commercial vs. home-cooked vs. raw meat-based) adopted. Kibble feeders (75.7%) usually bought one (50.1%) or two (24.6%) packages at a time, and most pets (64.4%) took a minimum four weeks to consume an entire bag. Almost half of the owners (43.5%) used a container to store pet food (plastic bins for 79.5%). Pet food was commonly stored in the kitchen (45.1%) and not exposed to direct light (94.5%); 23.6% of the kibble feeders said it might be exposed to high temperatures. Most commercial pet food feeders (67.3%) considered preservatives a potential health risk for pets. Among homemade diet feeders, 38.6% stored fish oil at room temperature. CONCLUSIONS: Pet owners should be educated in proper food storage management when receiving feeding instructions from veterinarians. More comprehensive information on the nature and importance of additives in pet food should be promoted by manufacturers.

Research Note: Effect of chicken genotype and white striping-wooden breast condition on breast meat proximate composition and amino acid profile.

The present experiment compared the proximate composition, the amino acid content, and profile of the breast meat of a commercial broiler hybrid (Hybrid-Normal) vs. a broiler hybrid affected by the simultaneous presence of white striping (WS) and wooden breast (WB) myopathies (Hybrid-WSWB) vs. the Italian purebred Polverara chicken (Polverara). To this purpose, a total of n = 30 breast meat cuts from male chickens/group were subjected to meat quality evaluations. Chickens were slaughtered at their commercial age. The meat of the Polverara breed showed the highest protein (P < 0.0001) and the lowest lipids (P < 0.0001) contents, whereas that of the Hybrid-WSWB broiler chickens had the lowest protein and ash (P < 0.0001) contents and the highest (P < 0.0001) amount of fat. Meat of Hybrid-Normal chickens displayed intermediate values. Polverara meat was the richest in most amino acids (g/100 g meat), whereas Hybrid-WSWB one had the lowest content (P < 0.0001). Taurine was not detected in the meat of the Polverara chicken. The meat of Hybrid-Normal chickens was the richest in valine and taurine amino acids (P < 0.0001). Results on the amino acids proportions (% of total amino acids) highlighted that lysine, arginine, leucine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, alanine, and serine were the most representative essential and nonessential amino acids, respectively, in all 3 meat-types chickens. The study confirmed that WS and WB myopathies negatively affect the meat proximate composition and the amino acid content. The meat of the Polverara breed displayed a remarkable meat quality including a high protein content of very good quality. This may represent a tool to promote its meat among consumers and help the survival of this endangered breed. Furthermore, research efforts should be conducted to understand why taurine was absent in the breast meat of Polverara chicken.

Evaluation of microbial contamination and effects of storage in raw meat-based dog foods purchased online.

Feeding raw-meat-based diets to companion animals has become a widespread practice, and many owners are now accustomed to buying frozen ingredients online. The goals of this study were to assess the microbiological quality of raw-meat dog foods obtained from specialized websites and to evaluate the effects of storage at different temperatures for a few days. Twenty-nine raw dog food products were processed for quantitative bacteriology (i.e. total viable count, TVC; Escherichia coli; faecal coliforms, FC) and sulphite-reducing clostridia, and analysed for the presence of Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica and Clostridium difficile. Every sample was examined right after the delivery (T0), after 24 to 48 hr and after 72 hr, both at 2°C and 7°C. At T0, the mean score for the TVC was 5.9 × 106  cfu/g (SD = 4.8 × 107  cfu/g), while those for E. coli and FC were 1.1 × 104  cfu/g (SD = 2.5 × 105  cfu/g) and 3.3 × 103  cfu/g (SD = 6.5 × 104  cfu/g) respectively. The samples stored at 2°C had a significant increase of all parameters (TVC: p < .01; E. coli: p = .03; FC: p = .04) through time. Noteworthy differences between the analyses performed at 2°C and 7°C were found for TVC (p < .01), being the samples considerably more contaminated at higher temperatures. No sample tested positive for Salmonella spp., while L. monocytogenes was isolated from 19 products, Y. enterocolitica from three products and Clostridium perfringens and C. difficile from four and six products respectively. The microbiological quality of raw-meat dog foods sold online appears to be poor, carrying considerable amounts of potentially zoonotic bacteria and reaching greater levels of bacterial contaminations if not kept at proper refrigeration temperatures and fed soon after defrosting.

Raw meat-based diets for dogs: survey of owners' motivations, attitudes and practices.

BACKGROUND: The popularity of raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) for pets has been increasing in recent years even if the reputed health benefits are mainly anecdotal. A web-based survey was developed to better understand the motivations and habits of owners who decided to feed their dogs RMBDs. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 218 dog owners, 62 of whom were living with people whose immune system was impaired or weakened. Internet was the preferred source of information for more than half of the respondents, and feeding dogs a more natural and healthier diet was the main reason behind owners' interest in RMBDs. About 80% of the participants completely abandoned commercial pet food and showed marked distrust especially towards the lack of clarity on the ingredients used (n = 169). The vast majority of owners interviewed (94%) believed RMBDs to be absolutely safe for dogs, and shinier coat, muscle mass gain, and cleaner teeth were the principal improvements seen on their pets. Controlling the composition and quality of the ingredients provided to their animals was the main advantage of RMBDs for 57% of the owners, while the main disadvantages were related to the purchase of some components (38%) and the time required (22%) for the preparation of the diet. Only 8% of the respondents relied on veterinarians for RMBD formulation, and a wide variety of feeding regimens and combinations of ingredients was observed. CONCLUSIONS: As revealed by this study, most owners are unaware of the risks posed by the feeding of RMBDs for both animal and human health, and they often rely on questionable sources for advice on pet nutrition. Owners see RMBDs as a more natural and healthier alternative to commercial pet food even if the actual benefits remain unproven. Consulting veterinarians for proper information and board-certified nutritionists for the formulation of complete and balanced RMBDs should be promoted.

Undeclared animal species in dry and wet novel and hydrolyzed protein diets for dogs and cats detected by microarray analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF) stated that labels must be accurate and provide detailed information on the ingredients, mislabeling of pet food has been documented by several authors. This phenomenon is of particular concern when related to products used as elimination diets for the diagnosis of adverse food reaction (AFR) in dogs and cats because the presence of undeclared ingredients may negatively interfere with the trial and prevent the veterinarian from making an appropriate diagnosis. The aim of this study was to shed light upon the problem of contamination and mislabeling in both dry and wet novel protein diets (NPDs) and hydrolyzed protein diets (HPDs) using a microarray-based commercial kit which tests for the presence of 19 animal species. RESULTS: Of the 40 analyzed products (9 dry NPDs, 22 wet NPDs, 6 dry HPDs and 3 wet HPDs), ten presented a content that correctly matched the label, while five did not contain the declared animal species, twenty-three revealed the presence of undeclared animal species, and two had a vague label that did not allow the evaluation of its accuracy. The most frequently contaminants identified in both dry and wet pet foods were pork, chicken and turkey. The presence of undeclared animal species was higher in dry than wet pet foods; furthermore, a lower number of contaminating animal species was identified in HPDs than NPDs (4 vs 10), and a lower number of contaminated HPDs (6 out of 9, 67%) than contaminated NPDs was detected (24 out of 31, 77%). Thirteen out of 14 brands tested presented at least one mislabeled product. CONCLUSIONS: Mislabeling seems to be a widespread issue in pet foods used as elimination diets. Contamination can occur in all types of products used for the purpose, although dry NPDs are the main issue. Due to the high risk of contamination, particular attention should be given to both the selection of raw material suppliers and the production process.

Study of ingredients and nutrient composition of commercially available treats for dogs.

Forty-one dog treats were selected from the market with the aim of providing more insight into supplemental pet food composition. Thirty-two products (four biscuits, nine tender treats, two meat-based strips, five rawhides, eight chewable sticks, four dental care sticks) were analysed for proximate nutrient composition and quantification of minerals, hydroxyproline (Hyp), starch, glucose, fructose and sucrose. Labelled ingredients were often expressed as non-specific categories. A treat supplied a mean of 332.0±39.2 kcal metabolisable energy (ME)/100 g, and the most energy-dense product was a tender treat (475.0 kcal ME/100 g). Small dogs receive the highest percentage of maintenance energy requirement when producers' feeding instructions are followed. Treat categories revealed variability in dry matter, crude protein, ash, Hyp and starch. Rawhides showed the highest Hyp content. Simple sugars were identified in most treats, and sucrose was the most prevalent. Results of the study suggest treat labelling should include more information on the ingredients used, and the varying nutrient and caloric density of treats should be considered. Specific attention should be given to the use of treats in dogs with specific ingredient sensitivities or nutrient considerations.

Salivary pH, calcium, phosphorus and selected enzymes in healthy dogs: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Saliva in dogs, as in humans, is a complex fluid secreted by different salivary glands in the oral cavity to protect the oral mucosa and teeth. The use of saliva as a substitute for blood in diagnosing and prognosticating disease in humans is widely accepted. Salivary biochemistry has also been used as a marker for periodontal disease in humans. No studies have as yet investigated the relation between salivary biochemistry and periodontal disease in dogs, however; neither has the salivary composition of healthy dogs with no oral disease been assessed. The purpose of this study was to obtain an overview on pH distribution and a set of salivary biochemical analytes (calcium, phosphorus, lactate dehydrogenase, lysozyme and amylase) commonly related to oral health in humans in a subset population of healthy young dogs with no periodontal disease or previous oral disease. Data were analyzed to gather salivary reference ranges for pH and each parameter and to assess a possible correlation between salivary and serum analytes. RESULTS: Twenty-nine adult client-owned dogs were recruited for the study. Lactate dehydrogenase and lysozyme showed higher concentrations in saliva than in serum, whereas amylase showed the contrary. Salivary biochemistry values did not differ between males and females or between non-neutered and neutered individuals. No significant correlations between salivary and serum calcium, phosphorus, lactate dehydrogenase, amylase and lysozyme were identified in this study. Data allowed intervals for the salivary pH and other analytes investigated to be obtained from healthy dogs with healthy oral conditions. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary data can contribute to enlarge our understanding of the functional role of saliva and its relation to oral health in dogs.

Metagenomic analysis of rumen microbial population in dairy heifers fed a high grain diet supplemented with dicarboxylic acids or polyphenols.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two feed supplements on rumen bacterial communities of heifers fed a high grain diet. Six Holstein-Friesian heifers received one of the following dietary treatments according to a Latin square design: no supplement (control, C), 60 g/day of fumarate-malate (organic acid, O) and 100 g/day of polyphenol-essential oil (P). Rumen fluid was analyzed to assess the microbial population using Illumina sequencing and quantitative real time PCR. RESULTS: The P treatment had the highest number of observed species (P < 0.10), Chao1 index (P < 0.05), abundance based coverage estimated (ACE) (P < 0.05), and Fisher's alpha diversity (P < 0.10). The O treatment had intermediate values between C and P treatments with the exception of the Chao1 index. The PCoA with unweighted Unifrac distance showed a separation among dietary treatments (P = 0.09), above all between the C and P (P = 0.05). The O and P treatments showed a significant increase of the family Christenenellaceae and a decline of Prevotella brevis compared to C. Additionally, the P treatment enhanced the abundance of many taxa belonging to Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Tenericutes phyla due to a potential antimicrobial activity of flavonoids that increased competition among bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: Organic acid and polyphenols significantly modified rumen bacterial populations during high-grain feeding in dairy heifers. In particular the polyphenol treatment increased the richness and diversity of rumen microbiota, which are usually high in conditions of physiological rumen pH and rumen function.

Use of dicarboxylic acids and polyphenols to attenuate reticular pH drop and acute phase response in dairy heifers fed a high grain diet.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the ability of two feed additives, a fumarate-malate (FM) and a polyphenol-essential oil mixture (PM), in attenuating the drop of ruminal pH and the metabolic and immune response resulting from an excessively high grain diet. Six heifers were used in a 3 × 3 Latin square experiment and fed a low starch (LS) diet for 14 d, followed by a high starch (HS) diet for 8 d (NDF 33.6%, starch 30.0% DM). In the last 5 days of each period, barley meal was added to decrease rumen pH. During HS feeding all animals were randomly assigned to one of the following three dietary treatments: no supplement/control (CT), a daily dose of 60 g/d of FM, or 100 g/d of PM. Reticular pH was continuously recorded using wireless boluses. On d 21 of each period, rumen fluid was collected by rumenocentesis (1400 h), together with blood (0800 h) and fecal samples (0800, 1400, and 2100 h). RESULTS: The correlation coefficient of pH values obtained using the boluses and rumenocentesis was 0.83. Compared with CT and PM, the FM treatment led to a lower DMI. Nadir pH was lowest during CT (5.40, 5.69, and 5.62 for CT, FM and PM, respectively), confirming the effectiveness of both supplements in reducing the pH drop caused by high grain feeding. This result was confirmed by the highest average time spent daily below 5.6 pH (199, 16 and 18 min/d) and by the highest acetate to propionate ratio of the CT fed heifers. The PM decreased the concentrations of neutrophils (2.9, 3.2, and 2.8 10(9)/L) and acute phase proteins: SAA (37.1, 28.6 and 20.1 µg/mL), LBP (4.1, 3.8, and 2.9 µg/mL), and Hp (675, 695 and 601 µg/mL). Free lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were detected in blood and feces, but their concentrations were not affected by treatments, as the remaining blood variables. CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest that both additives could be useful in attenuating the effects of excessive grain feeding on rumen pH, but the PM supplement was more effective than FM in reducing the inflammatory response compared to CT.

Effects of space allowance on the behaviour of long-term housed shelter dogs.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of space allowance (4.5 m(2)/head vs. 9 m(2)/head) on the behaviour of shelter dogs (Canis familiaris) at different times of the day (from 10:30 to 13:30 vs. from 14:30 to 17:30), and the dogs' preference between two types of beds (fabric bed vs. plastic basket). Twelve neutered dogs (seven males and five females aged 3-8 years) housed in pairs were observed using a scan sampling recording method every 20 s for a total of 14,592 scans/treatment. An increase in space allowance increased general level of activity (risk ratio (RR)=1.34), standing (RR=1.37), positive social interactions (RR=2.14), visual exploration of the environment (RR=1.21), and vocalisations (RR=2.35). Dogs spent more time in the sitting (RR=1.39) or standing (RR=1.88) posture, in positive interactions (RR=1.85), and active visual exploration (RR=1.99) during the morning than in the afternoon. The dogs were more often observed in the fabric bed than in the plastic basket (53% vs. 15% of total scans, p<0.001). Results suggest that a 9.0 m(2)/head space allowance could be more beneficial to dogs than one of 4.5 m(2).

The potential role of leptin and adiponectin in obesity: a comparative review.

Leptin and adiponectin are adipokines produced by the white adipose tissue. The adipokines have been shown to be valuable quantitative markers of adiposity in dogs. Leptin positively correlates with body condition score (BCS) in dogs, regardless of age, sex and breed, and is influenced by feeding state, pharmacological treatment and thyroid gland activity. Conversely, adiponectin negatively correlates with body fat mass and is therefore more abundant in lean animals. The implication of leptin and adiponectin in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome is well established in humans, but currently lacking in dogs. Additional studies are necessary to demonstrate their potential usefulness for monitoring the progression of obesity-related diseases and response to treatment. To date, measurement of canine leptin and adiponectin has been used in experimental studies only, whereas bodyweight and BCS are considered the first-approach parameters for the routine assessment of body fat content in obese dogs.

Effect of short-chain fructooligosaccharide-enriched energy-restricted diet on weight loss and serum haptoglobin concentration in Beagle dogs.

The effects of the dietary inclusion of two levels of short-chain fructooligosaccharides (sc-FOS) on weight loss, biochemical parameters and serum haptoglobin concentration were investigated in twelve experimental obese Beagle dogs. Dogs were randomised into two groups and submitted to a weight loss program (WLP): the control group (C) received a commercial energy-restricted high-protein diet containing 1 % DM sc-FOS, whereas the test group (T) received the same diet enriched with sc-FOS to attain a 3 % DM content. Body weight (BW) and body condition score were weekly assessed in each dog and blood was collected before and after WLP to measure total plasma cholesterol (CHOL), TAG, NEFA, glucose (GLUC), insulin, serum leptin and haptoglobin. Groups showed similar BW and blood parameters before treatment. When values before and after treatment of the dogs were compared, significant reductions were observed for all parameters, with the exception of NEFA and GLUC. However, when these reductions were compared between C and T groups, significant differences were detected only for haptoglobin (T before v. T after: 1545 v. 605 mg/l, P = 0.03; C before v. C after: 1635 v. 1400 mg/l, P = NS). Positive correlations between haptoglobin and CHOL and between haptoglobin and TAG were observed before but not after WLP. In conclusion, feeding obese dogs with the energy-restricted diet caused significant weight loss and reduction of blood parameters, irrespective of the sc-FOS content included. However, serum haptoglobin level, and the subclinical inflammatory condition associated with it, was significantly lowered in the T but not in the C group.

A comparison of the clinical manifestations of feeding whole and hydrolysed chicken to dogs with hypersensitivity to the native protein.

Twenty-six dogs with known adverse food reactions were fed whole chicken for 14 days. From this group, 12 dogs with cutaneous manifestations following exposure to chicken meat were selected and randomly divided into two groups (n = 6). Each group was then fed hydrolysed chicken or hydrolysed soy for 14 days in a blinded crossover design with a 17-day washout period between each diet. Assessments of a CADESI (Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index) score and pruritus were performed throughout the entire study, and combined in a global score (GS). Serum was collected weekly for the measurement of chicken- and soy-specific IgG and IgE. Dogs displayed the most severe clinical response when eating whole chicken compared to baseline (P < 0.001). The GS was significantly reduced in 11 of the 12 dogs when fed hydrolysed chicken were compared to those fed whole chicken (3.58 ± 2.81 versus 20.38 ± 14.65, P < 0.01). Serum immunoglobulin G and E responses were variable and did not show relationship with specific dietary exposure.