The Supplementation of Docosahexaenoic Acid-Concentrated Fish Oil Enhances Cognitive Function in Puppies.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has an important role in brain development and functionality. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of DHA-concentrated fish oil on the cognitive function of puppies. Twelve 3-month-old puppies were included, blocked by breed and randomly distributed into two groups: the Control Group (CG), without supplementation, and the Experimental Group (EG), supplemented with 40 mg DHA/kg BW/day. The object discrimination test was used, with a normal stage (NS) and a reverse stage (RS), and blood samples were collected to evaluate the serum polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentration and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) before (T0) and 30 (T1), 60 (T2) and 90 (T3) days after beginning the study. For the NS, there were effects of treatment (p = 0.0039) and time (p < 0.0001), in which the correct answer frequency in the EG was higher than the CG. The serum eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + HA concentrations at T1, T2 and T3 were higher than at T0 for the EG (p = 0.0159), in addition, EG showed higher serum EPA + DHA concentrations than CG at T2 (p = 0.0245). The TAC values were similar between the groups (p = 0.3211). It was concluded that the cognitive function of puppies can be enhanced with DHA-concentrated fish oil supplementation without increasing the serum lipid oxidation.

Influence of number of ingredients, use of supplement and vegetarian or vegan preparation on the composition of homemade diets for dogs and cats.

BACKGROUND: Homemade diets are a worldwide trend, and many recipes are currently available on websites but may not be considered balanced. This study aimed to evaluate if the number of ingredients, supplement, or vegetarian/vegan-only ingredients included in a recipe influence the nutrient content of homemade diets for dogs and cats. Chemical analyses were performed on 75 diets for dogs and 25 for cats prepared according to websites' recipes, and minerals were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). RESULTS: Canine diets that met fat requirements had more ingredients than those below recommendations. None of the cat diets met iron requirements, and feline diets that met requirements of manganese had fewer ingredients and those that supplied requirements of protein and sodium had more ingredients than the diets below recommendations (p < 0.05). Non-supplemented canine and feline diets had calcium and calcium:phosphorus ratio below recommendations (p < 0.05). Non-supplemented feline diets had lower sodium and iron, and zinc levels were below recommendation in diets for both species. Diets with animal products for dogs had higher levels of protein and zinc, although zinc was deficient in both groups, and there were higher amounts of crude fiber, magnesium, and manganese in vegetarian/vegan diets (p < 0.05). Diets with animal products for cats had higher levels of protein (p = 0.003), but there was a higher amount of crude fiber (p = 0.014) in vegetarian/vegan diets. CONCLUSION: The number of ingredients and vegetarian/vegan preparation did not guarantee nutritional adequacy of diets, and the presence of supplement did not ensure a balanced diet.

Comparison of methodologies for fat determination and evaluation of calcium and phosphorus content in snacks for dogs / Comparação de metodologias para determinação de gordura e avaliação do conteúdo de cálcio e fósforo em petiscos para cães

In recent years, the relationship between humans and companion animals has tightened considerably and resulted in the expansion of the range of pet food industry products available in the market. In this context, snacks have gained greater popularity as pet owners seek to please their animals by providing such foods. Due to the growing importance of the snack segment, a need exists for accurate information on the nutritional composition of these products, such as fat concentration. No studies were found that evaluated the effectiveness of different methods applied for determining the content of this nutrient in dog snacks. In addition, too much mineral content can pose health risks. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare three methodologies for determining fat in pet snack products. The moisture, calcium and phosphorus content of each was also determined to compare the obtained results with each value stated on their product labels. Fat determination methods evaluated were ether extract (EE), ether extract after acid hydrolysis (EEHA), and fat content obtained from Ankom XT15 analyzer (ANKOM). Twenty-four snacks produced by 17 companies were evaluated. The results of the three methodologies were compared using the Tukey test. The comparison between the results of the laboratory analysis and the values stated on the labels was performed using descriptive statistics. There was no difference between the three methods evaluated (p = 0.34) regarding fat content. Regarding the nutritional compliance of the labels, 25% (n = 6) of the snacks presented higher moisture content than the declared amount, 50% (n = 12) presented lower fat content, 25% (n = 6) lower phosphorus content and, in 50% (n = 12), the calcium content was not within the minimum and maximum range stated on the label. Therefore, due to the absence of difference between the results, any of the three fat determination methodologies could be used. Regarding compliance of labels for calcium, phosphorus and fat content, greater control over the nutritional composition of these foods is required since most pet owners tend to supply large quantities of snacks to dogs, leading to excessive daily energy intake.(AU)

Nos últimos anos a relação entre seres humanos e animais de companhia estreitou-se consideravelmente e houve uma expansão da gama de produtos da indústria pet food disponíveis no mercado. Nesse contexto, os petiscos ganharam maior popularidade, uma vez que os tutores buscam agradar seus pets com esse tipo de alimento. Devido à crescente importância do segmento de petiscos, há a necessidade de informações precisas sobre a composição nutricional desses produtos, como o teor de gordura, uma vez que não foram encontrados estudos que avaliassem a eficácia dos métodos de determinação do teor deste nutriente em petiscos destinados a cães e o excesso de minerais pode implicar em riscos para a saúde. Assim, o presente trabalho comparou três metodologias para determinação de gordura em petiscos para cães, e também determinou os seus respectivos teores de umidade, cálcio e fósforo, cujos resultados foram comparados aos valores declarados pelos fabricantes nos rótulos dos produtos. Os métodos de determinação da gordura avaliados foram: extrato etéreo (EE), extrato etéreo após hidrólise ácida (EEHA) e teor de gordura obtido em analisador Ankom XT15 (ANKOM). Vinte e quatro petiscos produzidos por 17 empresas foram avaliados. Os resultados das três metodologias de determinação da gordura foram comparados com o emprego do teste Tukey. A comparação entre os resultados das análises laboratoriais e os valores declarados nos rótulos foi realizada por meio de estatística descritiva. Não houve diferença entre os três métodos avaliados (p = 0,34) em relação ao teor de gordura dos petiscos examinados. Em relação à conformidade nutricional dos rótulos, 25% (n = 6) dos petiscos apresentaram teor de umidade superior ao declarado, 50% (n = 12) apresentaram menor teor de gordura; 25% (n = 6) menor teor de fósforo e, em 50% (n = 12) deles, o teor de cálcio estava fora da faixa mínima e máxima declarada no rótulo. Portanto, devido à ausência de diferença entre os resultados, as três metodologias de determinação de gordura podem ser utilizadas. Quanto à conformidade dos rótulos em relação aos teores de cálcio, fósforo e gordura, é necessário maior controle sobre a composição nutricional desses alimentos, uma vez que a maioria dos tutores fornece petiscos em elevadas quantidades para os cães, que podem determinar excessivo consumo de energia.(AU)

Concentrations of macronutrients, minerals and heavy metals in home-prepared diets for adult dogs and cats.

Pet owners often don't acknowledge the need for home-prepared diet formulation by a trained professional and may use recipes from sources such as the internet. Macronutrient and mineral composition of home-prepared diets were analyzed and compared to NRC and FEDIAF recommendations, and heavy metal concentrations were analyzed and compared to FDA maximum tolerable levels (MTL) for dogs and cats. Recipes of home-prepared diets for adult dogs (n = 75) and cats (n = 25) were evaluated. Analyses of protein, fat, and fiber were performed according to AOAC, and mineral and heavy metal analyses were performed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). None of the diets supplied recommended levels of all nutrients evaluated, and more than 84.0% of diets presented three or more nutrients below recommendations. Nutrients with most levels below recommendations were calcium and potassium in recipes for dogs and iron and zinc in recipes for cats. As for heavy metals, levels of lead, cobalt, mercury, uranium, and vanadium were above MTLs. Results suggest that home-prepared diets may be a health risk to dogs and cats if not properly formulated. Furthermore, the chronic heavy metal intake must be better elucidated in order to understand the full impact of results.