Talking treats: A qualitative study to understand the importance of treats in the pet-caregiver relationship.

Treats are a prevalent aspect of pet care, frequently given by dog and cat caregivers for varying reasons. However, recommendations of reducing or eliminating treat feeding poses a common challenge, leading to potential non-adherence surrounding weight management practices. To explore caregivers' perceptions and experiences surrounding treat feeding, we conducted five online focus groups with 24 dog and cat caregivers, recruited via an infographic shared on social media using snowball sampling. NVivo12© was used to organize and analyze verbatim transcripts using inductive thematic analysis. Outcomes illustrated three major themes: 1) the role of treats as an important tool for caregivers; 2) considerations for treat selection and provision; and 3) caregivers' need for more and better information and support related to treats. Participants emphasized the importance of treats for managing behaviours, health-related activities, and enhancing the pet-caregiver relationship. Results suggest that the diverse and valued applications of treats, caregivers' satisfaction associated with treat-giving, and perceived lack of guidance surrounding treats may present challenges for caregivers in reducing treat feeding with their pets. Findings highlight opportunities to enhance the available resources that can empower both veterinary professionals and caregivers to make well-informed decisions and foster sustainable changes in treat feeding practices to support weight management and overall health. Such considerations can improve client compliance with veterinary recommendations, to promote companion animal health and well-being while fostering the human-animal bond.

Reporting perceived capability, motivations, and barriers to reducing treat feeding amongst dog and cat caregivers.

Obesity remains a significant concern for dogs and cats, and reducing or eliminating treats is commonly recommended as a strategy for weight management. Caregivers can struggle with adherence to such dietary recommendations. Previous research suggests caregivers are reluctant to reduce treats but there is limited understanding of the underlying factors contributing to these behaviours and decisions. The objective of this study was to explore caregivers' motivations and barriers to reducing treat feeding, and their reported capability to do so. An online questionnaire including multiple choice and Likert scale questions was disseminated to dog and cat caregivers (n=1053) primarily from Canada and the USA from September to November 2021. Caregivers commonly expressed a wide range of motivations to reduce treat feeding with their pet, though barriers to reducing treat feeding were less defined. Changing their pet's routine was a reported barrier by more than 30% of respondents and was predictive of caregivers finding reducing treat giving to be difficult (OR=1.67, p=0.017). Results from multivariable logistic regression also revealed that caregivers who consider their companion animal to be obese as more likely to perceive reducing treats to be difficult. The results highlight the role of treats in the relationship and routine of caregivers' and their pets, and the importance of considering the individualised needs and circumstance of the caregiver and pet in veterinary discussions surrounding reducing treat feeding. Identifying these perspectives can improve self-efficacy with veterinary nutrition recommendations surrounding treats.

Changes in gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids are involved in the process of canine obesity after neutering.

Neutering is a significant risk factor for obesity in dogs. Changes in gut microbiota and its metabolites have been identified as a key player during obesity progression. However, the mechanisms that promote neuter-associated weight gain are not well understood. Therefore, in this study, sixteen clinically healthy Beagle dogs (6 male and 10 female, mean age = 8.22 ±â€…0.25 mo old) were neutered. Body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS) were recorded at 1 d before neutering, 3, 6, 10, 16, and 21 mo after neutering. Dogs were grouped based on their BCS as ideal weight group (IW, n = 4, mean BW = 13.22 ±â€…1.30 kg, mean BCS = 5.00 ±â€…0.41) and obese group (OB, n = 12, mean BW = 18.57 ±â€…1.08 kg, mean BCS = 7.92 ±â€…0.82) at 21 mo after neutering. Serum lipid profile, glucose, and hormones and fecal microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were measured. Our results showed that OB dogs had greater (P < 0.0001) BW (18.57 vs. 13.22 kg), BCS (7.92 vs. 5.00), and average daily gain (12.27 vs. 5.69 g/d) than IW dogs at 21 mo after neutering, and the obesity rate was up to 60%. In addition, significant increases (P < 0.05) in serum triglyceride (TG, 1.10 vs. 0.56 mmol/L) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, 6.96 vs. 5.40 mmol/L) levels and a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in serum adiponectin (APN, 54.06 vs. 58.39 µg/L) level were observed in OB dogs; serum total cholesterol (4.83 vs. 3.75 mmol/L) (P = 0.075) and leptin (LEP, 2.82 vs. 2.53 µg/L) (P = 0.065) levels tended to be greater in OB dogs; there was a trend towards a lower (P = 0.092) APN/LEP (19.32 vs. 21.81) in OB dogs. Results of fecal microbial alpha-diversity showed that Observed_species and Chao1 indices tended to be lower (P = 0.069) in OB dogs. The STAMP and LEfSe analyses revealed that OB dogs had a greater (P < 0.05 and LDA > 2) reduction in relative abundances of Bacteroides, Prevotella_9, and Megamonas than IW dogs. In addition, OB dogs also had greater (P < 0.05) reduction in fecal acetate, propionate, and butyrate concentrations than IW dogs. Moreover, clear negative correlations (|r| > 0.5 and P < 0.05) were found between SCFAs-producing bacteria and BW, TG, and HDL-C. The functional predictions of microbial communities based on PICRUSt2 analysis revealed that lipid metabolism and endocrine system were significantly disturbed in obese dogs after neutering. Thus, intervention with SCFAs-producing bacteria might represent a new target for the prevention or treatment of canine obesity after neutering. Moreover, weight control before neutering may also contribute to the prevention of canine obesity after neutering.

Neutering contributes to canine obesity risk. In this study, obesity rate of 60% at 21 mo after neutering was observed. Obese dogs had greater serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and leptin levels and lower adiponectin level than ideal weight dogs. In addition, fecal microbiota analysis found a decreasing microbial diversity in obese dogs, and decreasing SCFAs-producing bacteria Megamonas, Bacteroides, and Prevotella_9 in obese dogs resulted in lower production of fecal acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Importantly, strong negative correlations between SCFAs-producing bacteria and body weight, TG, and HDL-C revealed that SCFAs-producing bacteria are involved in the process of canine obesity after neutering. Thus, intervention with SCFAs-producing bacteria may be a target for the prevention or treatment of canine obesity after neutering. Moreover, weight control before neutering may also contribute to the prevention of canine obesity after neutering.

Dog caregivers' perceptions, motivations, and behaviours for feeding treats: A cross sectional study.

Treats are commonly fed by most dog caregivers and can constitute a significant proportion of a dog's diet, potentially contributing to obesity. Feeding aspects related to treats specifically, remain underexplored. An e-survey was voluntarily completed by 716 dog caregivers predominantly from Canada and the USA to identify and describe caregivers' perceptions, motivations, and behaviours surrounding treats, and factors that influence decisions about feeding treats. Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze (1) measurement methods associated with monitoring treat intake, and (2) frequency of feeding different types of treats with perceiving dog as overweight/obese. Most caregivers considered the term 'treat' in a nutritional context, but respondents expressed mixed perceptions of how they consider treats in relation to their dog's primary diet. Alongside training and sports activities, aspects relating to the human-animal bond were highly reported to influence decisions surrounding treats. Most respondents were motivated to provide treats because it makes their pet happy, and to strengthen the bond with their dog, and nearly 40% of caregivers frequently feed treats to show love to their dog. Human food and table scraps were frequently fed by 30-40% of caregivers and feeding human food weekly was predictive of caregivers perceiving their dog to be overweight/obese (OR=2.24, p = 0.007). Caregivers estimated treats to account for a median of 15% of their dog's total diet, based on estimated quantity. Caregivers who reported using a measuring cup/scoop to measure their dog's treats were more likely to monitor their dog's treat intake (OR=3.38, p = 0.002). Most caregivers monitor their dog's body condition (60%) or consider their dog's recent activity level (43%) to decide on the amount of treats to feed; only 22% of caregivers reported veterinary advice to support their decisions on the amount of treats to feed. Findings from this research offer new insights to dog caregiver feeding habits and their perceptions of treats in relation to the canine diet. These results can be used to inform veterinary counselling strategies and caregiver education initiatives to promote animal health and well-being.

Website Investigation of Pet Weight Management-Related Information and Services Offered by Ontario Veterinary Practices.

Pet owners rely on information and advice from their veterinary practice to effectively manage their pet's weight. This study investigated weight management information and services displayed on practice websites in Ontario, Canada. Information collected from the websites of 50 randomly selected small and mixed-animal practices included practice and staff demographics and the type of weight management services, products, and information advertised or displayed. The most frequently advertised weight management service and product were nutritional counselling (34%) and therapeutic diets (25%), respectively. Current bodyweight measurement was advertised on just over half of the websites (54%), while physical therapy counselling was the least-advertised service (16%). Further statistical analyses were performed in an exploratory fashion to determine areas for future research. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the association between practice demographics and the type of weight management information advertised online. A maximum of two predictor variables were included in each regression model. Exploratory analyses indicated that when controlling for the number of veterinarians in each practice, having a higher number of veterinary technicians was associated with increased odds of a practice website advertising current bodyweight measurement by 80.1% (odds ratio (OR) = 1.80, p = 0.05). Additionally, when controlling the number of veterinary technicians, having a higher number of veterinarians was associated with increased odds of a practice website advertising sales of therapeutic diets by 119.0% (OR = 2.19, p = 0.04). When using corporate practices as reference, independently owned practices had decreased odds of advertising sales of treats and weight management accessories on their practice websites by 78.7% (OR = 0.21, p = 0.03). These preliminary results suggest that advertising weight management information is not prioritized on veterinary practice websites in Ontario, especially those with lower staff numbers. The findings of this study raise awareness on the current state of weight management promotion for pets on veterinary practice websites and highlight ways to improve upon a practice's online presence.

Dietary choline, but not L-carnitine, increases circulating lipid and lipoprotein concentrations, without affecting body composition, energy expenditure or respiratory quotient in lean and obese male cats during weight maintenance.

Introduction: Due to the involvement in one-carbon metabolism and lipid mobilization, choline and L-carnitine supplementation have been recommended to minimize hepatic lipid accumulation and support fat oxidation, respectively. This study investigated the lipotropic benefits of choline or L-carnitine supplementation in lean and obese cats maintaining body weight (BW). Methods: Lean [n = 9; body condition score (BCS): 4-5/9] and obese (n = 9; BCS: 8-9/9) adult male neutered colony cats were used in a replicated 3 x 3 complete Latin square design. Treatments included choline (378 mg/kg BW0.67), L-carnitine (200 mg/kg BW) and control (no supplement). Treatments were supplemented to the food for 6 weeks each, with a 2-week washout between treatments. Cats were fed once daily to maintenance energy requirements, and BW and BCS were assessed weekly. Fasted blood collection, indirect calorimetry, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry occurred at the end of each treatment period. Serum was analyzed for cholesterol (CHOL), high-density lipoprotein CHOL (HDL-C), triglycerides (TAG), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), glucose, creatinine (CREAT), urea, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Very low-density lipoprotein CHOL (VLDL) and low-density lipoprotein CHOL (LDL-C) were calculated. Data were analyzed using proc GLIMMIX, with group and period as random effects, and treatment, body condition, and their interaction as fixed effects, followed by a Tukey's post-hoc test when significance occurred. Results: Cats supplemented choline had lower food intake (P = 0.025). Treatment did not change BW, BCS and body composition (P > 0.05). Obese cats had greater ALP, TAG, and VLDL, and lower HDL-C compared to lean cats (P < 0.05). Choline resulted in greater CHOL, HDL-C, LDL-C and ALT (P < 0.05). L-carnitine resulted in lower CREAT (P = 0.010). Following the post-hoc test, differences between treatment means were not present for ALP (P = 0.042). No differences were found for glucose, urea or NEFA (P > 0.05). Obese cats had a lower fed respiratory quotient (RQ), regardless of treatment (P = 0.045). Treatment did not affect fed or fasted RQ and energy expenditure (P > 0.05). Discussion: Choline appeared to increase circulating lipid and lipoprotein concentrations regardless of body condition, likely through enhanced lipid mobilization and hepatic elimination. Neither dietary choline or L-carnitine altered body composition or energy metabolism in the lean or obese cats, as compared to control.

Effects of dietary macronutrient profile on apparent total tract macronutrient digestibility and fecal microbiota, fermentative metabolites, and bile acids of female dogs after spay surgery.

Obesity and estrogen reduction are known to affect the gut microbiota and gut microbial-derived metabolites in some species, but limited information is available in dogs. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of dietary macronutrient profile on apparent total tract macronutrient digestibility, fecal microbiota, and fecal metabolites of adult female dogs after spay surgery. Twenty-eight adult intact female beagles (age: 3.02 ± 0.71 yr, BW: 10.28 ± 0.77 kg; BCS: 4.98 ± 0.57) were used. After a 5-wk baseline phase (week 0), 24 dogs were spayed and randomly allotted to one of three experimental diets (n = 8 per group): 1) control (CO) containing moderate protein and fiber (COSP), 2) high-protein, high-fiber (HPHF), or 3) high-protein, high-fiber plus omega-3 and medium-chain fatty acids (HPHFO). Four dogs were sham-operated and fed CO (COSH). All dogs were fed to maintain BW for 12 wk after spay and then allowed to consume twice that amount for 12 wk. Fecal samples were collected at weeks 0, 12, and 24 for digestibility, microbiota, and metabolite analysis. All data were analyzed using repeated measures and linear mixed models procedure of SAS 9.4, with results reported as a change from baseline. Apparent organic matter and energy digestibilities had greater decreases in HPHF and HPHFO than COSH and COSP. Increases in fecal acetate, total short-chain fatty acids, and secondary bile acids were greater and decreases in primary bile acids were greater in HPHF and HPHFO. Principal coordinates analysis of weighted UniFrac distances revealed that HPHF and HPHFO clustered together and separated from COSH and COSP at weeks 12 and 24, with relative abundances of Faecalibacterium, Romboutsia, and Fusobacterium increasing to a greater extent and Catenibacterium, Bifidobacterium, Prevotella 9, Eubacterium, and Megamonas decreasing to a greater extent in HPHF or HPHFO. Our results suggest that high-protein, high-fiber diets alter nutrient and energy digestibilities, fecal metabolite concentrations, and fecal gut microbiota, but spay surgery had minor effects. Future research is needed to investigate how food intake, nutrient profile, and changes in hormone production influence gut microbiota and metabolites of dogs individually and how this knowledge may be used to manage spayed pets.

Why Can't I Resist Those "Puppy Dog" (or "Kitty Cat") Eyes? A Study of Owner Attachment and Factors Associated with Pet Obesity.

Attachment theory posits that patterns of interaction derived from the attachment system provide a starting point for understanding how people both receive and provide care. Extending this theory to human-animal interactions provides insights into how human psychology affects pets, such as pet obesity. The goal of this study was to determine how attachment anxiety and avoidance might contribute to pet obesity. We assessed 563 pet owners' attachment-related anxiety and avoidance, as well as additional attachment-related constructs (emotional rejection, evaluation concern, caregiving, and attentiveness to a pet). We also assessed various factors associated with pet obesity, including weight, body condition, daily treats, and daily interaction. The results indicate that dog owners high in attachment anxiety are concerned about how their pet may evaluate them, leading to more caregiving and attentiveness that results in more treats given per day, and a larger body condition (but not weight). In addition, owners high in attachment avoidance may seek to downplay the possibility of the dog negatively evaluating them, thus providing more negligent care. These findings suggest that attachment plays a unique role in shaping the pet-caregiver relationship and influences various elements that contribute to pet obesity, particularly in dogs. As such, the findings may lend a novel perspective to strategies for reducing pet obesity and provide a framework for future research into pet health.