Evaluation of total dietary fiber concentration and composition of commercial diets used for management of diabetes mellitus, obesity, and dietary fat-responsive disease in dogs

Different Diet Energy Levels Alter Body Condition, Glucolipid Metabolism, Fecal Microbiota and Metabolites in Adult Beagle Dogs

Diet energy is a key component of pet food, but it is usually ignored during pet food development and pet owners also have limited knowledge of its importance. This study aimed to explore the effect of diet energy on the body condition, glucolipid metabolism, fecal microbiota and metabolites of adult beagles and analyze the relation between diet and host and gut microbiota. Eighteen healthy adult neutered male beagles were selected and randomly divided into three groups. Diets were formulated with three metabolizable energy (ME) levels: the low-energy (Le) group consumed a diet of 13.88 MJ/kg ME; the medium-energy (Me) group consumed a diet of 15.04 MJ/kg ME; and the high-energy (He) group consumed a diet of 17.05 MJ/kg ME. Moreover, the protein content of all these three diets was 29%. The experiment lasted 10 weeks, with a two-week acclimation period and an eight-week test phase. Body weight, body condition score (BCS), muscle condition score (MCS) and body fat index (BFI) decreased in the Le group, and the changes in these factors in the Le group were significantly higher than in the other groups (p < 0.05). The serum glucose and lipid levels of the Le and He groups changed over time (p < 0.05), but those of the Me group were stable (p > 0.05). The fecal pH of the Le and He groups decreased at the end of the trial (p < 0.05) and we found that the profiles of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and bile acids (BAs) changed greatly, especially secondary BAs (p < 0.05). As SCFAs and secondary BAs are metabolites of the gut microbiota, the fecal microbiota was also measured. Fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing found that the Me group had higher α-diversity indices (p < 0.05). The Me group had notably higher levels of gut probiotics, such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Bacteroides plebeius and Blautia producta (p < 0.05). The diet-host-fecal microbiota interactions were determined by network analysis, and fecal metabolites may help to determine the best physical condition of dogs, assisting pet food development. Overall, feeding dogs low- or high-energy diets was harmful for glucostasis and promoted the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria in the gut, while a medium-energy diet maintained an ideal body condition. We concluded that dogs that are fed a low-energy diet for an extended period may become lean and lose muscle mass, but diets with low energy levels and 29% protein may not supply enough protein for dogs losing weight.

Effect of Nutrition on the Morphometric Markers in Spayed Dogs

Obesity and overweight have been frequently observed in dogs in recent years as in humans. The compositions of fatty acids in the accumulated lipids in tissues of obese animals may have important roles in the process and mechanisms related to the onset of metabolic disorders. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a vegetarian diet, which contained a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids on individual morphometric parameters in spayed dogs. Seven mongrel dogs without ideal body condition scores (average: 7.42) were fed vegetarian dog kibbles and received the daily amount of energy calculated with the following formula: 130 kcal × weight (kg) 0.75. The animals were evaluated on days 0 and 60 in relation to the body measurements, such as: body weight, metabolic body weight, body fat percentage, nape, rib, tail base, chest, and abdomen, using a plicometer. Also determined were the body condition scores (scale from 1—thin to 9—obese), canine body mass index, and their waist circumference. These data were analysed by the Student’s t-test. The body measurement variation of body fat percentage, waist circumference, body condition score and thickness values of the abdomen differed significantly (P < 0.01).