Abstract
Renal diets are recommended for dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study examined the effects of foods with added betaine and fiber on the plasma and fecal metabolome and fecal microbiome in dogs with early stage CKD. At baseline, several metabolites differed between healthy dogs and those with CKD. Dogs with CKD (n = 28) received a control food, low soluble fiber plus betaine food (0.5% betaine, 0.39% oat beta-glucan, and 0.27% short-chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS)), or high soluble fiber plus betaine food (0.5% betaine, 0.59% oat beta-glucan, and 0.41% scFOS) each for 10 weeks in different sequences. Consumption of test foods led to several favorable, significant changes in the plasma metabolome, including decreases of several uremic toxins and other deleterious metabolites, and increases in favorable metabolites compared with the control food. Only 7 fecal metabolites significantly changed with consumption of the test foods compared with the control food, largely increases in polyphenols and lignans. Few changes were seen in the fecal microbiome, though some taxa that significantly changed in response to the test foods have beneficial effects on health, with some negatively correlating with uremic toxins. Overall, foods with added betaine and soluble fiber showed positive effects on the plasma and fecal metabolomes.
Highlights
As in humans, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a health concern in dogs and leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, chronic inflammation, and mortality
Due to the beneficial effects described above, this study evaluated the effect of added betaine as well as soluble fiber from scFOS and oat beta-glucan on body composition and levels of uremic toxins in dogs with CKD
56 beagles were fed a control food for four weeks, after which the 28 renal insufficient dogs were randomly assigned to varying sequences of control food, test food with low soluble fiber plus betaine (0.5% betaine, 0.39% oat beta-glucan, and 0.27% scFOS), or test food with high soluble fiber plus betaine (0.5% betaine, 0.59% oat beta-glucan, and 0.41% scFOS), each for 10 weeks
Summary
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a health concern in dogs and leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, chronic inflammation, and mortality. Serum levels of the microbial uremic toxin trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) were significantly decreased from baseline in patients with CKD who consumed a supplement of oat beta-glucan for 12 weeks [23]. Due to the beneficial effects described above, this study evaluated the effect of added betaine as well as soluble fiber from scFOS and oat beta-glucan on body composition and levels of uremic toxins in dogs with CKD. To this end, the circulating and fecal metabolomes were assessed as well as the fecal microbiome. The baseline differences in plasma and fecal metabolites between dogs with and without CKD were compared
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