Abstract
BackgroundHepatopathies are an important group of disorders in dogs where proper nutritional care is crucial. Supplementation with a hepatoprotectant like silybin can improve liver function and should not interfere with nutrient digestibility. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of both pure silybin and commercial hepatoprotectant on nutrients digestibility, liver function indices and health status in healthy dogs (EXP1). Moreover, the second experiment (EXP2) investigated the effect of commercial hepatoprotectant on liver function tests and liver-associated miRNAs concentration in dogs with idiopathic liver disorder.ResultsNutrient digestibility was not affected by treatment in EXP1. Supplementation did alter the serum fatty acid profile, with no clinical relevance. The levels of liver markers such as ALT, AST and GGT significantly decreased. In EXP2, supplementation with commercial hepatoprotectant containing silybin improved liver function tests. A decrease was observed in liver serum markers such as ALT, AST and miR122 concentration.ConclusionsEXP1 confirmed that silybin (whether pure or as a commercial hepatoprotectant) does not interfere with digestion which subsequently exerts no detrimental effect on dogs’ health and metabolism. In EXP2, dietary supplementation with commercial hepatoprotectant containing silybin resulted in a decreased activity of serum liver markers, accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of liver-specific miRNA molecules. Liver function indices were consequently improved. Silybin supplementation can thus serve as an effective therapeutical tool in dogs with hepatopathies.
Highlights
Hepatopathies are an important group of disorders in dogs where proper nutritional care is crucial
Clinical observations and mortality: EXP2 During EXP2, all dogs presented for veterinary consultation with at least one liver-related symptom such as decreased appetite (9/15 dogs), lethargy/depression (5/15 dogs), icterus (3/15 dogs), polyuria and polydipsia (6/15 dogs), vomiting (7/15 dogs), diarrhea (2/15 dogs)
Chemical composition and fatty acid profile of the diet: EXP1 The diet chemical composition fed to the dogs in EXP1 is given in Table 1, along with its fatty acid profile
Summary
Hepatopathies are an important group of disorders in dogs where proper nutritional care is crucial. Supplementation with a hepatoprotectant like silybin can improve liver function and should not interfere with nutrient digestibility. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of both pure silybin and commercial hepatoprotectant on nutrients digestibility, liver function indices and health status in healthy dogs (EXP1). Pet owners are nowadays more aware of, and responsible for, their animal’s welfare This trend coexists with a rapid increase in the scope of veterinary services for dietary counseling [1]. Both pet owners and Gogulski et al BMC Veterinary Research (2021) 17:228 particular ingredients or special additives which are often secondary plant metabolites [9,10,11]. One relevant question is whether nutraceutical supplementation further affects nutrients digestibility, which is worth considering, since patients with hepatic disorders are reported to show signs of gastrointestinal dysfunctions [15,16,17]
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