Abstract
BackgroundThe commercial pet-food industry and the market value of the pet industry have increased. Most owners are concerned about their pets’ health, and prefer commercial pet foods as their regular diet. This study thus aimed to determine whether a selection of local generic-brand dry canine foods had any potential to promote chronic disease.MethodsFive local, generic-brand, dry canine foods were studied for potential mutagenicity; the effects of long-term consumption were also observed in rats. All canine foods were extracted with distilled water and absolute ethanol. The Ames test was used to detect short-term genetic damage, using Salmonella typhimurium tester strains TA98 and TA100. Simultaneously, the long-term effects were studied in an animal model by observing rats fed with these canine foods, compared with normal rat food, for a period of 15 weeks.ResultsUsing the water extracts, all dry canine foods studied showed considerable mutagenic effects on the tester strains. One brand affected both tester strains, whereas 3 showed positive to TA98, and one to TA100. With the absolute ethanol extract, three of the five brands had a considerable mutagenic effect on TA98, and another affected TA100. In the long-term test, all rats remained alive until the end of the experiment, exhibited no apparent signs of toxicity or serious illness, and maintained normal bodyweight and weight gain. Serum blood biochemistry and hematological parameters in canine food-fed rats showed some negative effects. Correspondingly, histopathological investigation of their liver and kidneys showed deterioration.ConclusionsMutagenic potential and the negative potential health impacts were observed in all local-brand dry canine foods tested.
Highlights
The commercial pet-food industry and the market value of the pet industry have increased
Mutagenicity assay The Ames assay was used with S. typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100, and the well-known plateincorporation procedure described by Maron and Ames [12]
The AP, AL, and NT diets were positive to TA98, with AP found in the presence of the S9 mix, 20 and 30 mg/plate, but not in the AL diet in the absence of the S9 mix, 20 mg/plate
Summary
The commercial pet-food industry and the market value of the pet industry have increased. Dietary consumption is closely related to the development of many chronic diseases, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, chronic renal disease, and cancer. The dietary mechanism related to some diseases is not clear, healthy food behaviors in aging animals can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. An estimated 0.5 % of dogs in the US are diabetic; and the vast majority of these are either overweight or obese [4]. Metabolic studies from He et al [5] indicated that obese pigs had higher serum insulin and glucagon that led to insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, similar to observations in other obese species such as rats, mice, rabbits, and human children and teenagers
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call