Dry Dog Food Research Articles

Standing out while fitting in: An objective measure of visual branding cohesion across a product portfolio

This research develops a new metric (PBCM) that can identify products within a portfolio that are eroding visual branding cohesion. We show how this new measure gives results equivalent to consumer evaluations of cohesion, without costly and time intensive data collection. The sampling frame for this research is 10 portfolios from five categories (dry dog food, instant coffee, toothpaste, shower gel and chewing gum) in the United Kingdom. In addition, 626 consumers were surveyed to investigate how PBCM affects a consumer’s ability to match an individual product back to its portfolio and recall the brand name. We find that products from high cohesion portfolios have significantly higher (17%) correct brand recall than those from low cohesion portfolios and are matched back to their portfolio by more than twice as many respondents (79% v 35%), significantly faster (2.3 vs. 3.8 minutes).

Risk Factors for Fractures of Dogs in Quezon City, Philippines

A retrospective case-control study was conducted in dogs with bone fractures presented at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital - Diliman Station, Companion Animal Clinic, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the Philippines Los Baños from January 2016 to December 2021. One hundred sixty-one dogs were diagnosed with bone fractures. Limping was the most common chief complaint with falling from a height being the most common cause. Close, complete, and oblique fractures were the most prevalent fracture type. Around 29.81% of the cases were given medications only and 16.77% were treated with external coaptation. Among the cases treated with external coaptation, only fourteen came back for follow-up with fully healed bone fractures. The mean age of dogs with bone fractures was 2.30 years old and was seen as a significant risk factor regardless of age group. Dogs fed with dry dog food and table food were 0.35 and 0.50 less likely to have bone fractures, respectively. The body weight, body condition scores, and dog breeds were not significant risk factors while the abode of the animal was a significant risk factor regardless whether the animal is indoor or outdoor. Age, diet, and abode were found to be significantly associated with bone fractures.

UROLITHIASIS IN MALE POM MIX DOGS

Dogs are one of the animals classified as pet animals, or it can be said to be animals that are close to humans. Feeding to dogs must be considered carefully, feeding patterns can affect urine pH, urine volume, and urine concentration which can cause the formation of mineral precipitation, such as uroliths consisting of various minerals. One of the health problems that occur in dogs due to nutritional imbalance is urolithiasis. Urolithiasis is the formation of sediment that is difficult to dissolve in the urinary tract. The purpose of this writing is to report the process of handling urolithiasis through cystotomy in a dog named Lucky with a male Pom mix dog breed aged 7 years and weighing 11 kg is a rescue dog. Lucky's dog experienced pain when urinating (stranguria), urine came out below normal (oligouria), bloody urine (hematuria), and had no appetite to eat and drink since 3 days before being treated. Dogs are usually given dry dog food feed mixed with rice and chicken with ad libitum portions. 1.5 years ago dogs had difficulty urinating but did not bleed. Based on the results of the history, clinical examination, supporting examinations in the form of chemical examination of urine and X-ray, the dog has urolithiasis. Dog cases are treated with cystotomy surgery to remove calculi by incision of urinary vesicles. Postoperative therapy, dogs are given an injection of the antibiotic cefotaxime sodium 20mg / kg body weight with the IM route and given anti-inflammatory tolfedine CS 4ml / kg body weight. Based on a series of examinations carried out, it can be concluded that animal cases have urolithiasis and handling cases of urolithiasis in dog cases can be done with cystotomy. To avoid the occurrence of urolithiasis in urinary vesica in dogs, client education is needed on how to maintain and select feed that contains balanced nutrition.

What if the reward is not as yummy? Study of the effects of successive negative contrast in domestic dogs in two different tasks

Successive Negative Contrast (SNC) occurs when there is a reduction in the quantity or quality of a reward that is expected according to the presence of contextual cues. This induces an emotional response of frustration that is similar to stress. While this phenomenon has been observed in several mammal species, findings in domestic dogs have been inconsistent, although this issue has strong relevance in dog training. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of Successive Negative Contrast in two responses that had already been studied in this species, but with an increase in the methodological rigor and variations in the experimental conditions to examine the generalizability of the phenomenon. To this end, experimental dogs experienced a pre-shift phase in which they received a high-value reward (liver), followed by a post-shift phase in which they obtained a low-value reward (dry dog food), and then a re-shift phase in which the high-value reward was available again. Control dogs received dry food in all phases. The results show a contrast effect on the behavior of following human pointing to obtain food (Study 1). On the contrary, there were no differences in problem solving behavior after the de- and re-evaluation of the reward during a non-social task (Study 2). The results support that Successive Negative Contrast is not a consistent phenomenon in pet dogs. It is possible that certain characteristics of dogs such as the great availability of high-value rewards in their daily lives could attenuate the effects of a reduction in incentive value.

Buffering Capacity of Various Commercial and Homemade Foods in the Context of Gastric Canine Digestion

The buffering capacity (BC) of food may act as a key regulatory parameter of canine gastric digestion by influencing the activity of gastric enzymes, the solubility of dietary ingredients, the gastric breakdown of food nutrients, and, subsequently, the absorption of nutrients. To analyse a possible effect of food on gastric pH, the BC of wet, dry, and homemade dog food was quantified via an acid titration method until a pH under 2 was achieved. Wet food had the highest BC; between dry and homemade food, there was no significant difference. Using multiple regression analyses, we were able to establish associations between the nutrient composition and the BC of the dog food. Crude protein content was the most important factor that influenced the BC and HCl use per gram of dry matter (DM) (p < 0.001), whereas the initial pH only tended to have an influence. The ash content also tended to affect the used HCl per gram of DM, and the DM content had a significant (p < 0.05) influence on the BC per gram of DM. The excessively high ash content found in wet food could be a risk factor for gastric dilatation–volvulus syndrome because it could lead to an insufficient pH drop in the stomach. Our data indicate large differences in the BC of typical dog food; so, estimating the BC using the equations developed herein could help to design individualized dog diets, in particular for dogs with health problems such as gastric hypoacidity, gastric reflux, or gastritis. However, more research about the influence of dog-food BC on gastric pH in vivo is needed.

Effects of different chicken protein sources on palatability in dry adult dog food

As the demand for dog food production continues to rise, along with the number of dogs per household in the US, sustainable ingredients must be considered for the pet food industry. Consumers have a negative perspective when it comes to animal by-products in their pet’s food. However, animal by-products contribute a quality source of dietary protein, vitamins, and minerals which contribute to nutritionally complete pet foods. Along with being nutritionally complete, foods must also appeal to the dog while eating. The objective of this study was to produce formulas utilizing four different chicken protein sources, and to evaluate the effects of those protein sources on palatability in dogs. Five treatments were produced, through extrusion, using fresh mechanically deboned chicken at two different inclusion levels: (FMDC14 and FMDC25), dried chicken (DC), chicken meal (CM), and chicken by-product meal (CBPM). Four trained panels of twenty-five adult dogs, made up of majority Beagles, randomly divided by sex, were used for palatability testing using the two-bowl test. Based on the palatability results from this study, the CBPM treatment was preferred (p<0.05) over the FMDC14, FMDC25, and DC treatments. The CBPM treatment was at parity to the CM treatment (p>0.05). It can be concluded that the CBPM treatment was considered palatable to the dogs.

PSVIII-14 Improved Palatability and Digestibility in Dry Dog Food Using a Porcine Intestinal Mucosa Hydrolysate

Abstract A proper diet for a dog is one that provides all the required nutrients and is highly digestible. In order for the ingredients to be delivered to the organism, this diet should be highly palatable. Currently, research is being conducted on the possibility of introducing new sources of animal protein, thus replacing traditional meat meals. A new source of protein, together with increasing the digestibility and palatability of dry pet food while maintaining the price of the recipe, is an expected success. Porcine intestinal mucosa hydrolysate (PIMH) products are high-quality, sustainable, and inexpensive protein sources obtained from porcine intestinal mucosa as byproduct of the heparin manufacturing process. PIMH are being used as alternative protein sources in several animal species. The present study aimed to determine the effects of incorporating 3% PIMH (Palbio HP, Bioiberica SAU, Palafolls, Spain) as replacement for poultry meal on digestibility and palatability of dog dry food. The palatability test was conducted on a professional, independent panel of dogs. The test lasted 4 days with 20 adult dogs. Apparent digestibility and feces quality were also assessed in a digestibility test under the supervision of veterinarians in a 10-day experiment. The tested diets which serve as reference of a commercial dry dog food (Control diet) and a diet in which 3% PIMH was incorporated as replacement for poultry meal (PIMH diet). Palatability evaluation was performed in a two-pan setting in which first choice and consumption ratio were quantified and compared over four days. A Chi square test was used for the statistical analysis and a P-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. An improvement in palatability was observed with the PIMH diet. More specifically, first choice results were greater during the four days of the study with PIMH (82%, 88%, 89% and 100%, respectively) compared with Control. Likewise, consumption ratio was also greater with PIMH over the four study days (84%, 87%, 86% and 93%, respectively). On the other hand, the PIMH diet showed a greater digestibility (77.98%) compared with the Control diet (73.95%), as well as a better feces score (0% unacceptable feces vs 4.2% in the Control group).In conclusion, using 3% Palbio HP PIMH in dry dog food as replacement for poultry meal leads to enhanced palatability and digestibility, while it has no negative impact on feces quality or diet costs.

PSVIII-9 Consumer Acceptance of Corn Fermented Protein Compared with Traditional Yeast and Dried Distillers Grain in Extruded Dog Food

Abstract Sustainability is one of the trending keywords in the pet food industry today. Utilizing protein-rich fermented co-products such as corn fermented protein (CFP) can promote sustainable pet food. However, co-product ingredients have been avoided in pet food due to negative consumer perception. Unlike traditional dried distillers grain, corn fermented protein (CFP) contains 50% protein due to a substantial yeast component, which may improve consumer perception. The objective was to evaluate the effect of CFP inclusion in dry dog food on consumer acceptance. Treatments included a control diet (CON, no fermented co-products), a brewer’s dried yeast diet (BDY, 3.5% brewer’s dried yeast), a distillers dried grains with solubles plus brewer’s dried yeast diet (DDGS+BDY, 17.5% DDGS + 2.5% brewer’s dried yeast), and a corn fermented protein diet (CFP, 17.5% corn fermented protein). The consumer acceptance data were collected from 104 dog owners who purchased dry dog food and feed their dogs during a central location test. Data were collected using RedJade software and analyzed by one-way ANOVA (Sensory XLStat package) to determine significant differences among overall appearance, color, aroma, and assumed dog liking. The effects were assessed using Fisher’s Least Significant Difference with significance at P < 0.05. All treatments were equally liked (P > 0.05) based on 9-point scale. More consumers showed liking in aroma for yeast containing treatments (CFP, n = 51; DDGS+BDY, n = 46; BDY, n = 45) than CON (n = 37). Consumer opinion of pet food ingredients were also evaluated. Chicken and salmon were considered most appropriate (> 85%) by consumers, while brewer’s dried yeast, corn meal, yeast, and corn gluten meal were considered appropriate from less than 10% of consumers. The most inappropriate ingredients according to consumers were corn gluten meal (>50%), corn meal, brewer’s yeast, dry yeast, and yeast. In conclusion, consumers liked the kibble that contained BDY, DDGS, or CFP at the same level as the control diet when evaluated based on sensory perceptions. However, there is a need to improve consumer perception of corn and yeast ingredients to promote sustainable pet foods.

PSVIII-21 A Premium Dry Dog Food Elicits Gut Health Benefits Compared with a Grocery Dry Dog Food

Abstract With the pet humanization trend, pet parents are continuously seeking approaches to improve the health of their pets. Compared with grocery dog foods produced to meet the basic needs of the dog, premium dog foods include high-quality ingredients and functional benefits that can be more appealing to consumers. However, little research is available comparing health measures in dogs fed premium foods vs. basic grocery foods. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of feeding a premium dog kibble diet (Blue Buffalo; BB) and a grocery dog kibble diet on digestibility, blood biomarkers, and fecal microbiome in healthy adult dogs. Sixty dogs (mean BW = 10.8 ± 2.0 kg; mean age = 8.2 ± 3.3 yr) were randomly selected to consume BB (n = 30) or the grocery diet (n = 30) for 180 days. On days 0, 90, and 180, fresh fecal samples were collected for fecal microbiome and dysbiosis index analysis and blood samples were collected for measurements of complete blood count, serum chemistry, and serum biomarkers. A separate 10-day digestibility study was conducted using 12 dogs (BB n = 6, grocery diet n = 6; mean BW = 12.0 ± 2.1 kg). Total fecal samples were collected from day 6 to day 10 for nutrient digestibility analysis. Protocols were approved by the facility’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee before the study. All data were analyzed using the Mixed Models procedure of SAS. Stool quality was not different (P > 0.05) between diet groups. Both diets were highly digestible without dietary effects (P > 0.05). All blood cell count and serum chemistry values were within the reference ranges. However, dogs fed the grocery diet had greater (P < 0.05) liver enzyme concentrations including alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and greater (P < 0.05) monocyte counts compared with BB. Dogs had greater (P < 0.05) serum pancreatic polypeptide when fed BB. A lower dysbiosis index (less dysbiotic microbiome) was observed in dogs consuming BB. Relative abundances of 23 bacterial genera were altered (P < 0.05) by the diets, with greater abundances of Bifidobacterium and Megamonas and decreased abundance of Streptococcus observed in the BB group compared with the grocery diet group. These results suggest that premium dry dog food could potentially elicit a positive impact on blood parameters and GI health.

Assessment of the content of macronutrients and microbiological safety of dry dog foods

In Europe, there are no legal regulations specifying maximum allowable limits for pathogenic bacteria or fungi and yeasts in dog food. For proximate composition, the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF) nutritional guidelines provide minimum recommended levels for protein and fat only, not for other ingredients and no safe maximum levels. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the microbiological safety of 35 dry dog foods, taking into account the division into foods with grains as the main plant ingredient and those described as grain-free. We assumed that grain-included foods are more susceptible to the presence of the total number of aerobic bacteria. This parameter is an essential, hygienic criterion informing about the microbiological safety of the pet food. It also inform about the microbiological quality of the food ingredients used, the effectiveness of decontamination during the production process, sanitary and hygienic conditions during the acquisition, processing and marketing of pet food and its components. In the case of macronutrients, the results in some cases were multiples of the minimum recommended levels. The most important microorganisms that presence was found in the analyzed dog foods were indicator bacteria (E. coli and coliform bacteria, Clostridium perfringens), whose presence in feed constitutes microbiological contamination. They inform about sanitary and hygienic conditions during the production and storage of the pet food. The current guidelines recommend microbiological testing of food for the presence of Salmonella bacilli as the basic indicator for assessing the sanitary quality. No Salmonella spp. was detected in any of the foods. The remaining analyzed bacteria (Proteus spp., Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp.) as well as molds and yeasts, were present in both grain-included and grain-free foods. The obtained results showed that in terms of microbiological safety, grain-included foods come out worse, because microorganisms were detected more frequently in this type of dry dog food.

Risk Factors for Patellar Luxation in Dogs in the Philippines

A retrospective case-control study was conducted on dogs with patellar luxation who presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital Diliman Station-Companion Animal Clinic between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019. There was a total of 73 dogs were diagnosed with patellar luxation. The majority of the dogs presented with limping, and the causes were mostly unknown. Unilateral medial patellar luxation was the most common type (21.92%). The average age of patients with patellar luxation was 3.24 years old. Puppies are 0.03 less likely to be diagnosed with patellar luxation, while juveniles are 3.74 times more likely, and mature adults are 2.19 times more likely to be diagnosed. The affected dogs included intact males (47.95%), neutered males (4.11%), and intact females (47.95%). The average weight of the affected dogs was 8.39 kg and the majority (35.62%) had a body condition score of 5/9. The Pomeranian was the most common breed for patellar luxation, followed by the mixed breed Shih Tzu, Toy Poodle, and Chihuahua. Mixed breeds are 0.39 times less likely, and dogs fed with dry dog food are 0.51 times less likely to develop the condition. Age and breed were also significantly associated with patellar luxation.

Investigation of dry dog food market trends and valuation of carbohydrate sources for dog diets

Investigation of dry dog food market trends and valuation of carbohydrate sources for dog diets

Self-Curing Glass Ionomer Cement Covered by Photopolymerizable Adhesive for Protection of Mucoperiosteal or Gingival Flap Sutures in Canine Oral Surgery.

Periodontal disease is one of the main affections of the oral cavity of dogs. Its main complication is the formation of periapical abscess, which, when affecting the maxillary canine teeth, can lead to the formation of oronasal fistulae. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of self-curing glass ionomer cement, covered by photopolymerizable adhesive, as a protective element for mucoperiosteal or gingival flap sutures in oral surgery of dogs. We studied 15 dogs from the clinical routine of the dental service of a teaching veterinary hospital, which needed oral surgeries to correct oronasal fistulae, defects or oral cavity communications, regardless of the causal agent. Group one (G1) was composed of seven animals that presented oronasal fistulae after the extraction of maxillary canine teeth compromised by severe periodontal disease. These fistulae were reduced by the double-mucoperiosteal-flap technique, 15 days after the dental extraction. Group two (G2) was composed of five other dogs that presented oronasal fistulae after the extraction of maxillary canine teeth compromised by severe periodontal disease. In this group, the fistulae were reduced by the single-flap technique, immediately after the dental extraction. Group three (G3) was composed of three animals, two of which presented oronasal fistulae due to maxillary fracture and the third one after excision of oral neoplasia. In all groups, simple interrupted sutures were used with 3.0 nylon, and a thin layer of self-curing glass ionomer cement was applied immediately over the operated area. After cement's settling time, a thin layer of photopolymerizable adhesive was applied to the already polymerized cement. In G1, the protective cement was removed on average at 15 (±2) postoperative days, in G2 at 6 (±1) days and in G3 at 11 (±9) days. In the postoperative period, the animals received antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs, and they received their usual dry dog food diet. No Elizabethan collar or any other protective measure was used for suturing or the surgical wound. The result was healing of 100% of the oronasal fistulae, without suture dehiscence or the need for new surgical interventions. Thus, it was concluded that the use of self-curing glass ionomer cement covered by photopolymerizable adhesive was fully satisfactory, providing protection of sutures and surgical wounds and showing the potential for routine use in oral surgery in dogs.

Intake and digestibility of two diets for nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus: Linnaeus, 1758) kept under human care.

The study aimed to evaluate metabolic parameters, nutrient intake, and absorption of two diets formulated for Dasypus novemcinctus armadillos under human care. Were studied two diets: D1-a diet with dry dog food, ground beef, and boiled chicken egg with shells; D2-a diet with the same ingredients as D1, with added banana and papaya. Both are mixed in water. The parameters analyzed were body weight (BW), weight gain (WG), maintenance energy requirement (MER), Lee index, biometrics, body condition score, glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and cholesterol fractions for eight male armadillos. Dietary intake (DI) and efficiency, nutrient intake, metabolizable energy, and digestibility coefficient for the diets were evaluated in six male armadillos. The diet that included fruits showed higher BW, WG, MER, Lee index, and better glucose metabolism. Both diets promoted increases in WG and Lee Index, as well as improvements in glucose metabolism. The diet without fruit improved the lipid profile of the animals. D2 presented the highest DI, better dietary efficiency, and higher energy intake but also a lower crude fiber intake. However, it showed the best utilization of gross fiber and all other nutrients. In conclusion, the diets constituted an adequate nutritional option for captive armadillos and can be used in malnutrition and pathological processes recovery. Although both diets were adequate, the nonfruit diet was preferable due to the improved lipid profile.

Evaluation of the Chemosensoric Properties of Commercially Available Dog Foods Using Electronic Sensors and GC-MS/O Analysis.

Pet owners think of their animals as part of their family, which further promotes the growth of the pet food market, encouraging pet owners to select nutritious, palatable, and high-quality foods for pets. Therefore, the evaluation of taste and volatile compounds in pet foods is essential to improve palatability. In this study, the sensory characteristics of taste and odor compounds in 10 commercially available dry dog foods were investigated using electronic tongue (E-tongue), electronic nose (E-nose), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O). Dry dog foods were separated based on the sensory properties of taste and volatile compounds through the multivariate analysis of integrated results of the E-tongue and E-nose. A total of 67 odor active compounds were detected through GC-MS and GC-O, and octanal, nonanal, 2-pentyl furan, heptanal, and benzaldehyde were identified as key odor compounds which may have positive effects on food intake. The multivariate analysis was used to classify samples based on key odor compounds. Volatile compounds responsible for aroma properties of samples were evaluated using GC-O and multivariate analysis in this present study for the first time. These results are expected to provide fundamental data for sensory evaluation in producing new dog foods with improved palatability.

Closed-Vessel Conductively Heated Digestion of Dry Dog Food for Spectrometric Determination of Essential Nutrients

The closed-vessel conductively heated digestion system (CHDS) was evaluated to digest dry dog foods for further determination of K, Na, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn by high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS FAAS). The CHDS method was optimized using a fractional factorial design with five variables (HNO3 concentration, H2O2 volume, temperature, holding time, and pre-digestion time) at two levels. The accuracy of the CHDS procedure was checked by the analysis of reference materials from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST SRM 1577b Bovine Liver and 2976 Mussel Tissue) and Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa MR-E1002A Fish Food). Also, the digestion efficiencies were calculated from residual carbon contents (RCCs). The RCC and blank values in the CHDS digested samples were consistently low, which is suitable for determinations using ICP OES and ICP-MS techniques. For comparison, all samples were also digested by microwave-assisted digestion in closed vessels (MW-AD). Results for Na, K, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn determined in sample digests obtained by CHDS were not statistically different at a 95% confidence level from those observed for MW-AD. Limits of quantification (LOQ) calculated from digests in CHDS and MW-AD were comparable, and the values provided adequate limits for elemental determinations in dog foods. Data from mineral composition and moisture were employed in a clustering analysis (HCA) and the discrimination of the samples among different manufacturers and food for dogs at different life stages was possible.

Apparent total tract digestibility and palatability of extruded diets with graded levels of whole soybeans by dogs.

Fat has high energy density and is considered one of the primary energy sources for dogs, however, increasing fat level in dry dog food has been challenging due to the lubrication and limitation of the coating system. The objective was to determine the effect of whole soybeans (WSB) on nutrient digestibility, stool quality, and palatability by dogs. The corn gluten meal, chicken fat, and brewers rice were replaced by WSB at 10, 20, and 30% (WSB10, WSB20, and WSB30, respectively) in the base diet (WSB0). Twelve beagles were randomly assigned. The digestibility trial was duplicated 4 × 4 Latin square design where dogs were allowed a 9-d adaptation followed by a 5-d total fecal collection for each period. Least-square means were analyzed with a single degree of freedom contrasts and significance at α = 0.05. Palatability was determined with a 2-bowl test by 20 beagles for 2 d with each WSB diet compared to the WSB0. First choice preference between two diets and total food consumption were recorded. Individual intake ratios (IR) were calculated (intake of each diet/total intake) for each dog. First choice (FC) was analyzed by a Chi-square probability, and the diet consumption was compared by a Wilcoxon signed rank test and a 2-way analysis of variance. Fecal moisture, output, and defecation frequency increased linearly (P < 0.05) as WSB increased. Apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, fat, and gross energy decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as dogs fed the increased level of WSB. The fresh fecal pH in dogs decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as WSB content increased. The acetate, propionate, and the total short-chain fatty acid concentration increased linearly (P < 0.05) while the total branched-chain fatty acid concentration decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as WSB increased. Dogs had greater (P < 0.05) FC for WSB diets than WSB0, but there was no difference among treatments for diet consumption and IR. In conclusion, additional thermal processing before extrusion may improve nutrient digestibility of WSB. The stool quality and palatability were not affected, and fermentation in hindgut increased by WSB by dogs.

Mineral and heavy metal content in dry dog foods with different main animal components

Dog caregivers, mainly for economic reasons and easy availability, choose dry, over the counter diets (OTC). The mineral composition of OTC foods depends primarily on the components used in the production of the pet food. Regardless of the main component of the food, it must meet the recommended minimum mineral content, established by nutritional guidelines. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the mineral (Ca, K, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Mo) and heavy metal content (Pb, Co, Cd, Cr, Ni) using the methods of colorimetry and mass spectrometry, of OTC dry dog foods and to compare with the FEDIAF and AAFCO nutritional guidelines. Dry foods pose no risk to dogs in terms of heavy metal content. The worst results in terms of mineral content were obtained in mixed foods, therefore it is worth considering feeding the dog a mono-protein food. The PCA analysis disproved our hypothesis and revealed that the main animal source did not statistically significantly affect the levels of minerals and their ratios. However, the analysis of contrasts confirms the differentiation of the content of individual minerals between the groups of foods. For the first time, we proved that pet food with a mineral composition similar to the MIN-RL may be characterized by unfavorable mineral ratios.

Assessment of adulteration in the composition of dog food based on DNA identification by real-time PCR

In a situation where the market of ready-made pet foods is the fastest growing in Europe, dog caregivers show some concerns about the use of ready-made products. Although pet food labels must be detailed and should inform about ingredients, mislabeling is an increasingly growing problem in the pet food industry. In an increasing number of studies, species undeclared by pet food producers are detected. This is especially important when using pet foods as an elimination diet in the diagnosis of adverse food reactions (AFR), as it interferes with the correct diagnosis. Therefore the aim of this study was to assess adulteration in the composition of complete commercial dry dog foods based on chicken DNA and pork DNA identification using the real-time PCR method. The study was conducted to determine whether dry over the counter foods (OTC) are a reliable alternative to veterinary therapeutic diets in the diagnosis and long-term therapy of AFR. The material consisted of 29 dry dog foods, some of which were labeled by the producers as hypoallergenic or mono-protein. Our research has shown that both mono-protein and hypoallergenic foods contain undeclared sources of animal proteins with lower economic value. In our study, 65 % of the dog foods contained undeclared chicken DNA, while 41 % – undeclared pork DNA. These results shown that both mono-protein and hypoallergenic dry dog foods should not be used in the diagnosis and long-term therapy of AFR in dogs with food allergies, as they may interfere with the effectiveness of the therapy, giving false negative results.

Predictive equations for dietary energy are improved when independently developed for dry and wet food which could benefit both the pet and the environment.

Measuring energy availability through metabolizable energy feeding studies is the "gold standard" for establishing metabolizable energy concentration. However, predictive equations are often used to estimate metabolizable energy in dog and cat pet foods. The goal of this work was to evaluate the prediction of energy density and compare those predictions to each other and the energy needs of the individual pets. Feeding studies used 397 adult dogs and 527 adult cats on 1,028 canine and 847 feline foods. Individual pet results for the estimate of metabolizable energy density were used as outcome variables. Prediction equations were generated from the new data and compared to previously published equations. On average the dogs consumed 747 kilocalories (kcals) per day (SD = 198.7) while cats consumed 234 kcals per day (SD = 53.6). The difference between the average prediction of energy density and the measured metabolizable energy varied from the modified Atwater prediction 4.5%, 3.4% (NRC equations), 1.2% (Hall equations) to the new equations calculated from these data at 0.5%. The average absolute values of the differences between measured and predicted estimates in pet foods (dry and canned, dog and cat) are: 6.7% (modified Atwater), 5.1% (NRC equations), 3.5% (Hall equations) and 3.2% (new equations). All of these estimates resulted in significantly less variation in the estimate of the food expected to be consumed than the observed variation associated with actual pet consumption to maintain body weight. When expressed as a ratio of energy consumed to metabolic body weight (weight in kilograms3/4) the within species variation in energy consumed to maintain weight was still high as compared to the energy density estimates variance from measured metabolizable energy. The amount of food offered as the central point in a feeding guide, based on the prediction equations, would on average result in an average variance between 8.2% error in the worst case estimate (feline dry using modified Atwater estimates) and approximately 2.7% (the new equation for dry dog food). All predictions had relatively small differences in calculating food consumed when compared to the differences associated with the variation in normal energy demand.