Objective-To evaluate the combined effects of a dietary fiber and carnitine supplement using a commercially available canned dog supplement on satiety, weight loss, and lipid metabolism.Design-A randomized, crossover design (satiety study) and randomized complete block design (weight loss study) Sample Population-12 (satiety study) and 7 (weight loss study) adult female overweight/obese Beagles.Procedures-Two studies were conducted. In the satiety study, dogs were fed 1.2 times maintenance energy amounts of either high dietary fiber/high carnitine (HF/C) or low dietary fiber/low carnitine (LF/C) supplemented diet twice a day using a 3 hour interval and food intake was monitored. Blood samples were obtained at 0, 45, and 120 min postprandially for peptide YY determination. For the weight loss study, 60 % of maintenance energy amounts of either the HF/C or LF/C diet were fed for 42 days. Blood samples were collected at days 1, 28, and 42 to determine plasma lipid metabolites and peptide YY.Results-The HF/C diet decreased both the amount of food and energy intakes at 3 hour post-feeding, suggesting improved 3 hour post-meal satiety. This combination supplement also increased postprandial plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate at day 42 and was associated with greater body fat and weight loss without alteration of plasma peptide YY, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations.Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-The combination of dietary fiber/carnitine from a commercially available canned supplement demonstrated the potential to decrease begging behavior between meals due to increased 3 hour post-meal satiety. This combination supplement also supported improved body weight reduction and increased fat utilization without altering plasma triglyceride, lipoprotein-cholesterol and cholesterol concentrations.

Because fatty acid (FA) metabolism of cats is unique, effects of dietary fish and vegetable oil supplementation on plasma lipids, lipoproteins, lecithin/cholesterol acyl transferase activities, and plasma phospholipid and esterified cholesterol (EC) FAs were investigated. Cats were fed a commercial diet supplemented with 8 g oil/100 g diet for 4 weeks using either high-oleic-acid sunflower oil (diet H), Menhaden fish oil (diet M), or safflower oil (diet S). When supplemented, diet M contained sufficient arachidonate (AA), but diets H and S were deficient. We hypothesized that diet M would modify plasma lipid metabolism, increase FA long-chain n-3 (LCn-3) FA content but not deplete AA levels. Also, diet S would show linoleic acid (LA) accumulation without conversion to AA, and both vegetable oil supplements would dilute dietary AA content when fed to meet cats' energy needs. Plasma samples on weeks 0, 2, and 4 showed no alterations in total cholesterol or nonesterified FA concentrations. Unesterified cholesterol decreased and EC increased in all groups, whereas lecithin/cholesterol acyl transferase activities were unchanged. Diet M showed significant triacylglycerol lowering and decreased pre–β-lipoprotein cholesterol. Plasma phospholipid FA profiles revealed significant enrichment of 18:1n-9 with diet H, LA and 20:2n-6 with diet S, and FA LCn-3FA with diet M. Depletion of AA was observed with diets H and S but not with diet M. Diet M EC FA profiles revealed specificities for LA and 20:5n-3 but not 22:5n-3 or 22:6n-3. Oversupplementation of some commercial diets with vegetable oils causes AA depletion in young cats due to dietary dilution. Findings are consistent with the current recommendations for at least 0.2 g AA/kg diet and that fish oil supplements provide both preformed LCn-3 polyunsaturated FA and AA.

Obesity increases insulin resistance and disregulation of glucose homeostasis. This study investigated low glycemic index starch (LGIS)/diacylglycerol (DAG) diet on plasma insulin and circulating incretin hormones during canine weight loss. Obese Beagle dogs were fed one of four starch/oil combination diets (LGIS/DAG; LGIS/triacylglycerol (TAG); high glycemic index starch (HGIS)/DAG; and HGIS/TAG) for 9 weeks during the weight loss period. At weeks 1 and 8, fasting plasma insulin, glucose, nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) were determined. Weight loss did not affect fasting insulin, glucose, and NEFA, but fasting GIP increased and GLP-1 decreased. LGIS affected postprandial insulin at both times and glucose was similar to insulin, except 60 min postprandially with DAG at week 8. NEFA lowering was less with the LGIS diets initially but not thereafter. At 60 min postprandially on week 8, GIP was significantly elevated by DAG, while GLP-1 was increased only with the HD diet. LGIS suppressed insulin and glucose responses up to 180 min postprandially at both sample times. DAG increased incretin hormones as did the DAG/HGIS combination but only at week 8. This latter finding appeared to be related to the glucose response but not to insulin at 60 min.

An opportunity to investigate a low-arachidonic acid (AA) feline diet possibly related to elevated peroxide value (PV) during storage on plasma phospholipid (PL) and reproductive tissue fatty acid (FA) profiles presented itself in the present study. Cats (nine animals per group) had been fed one of three dry extruded, complete and balanced diets for 300 d before spaying. The diets contained adequate AA (0.3 g/kg), similar concentration of antioxidants and were stored at ambient temperature, but differed in FA composition. The diets were designated as follows: diet A (high linoleic acid), diet B (high γ-linolenic acid) and diet C (adequate linoleic acid). Diet samples that were obtained the week before spaying revealed an elevated PV of diet A v. diets B and C (135 v. 5.80 and 2.12 meq/kg fat, respectively). Records revealed decreased food consumption of diet A cats beginning at 240 d but without weight loss; thus an opportunity presented to investigate diet PV effects. Total plasma protein and PL-AA concentrations in group A were significantly decreased at 140 and 300 d. Uterine and ovarian tissues collected at surgery revealed modest decrements of AA. Diet A was below minimum standards at 0.015 % (minimum 0.02 %), probably due to oxidation. The time at which diet A became unacceptable may have occurred between 60 and 140 d because plasma PL-AA was within our normal colony range (approximately 4-7 % relative) after 56 d of feeding. High-linoleic acid-containing diets may be more likely to be oxidised requiring additional antioxidants. The findings suggest that reduced plasma protein in combination with plasma AA concentrations may serve as biomarkers of diet peroxidation in cats before feed refusal, weight loss or tissue depletion.

Neutering is often associated with obesity in companion animals. However, the maintenance energy requirement (MER) for these animals has not been clearly defined. The present study investigated the MER for spayed cats whose body weights (BW) began to increase shortly after ovariohysterectomy. A total of twenty-two shorthair adult female cats were fed complete and balanced diets in amounts to maintain their BW and body condition score (BCS) before the present study. All cats were spayed and the diet was fed for 11 weeks using the same MER as previously. During these weeks, all cats gained weight. Beginning with week 12, a weight-loss regimen was initiated until each cat achieved a BCS of 5 out of 9. After each cat obtained a BCS of 5, an appropriate amount of diet was fed to maintain its BW for at least 4 weeks to determine a modified MER. Daily food consumption, weekly BW and BCS were monitored. Blood was collected before and after weight loss for plasma biochemistry profiles. BW and BCS increased by 16 % and one point (P < 0.01), respectively, during the first 11 weeks after surgery, although food consumption was constant both pre- and post-surgery. The mean MER after obtaining a BCS of 5 was 313.6 (SEM 23.6) kJ/BW(0.67), which is 25 % lower than the current National Research Council recommendation and lower than the cat's requirement before surgery (P < 0.05). In conclusion, spaying significantly increased BW when using MER values for intact cats. Thus, 313.6 × ideal BW(0.67) kJ is proposed for the MER of spayed adult cats.

In this study, we investigated a combination of a low glycemic index starch (LGIS) and diacylglycerol (DAG) on lipid, lipoprotein (LP) metabolism, and weight management. Obese, intact female adult Beagle dogs were assigned to 1 of 4 starch/oil combination diets [LGIS/DAG (LD); LGIS/triacylglycerol (TAG); high glycemic index starch (HGIS)/DAG; and HGIS/TAG (HT)] and fed for 9 wk (n = 6/group) using an incomplete 4 × 4 Latin square design. Each dog was fed 1 of 2 opposite starch/oil combination diets (e.g. LD and HT). At wk 1 and 8, postprandial blood was collected for plasma triacylglycerol (TG), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), total cholesterol (TC), and LP analyses. During the same week, dogs were overnight feed-deprived and post-heparin blood was collected for LP lipase and hepatic lipase activity determinations. At wk 1, 4, and 8, blood was drawn from overnight feed-deprived dogs for plasma TG, BHB, TC, LP, leptin, and adiponectin measurements. Feces were collected at wk 3 for digestibility calculations. The LGIS diets resulted in lower carbohydrate, protein, total tract dry matter digestibilities, and metabolizable energy compared with the HGIS diet groups (P < 0.05). Thus, the LGIS groups lost more body weight (P = 0.001), which was positively correlated with plasma leptin concentrations (r(2) = 0.427; P < 0.001). Moreover, the LGIS diet lowered TC concentrations in combination with DAG. The DAG diet groups decreased postprandial TG and increased BHB concentrations (P < 0.05). Starch/oil types did not alter lipase activities or adiponectin concentrations. In conclusion, the LGIS diet demonstrated potential as a weight management tool in dogs by decreasing postprandial TG and increasing BHB in combination with DAG.

Objective-To determine possible diet aversion and lipid and lipoprotein alterations in cats fed diets containing medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).Animals-19 clinically normal adult female cats.Procedures-Cats were assigned to 2 groups (low MCT diet [n = 10] and high MCT diet [91) and fed the diets for 9 weeks according to metabolic body weight (100 kcal of metabolizable energy [ME] X kg(-0.67)/d). Daily consumption records and weekly body weight and body condition score (BCS) were used to adjust amounts fed and calculate daily ME factors for each cat to maintain ideal BCS. Blood samples were obtained after withholding food on days 0, 14, 28, and 56 for measurement of plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations and lipoprotein-cholesterol distributions. Repeated-measures ANOVA and Tukey multiple comparison tests were performed.Results-No diet differences were found for food consumption, body weight, BCS, and ME factors. A significant increase in plasma triglyceride concentration was detected for the high MCT diet; however, values were within the reference ranges. No diet effects were observed for total cholesterol concentrations or lipoprotein-cholesterol distributions, although increases over time were observed.Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Inclusion of MCT in diets of cats did not result in feed refusal and had minimal effects on lipid metabolism. Such diets may be useful for both clinically normal cats and cats with metabolic disorders. The MCT oils are an example of a bioactive dietary lipid that may benefit feline metabolism and can serve as a useful functional food ingredient for cats. (Am J Vet Res 2010;71:435-440)

A study was conducted in dogs to assess n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid incorporation after feeding an alpha-linolenic (ALA)-rich flaxseed supplemented diet (FLX) for 84 days. Serum total phospholipids (PL), triacylglycerol (TG), and cholesteryl esters (CE) were isolated at selected times and fatty acid methyl esters were analyzed. Increased LA was seen in the FLX-PL fraction after 28 days and an expected decrease in PL-AA. Enrichment of ALA, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid n-3 (DPAn-3) in the FLX-group occurred early on (day 4) in both PL and TG fractions but no docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was found, consistent with data from other species including humans. In contrast, no accumulation of DPAn-3 was seen in serum-CE, suggesting that this fatty acid does not participate in reverse-cholesterol transport. The accumulation of DPAn-3 in fasting PL and TG fractions is likely due to post-absorptive secretion after tissue synthesis. Because conversion of DPAn-3 to DHA occurs in canine neurologic tissues, this DPAn-3 may provide a circulating reservoir for DHA synthesis in such tissues. The absence of DPAn-3 in serum-CE suggests that such transport may be unidirectional. Although conversion of DPAn-3 to DHA is slow in most species, one-way transport of DPAn-3 in the circulation may help conserve this fatty acid as a substrate for DHA synthesis in brain and retinal tissues especially when dietary intakes of DHA are low.

The relationship between lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity and weight loss in dogs was investigated. Four experimental weight-loss diets were fed to 12 obese female beagles for 56 days in a partial crossover design (n = 6). High- (HGI) or low- (LGI) glycemic index starch and diacylglycerol or triacylglycerol oils were combined to compose experimental diets with similar fatty acid profiles. Food intake and body weights were measured daily and weekly, respectively. Fasted blood samples were drawn at day 0, day 28, and day 56 to measure plasma LCAT activity and total (TC), unesterified (UC), and esterified (EC) cholesterol concentrations, and for fatty acid analysis of the phospholipid (PL) and EC fractions. The LGI groups lost more weight than the HGI groups due to starch digestibility differences. An HGI starch effect on TC and UC concentrations was observed but was unrelated to weight loss. LCAT activities increased over time but were not different after controlling for percentage weight loss. However, a positive linear correlation was found between LCAT and UC concentrations in all groups. Plasma PL fatty acid profiles reflected the diets fed, but increases in 16 and 18 carbon saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in all groups appeared to be an effect of fatty acid mobilization from storage sites. Both plasma PL and EC fatty acid profiles were similar with both acylglycerol types and EC fatty acids reflected linoleic acid specificity with minimal diet or time effects.

Long-chain PUFAs (LCPUFAs) are essential for proper neural and retinal development in many mammalian species. We investigated puppies born to dogs fed diets containing varying amounts of vegetable and marine (n-3) fatty acids during gestation/lactation. The fatty acid compositions of dogs' milk and puppy plasma phospholipids were evaluated, and electroretinographic responses of the young dogs were determined after they were weaned to the same diets. Dogs' milk fatty acid composition reflected the diets fed during gestation/lactation. The milk of dogs fed a high alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) diet was enriched in ALA but not docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Puppies fed this ALA-enriched milk accumulated more plasma phospholipid DHA than the low (n-3) fatty acid group. However, this accumulation was less than that obtained in puppies fed preformed DHA during development and suckling (P < 0.05). Electroretinograms (ERGs) of 12-wk-old puppies revealed significantly improved visual performance in dogs fed the highest amounts of (n-3) LCPUFAs (P < 0.05). These puppies demonstrated improved rod response (improved amplitude and implicit time of the a-wave, P < 0.05). Puppies from the low (n-3) fatty acid group exhibited the poorest ERG responses compared with the high-marine or high-vegetable (n-3) groups. A novel parameter devised in this study, the initial intensity at which the a-wave was detectable (i.e., threshold intensity), also demonstrated that retinal response of puppies consuming the (n-3) LCPUFA-containing diets occurred at lower light intensity, thereby exhibiting greater rod sensitivity, than the other diet groups. These findings indicate that preformed dietary (n-3) LCPUFA is more effective than ALA in enriching plasma DHA during perinatal development and results in improved visual performance in developing dogs.

Alterations of plasma lipids and lipoproteins occur during mammalian pregnancy and reproduction. This study investigated the effects of dietary fatty acids on plasma lipid and lipoprotein alterations during canine gestation, lactation, and the neonatal period. Four diets containing varying amounts of alpha-linolenic acid relative to marine-based (n-3) long-chain fatty acids were studied and fed to dogs from the time of estrus, and throughout pregnancy and lactation. In addition, puppies born to these dams suckled and were weaned using the same diets their mothers had been fed. Plasma cholesterol (total, free, and esterified fractions) and triglycerides were determined at selected time points and lipoprotein fractions were characterized in both mothers and offspring. During gestation, plasma total cholesterol concentrations were depressed early on, then increased in the later stages independently of diet. Both beta- and alpha2-migrating lipoproteins also increased during these times. Lactation was also characterized by lower lipid and lipoprotein amounts compared with the nonpregnant state. In puppies, total plasma and beta-lipoprotein cholesterol were elevated at 4 and 10 d of age. Diet effects included cholesterol, triglyceride, and lipoprotein lowering with increased amounts of marine (n-3) fatty acids in all life stages investigated. The increase in beta-lipoprotein cholesterol in puppies during wk 1 of life is consistent with an earlier report of increased canine apoprotein B,E receptor activities in immature dogs compared with undetectable activities in mature animals in which the HDL fractions become even more predominant in this species.

Long-chain PUFAs (LCPUFAs) are essential for proper neural and retinal development in many mammalian species. We investigated puppies born to dogs fed diets containing varying amounts of vegetable and marine (n-3) fatty acids during gestation/lactation. The fatty acid compositions of dogs' milk and puppy plasma phospholipids were evaluated, and electroretinographic responses of the young dogs were determined after they were weaned to the same diets. Dogs' milk fatty acid composition reflected the diets fed during gestation/lactation. The milk of dogs fed a high a-linolenic acid (ALA) diet was enriched in ALA but not docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Puppies fed this ALA-enriched milk accumulated more plasma phospholipid DHA than the low (n-3) fatty acid group. However, this accumulation was less than that obtained in puppies fed preformed DHA during development and suckling (P < 0.05). Electroretinograms (ERGS) of 12-wk-old puppies revealed significantly improved visual performance in dogs fed the highest amounts of (n-3) LCPUFAs (P < 0.05). These puppies demonstrated improved rod response (improved amplitude and implicit time of the a-wave, P < 0.05). Puppies from the low (n-3) fatty acid group exhibited the poorest ERG responses compared with the high-marine or high-vegetable (n-3) groups. A novel parameter devised in this study, the initial intensity at which the a-wave was detectable (i.e., threshold intensity), also demonstrated that retinal response of puppies consuming the (n-3) LCPUFA-containing diets occurred at lower light intensity, thereby exhibiting greater rod sensitivity, than the other diet groups. These findings indicate that preformed dietary (n-3) LCPUFA is more effective than ALA in enriching plasma DHA during perinatal development and results in improved visual performance in developing dogs.

Mammalian skin is a highly dynamic organ that is constantly adapting to changes in its environment. It provides structural, sensory, immunologic, and physiologic functions and contrib-utes an essential barrier function against potential environmental insults. The epidermis of the skin is composed of keratinocytes that undergo a highly organized maturation process that ultimately leads to desquamation. Structural components within these cells utilize dietary lipids such as linoleic acid to maintain a protective barrier. Together they form the stratum corneum, which is the outermost layer of the epidermis. Environmental, physical, and nutritional alterations can modify epidermal structure and function. In addition to keeping environmental insults outside the body, the epidermal barrier also functions to keep water and other important metabolites inside the body. In this way, metabolic processes consonant with health can be maintained. barrier include determination of hydration (HYDR) capacitance of the due to its behavior as a dielectric and assesses a thickness of the stratum