cat and dog nutrition - what you really need to know

This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016

Cat and dog nutritionWhat you really need to knowDr. Jo Gale BVetMed CertLAS MRCVS

WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition

Confidentiality notice: This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Incorporated.©Mars 2016

The WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition


WALTHAM is the global fundamental science centre providingscientific support, credibility and knowledge to Mars Petcare

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How do owners choose what to feed?


So much advice available

• Vets• Breeders• Magazines• Websites• Blogs• TV programmes…..but how can you tell the good advice from the bad?


The truth, the whole truth and….evidence

Veterinary or animal nutritionists employed- Nutrition PhD or “board certified” in veterinary

nutritionPublications in scientific journals

Evidence based nutrition Well designed scientific studies


What’s the best diet for a pet?

…..it depends!As long as nutritionally complete and balanced, then the “best” diet is based on

– individual health needs and preferences of pet

– preferences and budget of their owner


Complete and balanced nutrition

What does “complete” mean?• There are approximately 40 essential nutrients for dogs

and cats

Complete and balanced nutrition

What does “balanced” mean?

Minimum requirement

Maximum requirement

Intake

Toxicity

SAFERANGE

Deficiency

OPTIMUM


Depends on species and lifestage

Essential nutrient requirements

`Cats

• Arginine and taurine – amino acids from protein

• Vitamin D• Vitamin A• Vitamin B3• Arachadonic

acid – fromfat

`Dogs

• Arginine – an aminoacid from protein

• Vitamin D

`Humans

• Vitamin C

Food for dogs will not necessarily

meet the needs of cats because the

cat must have meat/fish in the diet (obligate carnivore) and

requires additional essential nutrients


Formulating a complete and balanced diet – easy?

• Studies have found problems with nutritional adequacy of home-prepared diets

Freeman LM, Michel KE.(2001) Streiff E.L., Zwischenberger B., Butterwick R.F., et al. (2002) Larsen J.A., Parks E.M., Heinze C.R., et al. (2012) Heinze, C. R., Gomez, F. C., & Freeman, L. M. (2012)


2013 study

Evaluation of recipes of home-prepared maintenance diets for dogsStockman J1, Fascetti AJ, Kass PH, Larsen JA.

Hypotheses• Most recipes would not be balanced• Recipes by non-veterinarians would have a higher number of (and

more severe) deficiencies• Most recipes would require assumptions to be made about nutrient

levels

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Stockman%20J%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=23683013

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Fascetti%20AJ%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=23683013

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Kass%20PH%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=23683013

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Larsen%20JA%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=23683013


What was analysed?

• 200 recipes for canine maintenance diets– 2 veterinary textbooks– 9 pet care books for owners or veterinarians – 22 websites – 64% by veterinarians, 36% by laypersons


Results

• 184/200 (92%) necessitated one or more assumptions• 169/200 (84.5%) did not provide specific feeding

instructions• 13/200 (6.5%) included garlic or onion • 190/200 (95%) had at least one deficiency• 167/200 (83.5%) had multiple deficiencies


Results

Common deficiencies– Zinc (69%)– Vitamin D (65%) – Choline (64.5%)– Copper (54%)– EPA plus DHA (53%) – Vitamin E (45%)– Calcium (35%)


What about raw diets?

• Commercial or home-prepared• Fresh, chilled, frozen, freeze dried• Many are not balanced• Bones – foreign body, GI perforation• Benefits - digestibility??• Recent studies have shown - salmonella in 20-48% of commercial

raw diets tested, E. coli in 60%, clostridium in 20%


Recent study on raw dietsRaw red meat diets decrease faecal microbial diversity in the dogNick Cave, DipACVN, PhD, MVSc, BVSc

Massey University, New Zealand

Introduction

Several intestinal diseases of dogs are associated with reduced microbial diversity. It is hypothesised that strategies promoting diversity in healthy dogs might reduce disease risk.

ConclusionA dietary change from conventional commercial diets to a raw meat-based diet rapidly and persistently reduced microbial diversity in healthy dogs. The implications of this reduced diversity for health remains to be determined.


What about grains?


What about food allergies?

• True food allergies result in an immune system response – rare

• Food intolerances more common, most common culprits– Beef – Dairy– Wheat

• However, this does NOT make these ingredients unsuitable for all pets! Most pets are unaffected, therefore no need to avoid them


Pet food myths!


How to give advice on pet nutrition

• Open minded • Evidence based not trend-led• Consider essential needs of ALL pets• Then consider specific needs of individual pets

e.g. increased moisture, lower calorie density, free from certain ingredients

• Then consider specific desires of individual ownerse.g. organic, grain free


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Which of these should be avoided in a cat food?

A. OrganicB. VegetarianC. Grain freeD. With added vegetablesE. Sugar free


Why is it important to feed puppy food until adulthood?

A. Smaller kibblesB. Correct balance of nutrients for growth phaseC. Lower proteinD. More digestibleE. Cheaper


Which of these factors is most important in a dog food?

A. OrganicB. NaturalC. Grain-freeD. Nutritionally complete and balancedE. Available in a variety of flavours