The efficacy, safety, and metabolic consequences of rapid weight loss in privately owned obese cats by means of a canned weight‐reduction diet and the influence of orally administered L‐carnitine on rate of weight loss, routine clinical evaluations, hepatic ultrasonography, plasma amino acid profiles, and carnitine analytes were evaluated. A double‐blinded placebo‐controlled design was used with cats randomly divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (n = 14) received L‐carnitine (250 mg PO q24h) in aqueous solution and group 2 (n = 10) received an identical‐appearing water placebo. Median obesity (body condition scores and percentage ideal body weight) in each group was 25%. Caloric intake was restricted to 60% of maintenance energy requirements (60 kcal/kg) for targeted ideal weight. The reducing formula was readily accepted by all cats. Significant weight loss was achieved by week 18 in each group without adverse effects (group 1 = 23.7%, group 2 = 19.6%). Cats receiving carnitine lost weight at a significantly faster rate ( P < .05). Significant increases in carnitine values developed in each group ( P < .02). However, significantly higher concentrations of all carnitine moieties and a greater percentage of acetylcarnitine developed in cats of group 1 ( P < .01). The dietary formula and described reducing strategy can safely achieve a 20% weight reduction within 18 weeks in obese cats. An aqueous solution of L‐carnitine (250 mg PO ql2h) was at least partially absorbed, was nontoxic, and significantly increased plasma carnitine analyte concentrations as well as rate of weight loss.
ABSTRACT Eleven dogs diagnosed as having idiopathic chronic colitis were treated for four months with a commercial hypoallergenic diet. Ten clinical parameters were evaluated monthly for each dog. Within one month, four key signs associated with colitis (straining, faecal blood, faecal mucus and faecal consistency) were significantly improved and remained so for the subsequent three months. Sulphasalazine was also used in the initial stages of management to control presenting signs. However, within one month 60 per cent of the dogs required either no sulphasalazine (or less) than when originally presented; within two months 90 per cent were stabilised with no drug therapy.
Abstract Objective To evaluate the effect of adding different amounts of insoluble (IF) or soluble (SF) dietary fiber to a commercial diet formulated for weight reduction on satiety and perception of hunger in dogs. Animals 6 adult dogs. Procedure Test diets included 2 low-fiber control diets (CL1 and CL2), 2 diets with increased amount of IF (IF1 and IF2), and 2 diets with increased amount of SF (SF1 and SF2). Each test diet was fed for 12 days to 6 dogs in a Latin square design, and in amounts that correspond to the food allowance recommended for weight reduction. Behavioral characteristics of dogs were recorded for 30-minute periods after introduction of test diets. On 2 occasions during each test period, exactly 3 hours after feeding of the test diet, dogs were given a challenge meal consisting of a standard commercial canned dog food ad libitum. At the end of each 12-day feeding period, all dogs entered a 6-day washout period in which they were offered a standard commercial canned dog food ad libitum. Results Diet had no significant effect on intake of the challenge meal, intake of food during the subsequent washout period, or perception of hunger, as represented by behavioral characteristics during the 30-minute period after presentation of test diets. In addition, diet had no significant effect on percentage of weight loss. Conclusions Inclusion of high amounts of IF or SF in a commercial low-energy diet has no apparent beneficial effects on satiety when fed to dogs on an energy intake regimen corresponding to allowances for weight reduction. ( Am J Vet Res 1997;58:272–276)
In a previous cross‐sectional study of feline chronic renal failure (CRF), metabolic acidosis was identified in 52·6 per cent of animals with severe renal failure (plasma creatinine concentration > 400 umol/litre). The aim of this longitudinal study was to determine whether metabolic acidosis preceded or accompanied a deterioration in renal function in cats with CRF. Data were analysed from 55 cats with CRF that had been followed longitudinally for at least four months. Twenty‐one cases showed deterioration in renal function over the period of the study, as evidenced by significant rises in their plasma creatinine concentrations and decreases in bodyweight. In five of the 21 cases, acidaemia accompanied the deterioration in renal function. Only one of these cats had evidence of metabolic acidosis before renal function deterioration. One other case developed metabolic acidosis without a rise in plasma creatinine concentration. These data suggest that biochemical evidence of metabolic acidosis does not generally occur until late in the course of feline CRF.
A study to compare the effect of a dental hygiene chew with or without 0.2% chlorhexidine on the development of gingivitis and the accumulation of dental deposits was performed using 11 small dogs. Confirming previous data, the daily addition of a standard chew to a dry diet resulted in significantly less gingivitis and calculus after 3 weeks compared with feeding the dry diet alone. Addition of chlorhexidine to the chew made no difference to the degree of gingivitis or the amount of calculus that accumulated, but did result in significantly less plaque accumulation after 3 weeks. The abrasiveness of the chew, rather than the antibacterial activity of chlorhexidine, is likely to have contributed the most to the maintenance of oral health in dogs with mild gingivitis.
SUMMARY Methods available for measurement of plasma lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations and activities of lipoprotein lipase, hepatic lipase, lecithinxholesterol acyl transferase ( lcat ), and cholesteryl ester transfer protein were adapted for use in cats. A combined ultracentrifugation/precipitation procedure was used to isolate very low-density lipoproteins ( vldl ), then to separate low-density lipoproteins ( ldl ) from high-density lipoproteins ( hdl ). The reagent used, 92 m M heparin-manganese chloride, provided complete precipitation of ldl with only trace and insignificant contamination by hdl . Efforts to selectively measure lipoprotein lipase activity in plasma, collected after IV injection of heparin, by inhibiting hepatic lipase with sodium dodecyl sulfate were unsuccessful, and the activity of this enzyme was calculated as the difference between total and hepatic lipase activities. The latter was measured in the presence of high salt concentration to inhibit lipoprotein lipase. Cholesterol esterifying activity was identified in feline plasma and was typical of lcat , in that it was dependent on apolipoprotein A-I as a cofactor. The intra-assay and interassay coefficients of variation for measurement of lipoprotein lipase, hepatic lipase, and lcat activities were 18.4, 4.6, and 7.2%, and 20.4, 10.7, and 5.3%, respectively. Appreciable cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity was not detected in either undiluted or diluted plasma. These methods were subsequently used to investigate the effects of pregnancy and lactation on lipoprotein metabolism in a group of 10 queens. Plasma concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides were unaltered during pregnancy, but the concentrations of vldl -cholesterol increased and those of hdl -cholesterol decreased. During lactation, the concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides decreased owing to reductions in vldl -cholesterol and ldl -cholesterol concentrations and continued suppression of hdl -cholesterol. These changes were associated with alterations in the activities of lipoprotein lipase, which increased after parturition, and hepatic lipase, which increased during pregnancy and lactation, that may help explain their metabolic origins. The activity of lcat remained unchanged.
Thirteen overweight domestic short-haired cats were fed a commercial low calorie diet for 18 weeks at an energy intake to lose weight; they lost an average of 18.1 per cent of their starting weight. An evaluation of their body composition by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry before and after the study suggested that most of the weight lost was composed of fat. The cats' lean bodyweight did not change significantly, but increased as a proportion of total bodyweight.
ABSTRACT Canine obesity is a common condition in veterinary practice, and has been associated with a number of serious medical conditions likely to reduce the length and quality of a pet's life. Therefore, it represents an important condition for the veterinarian to manage. This paper reports a study conducted by veterinarians in practice using controlled calorie reduction for the management of overweight dogs. In the study weight losses of 14 per cent were achieved over a 12 week period. Details of this study are discussed.
'%3e%3cpath fill='%23012169' d='M0 0v30h60V0z'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='6' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='4' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30' clip-path='url(%23b)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='10' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='6' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
'/%3e%3c/defs%3e%3cpath fill='%23012169' d='M0 0h10080v5040H0z'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='.6' d='m0 0 6 3m0-3L0 3' clip-path='url(%23b)' transform='scale(840)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23e4002b' stroke-width='.4' d='m0 0 6 3m0-3L0 3' clip-path='url(%23c)' transform='scale(840)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='840' d='M2520 0v2520M0 1260h5040'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23e4002b' stroke-width='504' d='M2520 0v2520M0 1260h5040'/%3e%3cg fill='%23fff'%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23d' x='2520' y='3780'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='7560' y='4200'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='6300' y='2205'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='7560' y='840'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='8680' y='1869'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23e' x='8064' y='2730'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)