Diets for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
-
Obesity - Body Condition Scoring (BCS)
- Home-Prepared Diets
- Choosing a Diet Specialist
- Cardiac Supplements
- Obesity Medications
- Research News
- Related Links
- Veterinary Resources
This article focuses on providing cavalier King Charles spaniels the dietary nutrition they need to best prepare them for fighting the genetic disorders they may be expected to develop.
The quality and types of foods cavaliers are fed can be very important for their genetic health. Since CKCSs are pre-disposed to some very serious progressive health conditions -- mitral valve disease being the primary one -- we believe it is advisable to feed our cavaliers the best diets aimed at strengthening their hereditary weaknesses, such as their hearts, kidneys, liver, and blood circulatory system.
For these reasons, in this article, you will find that we recommend feeding cavaliers home-prepared diets, including raw meat and vegetables when possible, under the guidance of veterinarians who are knowledgeable about canine nutrition and, most importantly, are not biased against home-prepared meals. By preparing your cavaliers' meals yourself, with proper supplements for heart-health, you can assure that they are getting the best nutrition possible.
If you cannot deal with preparing your cavaliers' meals from
scratch, at the very least we urge you to never feed them dry foods, such as
extruded pellets called kibble, as any part of their daily diets. Instead, feed
wholesome, commercially-prepared frozen or canned dog foods with ingredients
which are primarily human-grade* real meats,
followed by fresh vegetables. Then add to those meals,
cardiac supplements designed to keep the
dogs' hearts strong. Canned foods we like include
Merrick Thanksgiving Day Dinner and
Merrick Cowboy Cookout.
* "Human-grade" means that the food has been subject to USDA inspections and is deemed edible by humans. It therefore does not consist of "by-products" from rendering plants, diseased animals, road kill, or rendered "animal fat".
In
a video primer on how to tell if a particular dog food is wrong for the species,
here is Dr. Karen Becker explaining how to interpret the
ingredients list on a bag of dog food.
Obesity
Obesity is the most common nutritional disease in dogs and can lead to a
range of illnesses and diseases. Cavalier King Charles spaniels may have a breed
pre-disposition to obesity, according to evidence garnered in
a
1986 veterinary research study of dogs in the United Kingdom and confirmed
more recently in a 2007 report.
Joseph Demers, DVM, CVA, CVH, a renowned holistic veterinarian, states:
"Another reason for overweight pets is what we feed our pet friends. Commercial pet food is anywhere between 45 percent to 65 percent carbohydrates (grains). Grains are the least expensive part of pet food and can fill the animal quickly. Dogs and cats are more carnivores than we humans are, and we are feeding them almost as much grain (or more) than we humans eat. I feel that this high carbohydrate commercial pet food is the worst food we can feed our pet friends. Our pet friends need fresh meats, not dehydrated meat by-products. I also feel vegetables are an excellent source of fiber and moisture as well as sources of natural vitamins and minerals for our pet friends."
"I feel most commercial foods use poor quality proteins, and destroy even those with high temperature cooking."
Body Condition Scoring
Canine obesity commonly is measured by a scaling system called Body Condition
Scoring (BCS). BCS is used to evaluate the relative proportions of animal fat,
called adiposity, at specific body locations and compare those to a lean
musculoskeletal system. The 5-point BCS scale ranges from 1 point (emaciated) to
5 points (obese), as follows:
1 = Emaciated. Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones and all body prominences evident from a distance. No discernible body fat. Obvious absence of muscle mass.
2 = Thin. Ribs easily palpated and may be visible with no palpable fat. Tops of lumbar vertebrae visible. Pelvic bones less prominent. Obvious waist and abdominal tuck.
3 = Moderate. Ribs palpable without excess fat covering. Abdomen tucked up when viewed from side. This usually is the ideal BCS score.
4 = Stout. General fleshy appearance. Ribs palpable with difficulty. Noticeable fat deposits over lumbar spine and tail base. Abdominal tuck may be absent.
5 = Obese. Large fat deposits over chest, spine and tail base. Waist and abdominal tuck absent. Fat deposits on neck and limbs. Abdomen distended.
There is also a more complex, 9-point BCS scale, which veterinary nutritionists are more apt to use.
Home-Prepared Diets
There are advantages and disadvantages to feeding cavaliers home-prepared meals. The advantages include being able to feed the best foods and supplements for the particular health needs of the dogs. For example, nearly all CKCSs may be expected to develop mitral valve disease (MVD). Home-prepared meals can be tailored to provide ingredients which help strengthen the heart, kidneys, and liver to enable the dog to better compensate for the damage which MVD can cause. The less processed a dog food is, the easier it is for the dog to digest it, and the more dehydrated a food is -- such as dry food -- the more stressful it is upon the dog's kidneys and liver to assimilate it.
Disadvantages to home-prepared foods include the risk of not offering well-balanced meals with proper supplements. They also can be time-consuming to prepare, and the ingredients can be more expensive than commercially-prepared foods.
If you are a cavalier owner who may be interested in feeding your dog home-prepared meals, whether cooked or raw foods, we strongly recommend that you begin by researching recipes in books on the subject, such as:
Dr. Becker's Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats,
by Dr. Karen Becker. You may order it on-line by clicking the book cover at the
right or
click here.
Natural Dog Care: A Complete Guide to Holistic Health Care for Dogs, by Celeste Yarnall. You may order it on-line by clicking the book cover at the left or click here.
Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats,
by Richard H. Pitcairn D.V.M. and Susan Hubble Pitcairn. You may order it
on-line by clicking the book cover at the right or
click here.
The BARF Diet (Raw Feeding for Dogs and Cats Using Evolutionary Principles,
by Dr. Ian Billinghurst. You may order it on-line by clicking the book
cover at the left or
click here.
If, after doing your research, you are determined to feed your cavalier
a homemade diet, then, before you prepare that first meal, be sure to consult
with a well-qualified, licensed veterinarian who practices holistic care, or a
veterinary nutritionist*, to develop recipes which are both well-balanced and
suitable for the health needs of your cavalier. A list of holistic veterinarians
may be found
here. A list of board certified veterinary nutritionists may
be found
here.
* Most "board certified veterinary nutritionists" appear to be irrationally biased against feeding raw food diets to dogs, so care must be taken when consulting with any of them, that you are being given objective advice which does not sound like it is being given by kibble-peddling marketeers for pet food manufacturers which fund most all research conducted by veterinary nutritionists.
Another option is to contact Monica Segal (above left), a certified animal health nutrition consultant and author, who also happens to own cavaliers herself. She moderates the Yahoo! Group K9Kitchen and has an interactive website for providing nutritional advice on home-prepared diets for your dogs and other pets.
Dr. Karen Becker
(right), who authored
Dr. Becker's Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats, above,
has written an excellent summary of how to make sure you are feeding balanced
nutrition to your dog.
She writes:
"There should be four primary components in a nutritional program for your dog or cat, including:
•Meat, including organs
•Veggie and fruit puree
•Homemade vitamin and mineral mix
•Beneficial additions like probiotics, digestive enzymes, and super green foods
(these aren’t required to balance the diet, but can be beneficial for vitality)
"A healthy dog’s diet should contain about 75 percent meat/organs/bones and 25 percent veggies/fruit (this mimics the GI contents of prey, providing fiber and antioxidants as well). For healthy kitties, the mix should be about 88 percent meat/organs/bones and 12 percent veggies.
"Fresh, whole food provides the majority of nutrients pets need, and a micronutrient vitamin/mineral mix takes care of the deficiencies that do exist, namely iron, copper, manganese, zinc, iodine, vitamin D, folic acid, taurine and Biotin (for cats).
"Keep in mind that just because nutritional deficiencies aren’t obvious in your pet doesn’t mean they don’t exist. A considerable amount of research has gone into determining what nutrients dogs and cats need to survive. At a minimum, you do a disservice to your pet by taking a casual approach to insuring he receives all the nutrients he requires for good health. The kitten who is the subject of this article is a good example of a pet whose breeder meant well and didn’t see any immediate damage to the animal, yet the kitten became acutely ill on the raw chicken-only diet.
"If you’re preparing homemade food for your pet, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of insuring the diet you feed is nutritionally balanced. It doesn't matter whose recipe you follow, but it does matter that it's balanced."
Dr. Sean Delaney
(left), a board certified veterinary nutritionist,
provides a list of his pros and cons about feeding home-prepared diets:
"Homemade recipes have several advantages over commercial food, but they also have several disadvantages. (In general, this author recommends commercial foods as a first method of feeding pets.)
"Advantages of home-prepared diets:
• Highly digestible
• Create recipe appropriate for multiple diseases ...
• Meet particular client’s needs
• Increased knowledge about ingredient sourcing
"Disadvantages of home-prepared diets:
• Generally more expensive
• Can be time consuming to make
• Food data may not match food used
• Experimental, no feeding trials
• “Diet drift” – client changes recipe
"Homemade recipes can be successfully used for pets, but there are many nutritional issues that the client and veterinarian must be aware of. Recipe evaluation with clinical nutrition software and/or a board certified veterinary nutritionist is recommended as are frequent health checks to ensure appropriate performance of the diet and client compliance with the specific recipe(s)."
The
US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) provides this advice for handling raw
food diets:
"For the protection of both you and your pet, the FDA
recommends the following when handling or using raw meat, poultry or seafood,
for use in a pet’s diet:
• Keep raw meat and poultry products frozen until ready to use.
• Thaw in refrigerator or microwave.
• Keep raw food diets separate from other foods. Wash working surfaces, utensils
(including cutting boards, preparation and feeding bowls), hands, and any other
items that touch or contact raw meat, poultry or seafood with hot soapy water.
• Cover and refrigerate leftovers immediately or discard safely.
"In addition:
• For added protection, kitchen sanitizers should be used on
cutting boards and counter tops periodically. A sanitizing solution can be made
by mixing one teaspoon of chlorine bleach to one quart of water.
• If you use plastic or other non-porous cutting boards, run them through the
dishwasher after each use."
Choosing a Diet Specialist
There are many well-qualified holistic veterinarians who specialize in canine
dietary nutrition. See their search webpage
here. But there are very few board certified veterinary
nutritionists in the United States and Canada -- only about 77 by our last count
(see list
here) -- and
few, if any, may be supportive of home-prepared
meals comprised of human-grade ingredients. For most of these nutritionists, objective advice about
non-commercial
diets is not their forte. Many of them are willing tools of the commercial dog
food manufacturers. Just read their website's
Frequently Asked
Questions section and find out for yourself.*
* For example, the FAQ page includes this obviously false statement: "At this time, the vast majority of purported benefits of feeding raw foods remain unproven, while the risks and consequences have been documented."
A typical example of the bias of veterinary nutritionists is the recently published Home-Prepared Dog and Cat Diets, Second Edition by Dr. Patricia A. Schenck. In that book, Dr. Schenck starts off in the first chapter stating:
"Some recipes call for the use of raw ingredients. Raw ingredients often contain bacteria that would normally be destroyed by cooking (see Chapter 2, Food Safety). The practice of feeding uncooked diets should be discouraged."
Thus, as far as Dr. Schenck is concerned, the case for a raw diet is closed. Her logic is that (a) raw food may contain bacteria; therefore (b) owners should not feed any raw food to their pets. So, clearly to the those interested in feeding raw food diets, her book would be a waste of money. It is very unfortunate that as late as 2010, veterinary nutritionists such as Dr. Schenck can be so ignorant and closed-minded about raw diets.
A predictable argument these anti-raw-diet nutritionists raise, as Dr. Schenck makes above, is that uncooked food is a health hazard. It is as if these "experts" are unaware that pet owners would actually handle uncooked food on a daily basis even if they had no pets at all. Further, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration found in 2012 that outbreaks of Salmonella infections in humans have been linked to commercial dry dog foods.* In the four month period from April through July 2012, over sixty commercial brands of dog and cat food were recalled, nearly all for "possible Salmonella contamination".
* Read report here. Also, consider this: "The starches, rancid fats, and sugars in kibbled foods provide much better food sources for bacteria than the proteins in raw meat." http://rawfed.com/myths/bacteria.html
An extreme example of bias against homemade raw food diets is veterinary
nutritionist Dr. Sherry Lynn Sanderson (right) of the University of
Georgia veterinary college. In her un-referenced 2009 paper,
"Raw Diets: Do They Make You Want To BARF?" -- a clever-by-half
title by which she sophomorically conveys her bias -- she tosses objectivity
aside and ridicules, as misguided simpletons, dog owners who feed raw food to
their pets. This paper is such an unscientific attack that it could make you
wonder if grants from dog food companies could be her department's only source
of research funding.*
* "Hill's [Pet Nutrition, the maker of Science Diet kibble] provides financial and educational support to nearly every veterinary college in North America, as well as to veterinary students attending those institutions. This commitment to the profession includes Hill's sponsored teaching programs, residencies and faculty programs in veterinary schools and teaching hospitals all over the world." DVM Newsmagazine. Aug. 2004;35(8):38.
For example, in her paper she denies that the high intensity cooking process of turning raw food into dry kibble can destroy the nutritional value of the food. Side-stepping the vast evidence that it does*, she defends the commercial dog food companies by stating that "It is well known that antioxidants are more available in cooked foods, such as tomatoes or carrots, compared to the same foods that are uncooked." When was the last time you saw tomato or carrot listed among the top ingredients of typical dog kibble?
* See http://rawfed.com/myths/cookedfood.html Most dry dog foods are cooked twice: once when the protein is dehydrated and processed into meal), and a second time when the mixture is extruded to form bite-sized kibble. This extreme processing also changes the structure of proteins and destroys vitamin A, vitamin E and the B-group vitamins. The lack of natural moisture in dry food requires the dog’s body to provide sufficient moisture to reconstitute the food in the digestive tract. This unnaturally stresses the kidneys, liver, and metabolic system. Click here for citation.
Dr. Sanderson's fervent defense of the over-use of corn as a main ingredient
in many commercial foods demonstrates how little scientific evidence she has to
work with. She writes:
"If one considers that corn was a main staple in the diet of Native Americans* for many years, it is difficult to understand how critics can claim that corn is a filler used in pet foods."
Her point? She offers no clue. Chickens eat more corn than the American Indian ever did, but neither humans nor fowl are dogs. Corn is not a natural source of food for dogs, is very difficult for them to digest and assimilate, and is of little nutritional value to them. Dr. Sanderson ignores the well established, scientific fact that canines need a lot less grains and a lot more meat protein than humans do.
* Dr. Sanderson's un-documented statement that American Indians subsisted mainly on corn demonstrates ignorant stereotyping. This type of claim is evidence that board certified veterinary nutritionists are biased (Who seriously believes that corn is a better protein for dogs than meat?) and that these "specialists" really have nothing of value to offer dog owners concerned about healthful nutrition for their pets. Their "professional opinions" may border on malpractice.
Dr. Sanderson concludes her attack by confidently stating: "There is no scientific evidence that raw diets are superior to any commercial canned or dry diets. In contrast, the literature is full of decades worth of research supporting the health benefits of commercial pet foods." That simply proves the point that nearly all research into dog foods is funded by commercial pet food companies, and that objectivity in this area of veterinary research loses to those who issue the grants.
And, Dr. Sanderson is not unique. Another board certified veterinary
nutritionist, Dr. Lisa M. Freeman (right) of Tufts University's
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, also sings the praises of commercial dry
dog foods in which corn and soybeans are the major sources of protein, instead
of real meat. She writes in
"Answering
Owners' Questions About Pet Foods" (as if she actually is trying to be
helpful to those owners), this incredible statement:
"Some owners are concerned about using diets that contain any vegetable-based proteins, such as soybean or corn. These are NOT added as fillers and contain important nutrients. There is no reason why 'grain free' foods are better for either dogs or cats."
Another
example of the alternate universe of veterinary nutritionists is Dr.
Joseph Wakshlag (left) of Cornell University's College of Veterinary
Medicine, who absurdly said in an interview about dog food that: "... often by-product is as good, maybe even a better source
of over-all nutrition ... better off eating by-product than chicken breast."
Elsewhere, he also wrote: "My preferred method of feeding presently is kibble." The ignorance about canine nutrition in that one sentence is breath-taking, but it neatly summarizes the mindset of most veterinary nutritionists.
To the contrary of all this pro-kibble hype from these so-called "nutritionists", research studies that have not been funded by commercial pet fund manufacturers have reached the opposite -- and more obvious -- conclusion that balanced home-prepared meals are much more healthful for our dogs than commercial diets prepared by pet food conglomerates. For example, in a 2003 Belgium study of 522 dogs, the researchers found that dogs fed a species-appropriate homemade diet lived 32 months longer on average than dogs fed commercially available dog foods.
In
2006, another rare insightful
research article on this topic focused on what motivates cat owners to feed
their cats vegetarian diets. The conclusion reached was, "Vegetarian diets are
fed to cats primarily for ethical considerations." In other words, cat owners do
not feed their cats meat because those owners (or more likely, their veterinarians) have an emotional aversion to
either killing livestock or to eating meat
themselves. Perhaps this sort of personal psychological analysis would explain the
absurdly irrational advice of veterinary nutritionists that corn, grains, and
by-product kibble diets are better for our carnivorous dogs than real meat.*
* By the way, Hill's Science Diet kibble cat food does not contain any meat, either.
On August 3, 2012*, the American Veterinary Medical Assn. (AVMA) voted overwhelmingly to condemn the feeding of human-grade raw diets to dogs and cats. Not surprisingly, the AVMA's meeting was heavily funded by Hill's and by Purina, two producers of junk dog food. So, if you are serious about developing a homemade diet and seek the advice of a dietary specialist, be very careful if you decide to ask a veterinary nutritionist for that advice. Most holistic veterinarians will have a much more receptive attitude towards your request.
* According to the AVMA website, in just the four months preceding this AVMA vote, over 60 commercial brands of dog and cat food were recalled, nearly all for "possible Salmonella contamination". Despite these massive recalls of kibble and canned pet foods, AVMA chose to condemn only pet owners for feeding healthful, human-grade raw food diets to their dogs and cats. Pet owners have been feeding raw diets to their dogs and cats for decades, yet to date, not one documented case of raw pet food causing illness in humans has been reported.
However,
even a board certified veterinary nutritionist occasionally will let a nugget of
"raw" truth filter through. Dr. Jennifer Larsen (right)
at the University of California, Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital,
stated in August 2012 that:
"Raw diets are very popular and have their advantages and disadvantages, she said. They are palatable, highly digestible, the owner can control the ingredients, and the high fat content supports a nice skin and coat. Disadvantages are questionable nutritional adequacy and food safety."
We do not dispute that raw diets, or all home-prepared meals, should be properly balanced. And, as with any home-prepared foods, for humans and pets alike, hygiene rules should be followed.
Cardiac Supplements
Heart-healthy supplements to consider giving to cavaliers include:
4Vitamin C and Vitamin E and CoQ10 and Udo's Choice Oil 3.6.9 Blend and fish oils.
4Bio-Cardio, a Thorne Veterinary Products multi-vitamin, mineral, and herbal extract supplement (which includes Vitamin E, selenium, magnesium, potassium, L-Carnitine, L-Taurine, coenzyme Q-10, dimethylglycine [DMG], Hawthorne extract, desiccated bovine heart, and Siberian genseng extract).
4Canine Cardiac Support, and human-grade supplements, including Cardio-Plus, Cardiotrophin PMG, Cataplex E, and Vasculin, which are nutritional whole food supplements offered by Standard Process, Inc.
4Flavonex, a salvia and gingko extract herbal supplement made by Health Concern.
4Natural supplements which may help to strengthen and energize the heart of a dog with severe MVD include D-Ribose (Corvalen Ribose or Pure Encapsulations Ribose), also known as alpha-D-ribofuranoside, which reportedly improves ventilatory efficiency in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). See 2009 report. It also reportedly boosts the energy level of heart muscle cells, improving cardiovascular function and the flow of blood.
Holistic supplements should be taken only if prescribed by a licensed veterinarian who also is holistically trained. A search webpage for finding holistic veterinarians in the United States is located at www.holisticvetlist.com.
Obesity Medications
Dirlotapide (Slentrol) -- see 2007 study -- is a diet drug approved by the FDA for canines that are at least 20% overweight. It is a selective microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor, which blocks the assembly and release of lipoproteins into the bloodstream. The drug induces the dog to eat less, because it causes reduces fat absorption and sends a signal from lipid-filled cells lining the intestine that the dog's appetite is satisfied.
After the dog has reached its goal weight, the drug's manufacturer, Pfizer Animal Health, recommends continued use for up to three more months, while appropriate levels of food intake and physical activity are determined to maintain the dog's optimal weight.
Adverse reactions associated with this treatment include vomiting, loose stools, diarrhea, and lethargy. It should not be prescribed for dogs with liver disease or in dogs receiving long-term corticosteroid therapy.
Research News
4March 2013: US researchers find false crude fiber percentages reported on commercial dog food ingredients lists. A team of University of California at Davis nutritionists studied 20 canned and 20 dry dog foods for fiber concentration. They reported in their April 2013 article that ingredients lists on the packages were unreliable as indicators of the actual fiber concentrations and compositions of the dog foods.
4August
2012:
10 of
21 tested commercial dog foods falsified their ingredients. In
an August 2012 report, ten of twenty-one
tested commercial dog foods either contained ingredients specifically excluded on the
label or did not contain ingredients specifically advertised on the label. For
instance, a food labeled as containing venison instead contained beef and pork
and no venison or deer meat at all; a food labeled "lamb" contained pork instead
of lamb; a food labeled "chicken meal" contained pork instead. Foods labeled "no
gluten" or "grain-free" in fact contained gluten and grain levels four times
higher than allowable amounts. Commercial pet food companies are notorious for
switching main, advertised ingredients, depending upon costs of those
ingredients. This August 2012 report clearly substantiates that fact.
4August 2012: Netherlands' obesity in show dogs study finds cavaliers in the 4 to 5 "ideal" range of the 9-point BCS. In an August 2012 Netherlands study of 1,379 show dogs (128 breeds), including 18 CKCSs, the cavaliers averaged a 9-point Body Condition Score of 4.67, which puts them squarely in the middle of the "ideal" range of 4 to 5. The 18 cavaliers were scored between 3 and 6. Overall,18.6% of the show dogs had a BCS >5, and 1.1% of the show dogs had a BCS>7.
4June
2012: Royal Veterinary College (RVC) conducts study of the influence of
diet on improving seizure control. The RVC is working with a small
animal health and wellness company to confirm the efficacy
and
safety of a novel diet in the management of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy being
treated with phenobarbitone and/or potassium bromide. To confirm the efficacy of
this new diet, RVC seeks to recruit dogs which are suspected of having
idiopathic epilepsy, with these qualifications: (a) dogs which have a seizure
frequency of at least three seizures in the last three months; and (b) dogs
receiving phenobarbitone and/or potassium bromide treatment. For more
information, contact RVC by
clicking here, and/or
downloading this brochure.
4June 2012: Another duh! UK research paper title says it all: "Quality of life is reduced in obese dogs but improves after successful weight loss." See summary of the report here in the Veterinary Journal, again.
4April
2012: Well, duh! UK study concludes dogs' weight
gain is tied to quantity of food intake. A team of UK veterinary
dieticians with nothing more pressing to do, spent 4.5 years studying the diets
of 33 dogs and found that limiting weight gain was directly related to limiting
food intake. See the summary of this report
in the Veterinary Journal.
4May 2010: The Heart Diet. UK cardiologist Simon Swift noted at a 2010 symposium that:
"Interestingly, asymptomatic dogs fed a 'heart diet' had a reduction in heart size. The 'heart diet' included decrease sodium, increased levels of arginine, carnitine and taurine as well as supplementation with omega 3 fatty acids. Whether this translates into a delay before heart failure develops remains to be proven."
The Heart Diet was reported in a 2006 article by Drs. Lisa M. Freeman (board certified veterinary nutritionist) and John E. Rush (board certified veterinary cardiologist), and by Peter J. Markwell (senior veterinary nutritionist at a UK dog food company). They fed "a moderately reduced sodium diet enriched with antioxidants, n-3 fatty acids, taurine, carnitine, and arginine" for four weeks to fourteen dogs, including cavaliers, with asymptomatic mitral valve disease. Another fifteen asymptomatic dogs, including cavaliers, were fed a placebo. They found that the dogs on the heart diet had measurable reductions in heart size, including the left-atrial dimension and left-ventricular internal dimension.
A downside of this 2006 study was that, as might have been expected when veterinary nutritionists are involved in the research, the food fed in both diets consisted of "commercial, extruded, dry dog foods", i.e., kibble. Another downside, as expected, is that the study was funded by Mr. Markwell's employer, a kibble manufacturer.
4November 2007: The Satiety Control diet, a diet both high in protein and fiber reportedly was most effective in satisfying appetite and thereby reducing the dog's inclination to begging and scavenging. The diet was developed by a team of veterinarians at the University of Liverpool's Small Animal Teaching Hospital, and the Royal Canine Research Centre in France, which studied various diets for satiety, digestibility and palatability. Read portions of their report here.
4August 2007: In a study sponsored by Pfizer, Inc., the manufacturer of dirlotapide (Slentrol), a weight-loss product for overweight canines, the researchers found that "dirlotapide ... was effective in reducing body weight in client-owned overweight dogs in the absence of dietary restriction or increased exercise. Dirlotapide treatment was found to be clinically safe, and although emesis and diarrhea occurred in a few dogs, all cases resolved spontaneously." Of the 245 dogs involved in the study, 5% were CKSCs.
Related Links
Holistic
Veterinarian Search Engine
Joseph Demers, DVM
MonicaSegal.com
Yahoo! Groups K9Kitchen
Myths about Raw
Diets
Commercial Dog Food Pros & Cons
American College of Veterinary Nutritionists List
Veterinary Resources
Study of obesity in dogs visiting veterinary practices in the United Kingdom. Edney, A.T.B., Smith, P.M. Veterinary Record, 118:391–396 (1986).
Relations Between the Domestic Dogs’ Well-Being and Life Expectancy. Lippert, G., & Sapy, B. Prince Laurent Foundation Price, 2003. Quote: "Study of the influence of food served to the dog on the average age of death: We took into consideration three categories of food: (1) Home made; (2) Mixture (A mix of home made and industrial food); (3) Industrial (Retail sold dog food). The difference between the 2 extremes amounts to more than 32 months (approximately 3 years). This difference is important (F Value: 6.67; Pr>F: 0017). Food is consequently of great importance for the life expectancy of the dog. We can consider that home made food is a protection factor for the domestic dog."
Evaluation of cats fed vegetarian diets and attitudes of their caregivers. Lorelei A. Wakefield, Frances S. Shofer, Kathryn E. Michel. J.Am.Vety.Med.Assn. July 2006;229(1):70-73. Quote: "Objective: To determine motivation and feeding practices of people who feed their cats vegetarian diets as well as taurine and cobalamin status of cats consuming vegetarian diets. Design: Cross-sectional study. Animals: 34 cats that had been exclusively fed a commercial or homemade vegetarian diet and 52 cats that had been fed a conventional diet for ≥ 1 year. Procedures: Participants were recruited through a Web site and from attendees of a national animal welfare conference. Caregivers of cats in both groups answered a telephone questionnaire regarding feeding practices for their cats. Blood was obtained from a subset of cats that had been fed vegetarian diets. Blood and plasma taurine and serum cobalamin concentrations were measured. Results: People who fed vegetarian diets to their cats did so largely for ethical considerations and were more likely than people who fed conventional diets to believe that there are health benefits associated with a vegetarian diet and that conventional commercial cat foods are unwholesome. Both groups were aware of the potential health problems that could arise from improperly formulated vegetarian diets. All cats evaluated had serum cobalamin concentrations within reference range, and 14 of 17 had blood taurine concentrations within reference range. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Vegetarian diets are fed to cats primarily for ethical considerations. Results of this study should aid practitioners in communicating with and providing advice to such clients."
Effects of Dietary Modification in Dogs with Early Chronic Valvular Disease. Lisa M. Freeman, John E. Rush, and Peter J. Markwell. J Vet Intern Med, Sep 2006;20:(5)1116–1126. Quote: "The potential benefits of nutritional modification in early canine cardiac disease are not known. We hypothesized that echocardiographic, neuroendocrine, and nutritional variables will differ between dogs with asymptomatic chronic valvular disease (CVD) and healthy controls, and that a moderately reduced sodium diet enriched with antioxidants, n-3 fatty acids, taurine, carnitine, and arginine will alter these variables in dogs with CVD. Echocardiography was performed and blood was collected. After baseline comparison with healthy controls, all dogs with CVD were fed a low-sodium run-in diet for 4 weeks, reevaluated, and then randomized to receive either the cardiac diet or a placebo diet for 4 weeks. RESULTS: At baseline, dogs with CVD (n = 29) had significantly lower circulating sodium, chloride, arginine, and methionine concentrations and higher plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide compared to healthy controls. In dogs with CVD, plasma aldosterone concentration and heart rate increased significantly after 4 weeks of eating the run-in diet. The cardiac diet group (n = 14) had larger increases in levels of cholesterol (P = .001), triglycerides (P = .02), eicosapentaenoic acid (P < .001), docosahexaenoic acid (P < .001), total omega-3 fatty acids (P < .001), vitamin C (P = 0.04), alpha-tocopherol (P < .001), and gamma-tocopherol (P < .001) compared to the placebo diet group (n = 15). The cardiac diet group also had larger reductions in maximal left-atrial dimension (P = .003), left-ventricular internal dimension in diastole (P = .03), and weight-based maximal left-atrial dimension (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Observed changes in both blood variables and echocardiographic measurements warrant additional studies on dietary modifications in dogs with early CVD."
Hey Doc, What Do You Think of My Home-Prepared Diet? Sean J. Delaney. No. American Vet. Conf. 2006.
Evolutionary Nutrition for the Dog. Sarah Godfrey, David Ruish. Going to the Dogs Inc. 2006. Quote: "Since cats and dogs are carnivores, we can conclude, in this case, that the more processed/cooked/rendered the food is, the less valuable it is, as is all naturally occurring food."
Prevalence of obese dogs in a population of dogs with cancer. Lisa P. Weeth, Andrea J. Fascetti, Philip H. Kass, Steven E. Suter, Aniel M. Santos, Sean J. Delaney. Am.J.Vet.Research, April 2007;68(4):389-398.
Managing Canine Obesity: a New Therapeutic Approach: Canine obesity – an overview. J. Gossellin, J. A. Wren, S. J. Sunderland. Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 30(1): 1-10, August 2007.
Managing Canine Obesity: a New Therapeutic Approach: An evaluation of dirlotapide to reduce body weight of client-owned dogs in two placebo-controlled clinical studies in Europe. J. Gossellin, J. A. Wren, S. J. Sunderland. Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 30(1): 73-80, August 2007.
Dietary Energy Restriction and Successful Weight Loss in Obese Client-Owned Dogs. Alexander J. German, Shelley L. Holden, Thomas Bissot, Rachel M. Hackett, and Vincent Biourge. J. Vet. Internal Med. Vol. 21(6): 1174–1180 (Nov.-Dec. 2007). Quote: "This clinical study demonstrated body composition changes during weight loss in dogs. Conventional programs produced safe weight loss, but marked energy restriction was required and the rate of loss was slower than in experimental studies."
A High-Protein, High-Fiber Diet Designed for Weight Loss Improves Satiety in Dogs. Mickaël Weber, Thomas Bissot, Eric Servet, Renaud Sergheraert, Vincent Biourge, and Alexander J. German. J. Vet. Internal Med. Vol. 21(6): 1203–1208 (Nov.-Dec. 2007). Quote: "Hypothesis: A diet formulated to contain a high content of both protein and fiber is more satiating than diets that contain only high fiber or high protein. ... Methods: Three diets (high protein [103 g/1,000 kcal] high fiber [60 g/1,000 kcal] [HPHF]; high protein [104 g/1,000 kcal] moderate fiber [35 g/1,000 kcal] [HP]; moderate protein [86 g/1,000 kcal] high fiber [87 g/1,000 kcal] [HF]) were tested. Voluntary food intake was measured in 5 sequential crossover studies, and palatability was assessed with food preference tests. ... Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The HPHF diet had a satiating effect as evidenced by reduced voluntary intake compared with HP and HF diets, and has the potential to lead to greater compliance in weight-loss programs."
Determining the optimal age for gonadectomy of dogs and cats. Margaret V. Root Kustritz. JAVMA; 12/1/07; Vol. 231(11):1665-1675. Quote: "Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder of dogs and cats, with a reported incidence of 2.8% among the entire dog population. It is a multifactorial problem. Risk factors include breed, with an increased incidence of obesity in ...Cavalier King Charles Spaniels... ."
Complications of Overnutrition in Companion Animals. Alexander James German. NAVA Clinician's Brief. March 2008. Quote: "Breed associations include the retriever breeds (Labrador, golden retriever), Cairn terrier, cavalier King Charles spaniel, and cocker spaniel for dogs; domestic shorthair cats are also overrepresented. Neutering is an important risk factor because it may lead to behavioral changes that result in increased food intake and decreased activity (ie, overnutrition). "
AAHA Nutritional Assessment Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. Kimberly Baldwin, Joe Bartges, Tony Buffington, Lisa M. Freeman, Mary Grabow, Julie Legred, Donald Ostwald, Jr. J. Amer. An. Hospital Assn. July 2010 46(4): 285-296.
Long-term follow-up after weight management in obese dogs: The role of diet in preventing regain. A.J. German, S.L. Holden, P.J. Morris, V. Biourge. Vet.J.; April 2012; 192(1):65-70. Quote: "Regain after weight loss is widely reported in humans, but there is little information on this phenomenon in dogs. The current study aim was to determine long-term success of a weight loss regime and those factors linked with regain. Thirty-three obese dogs, that had successfully lost weight, were included, all enrolled between December 2004 and May 2009. After weight loss, dogs were switched to a maintenance regime and follow-up weight checks were performed periodically. A review of cases that had completed their weight programme was held during the summer of 2010 and a follow-up check was subsequently conducted, where dogs were reweighed and information was collected on current feeding practices. Median duration of follow-up was 640 days (119–1828 days). Fourteen dogs (42%) maintained weight, 3 (9%) lost >5% additional weight, and 16 (48%) gained >5% weight. Dogs fed a purpose-formulated weight loss diet regained less weight than those switched onto a standard maintenance diet (P = 0.0016). Energy intake at the time of follow-up was significantly higher in those dogs fed a standard maintenance diet, compared with those that had remained on a purpose-formulated weight loss diet (P = 0.017). These results suggest that weight regain occurs in about half of dogs after successful weight loss. Long-term use of a purpose-formulated weight management diet can significantly limit regain in the follow-up period, likely by limiting food intake."
The Controversy Between a Raw Food Diet and a Kibble Diet: Is a Raw Food Diet Healthier for our Pets? Jody Freeland. Spring 2012. American College of Applied Science. Quote: "...dogs are carnivores and should eat raw meat."
Quality of life is reduced in obese dogs but improves after successful weight loss. A.J. German, S.L. Holden, M.L. Wiseman-Orr, J. Reid, A.M. Nolan, V. Biourge, P.J. Morris, E.M. Scott. Vet.J. June 2012;192:428-434. Quote: "The current study aim was to use a questionnaire to determine health-related quality of life (HRQOL) both before and after weight loss, in obese client-owned dogs. Fifty obese dogs were included, and represented a variety of breeds and genders. Prior to weight loss, owners were asked to complete a validated standardised questionnaire to determine HRQOL. Thirty of the dogs successfully completed their weight loss programme and reached target, and owners then completed a follow-up questionnaire. The completed questionnaire responses were transformed to scores corresponding to each of four factors (vitality, emotional disturbance, anxiety and pain), and scored on a scale of 0–6. Changes in the scores were used to explore the sensitivity of the questionnaire, and scores were correlated with responses to direct questions about quality of life and pain, as well as weight loss. Dogs that failed to complete their weight loss programme had lower vitality and higher emotional disturbance scores than those successfully losing weight (P = 0.03 for both). In the 30 dogs that completed, weight loss led to an increased vitality score (P < 0.001), and decreased scores for both emotional disturbance (P < 0.001) and pain (P < 0.001). However, there was no change in anxiety (P = 0.09). The change in vitality score was positively associated with percentage weight loss (rP = 0.43, P = 0.02) and percentage body fat loss (rP = 0.39, P = 0.03). These results indicate demonstrable improvement in HRQOL for obese dogs that successfully lose weight."
Effects of Surgical Sterilization on Canine and Feline Health and on Society. MV Root Kustritz. Reprod Dom Anim 47 (Suppl. 4), 214–222; Aug. 2012. Quote: "Surgical sterilization of dogs and cats is a well-accepted measure for population control in some countries, but is considered unethical as an elective surgery in other countries. This is a review of what is known regarding positive and negative effects of gonadectomy surgery on individual animals and on societal management of unowned dog and cat populations. ... Metabolic Disorders: Obesity: In retrospective studies, up to 2.8% of the canine population has been demonstrated to be obese, with up to 50% of gonadectomized dogs and cats designated as obese (Mason 1970; David and Rajendran 1980). Increase in indiscrimate appetite was reported in spayed bitches in one study but in another study of spayed and castrated dogs, no change in food intake or depth of back fat was reported by 15 months of age (O’Farrell and Peachey 1990; Salmeri et al. 1991a). Risk factors other than gonadectomy include housing of the animal; increasing age; ownership by an overweight person or a person over 40 years of age; and breed, with the beagle, cairn terrier, cavalier King Charles spaniel, cocker spaniel, dachshund and Labrador retriever among those breeds at greatest risk (Mason 1970; Edney and Smith 1986; Crane 1991; Sloth 1992; Colliard et al. 2006)."
Obesity in show dogs. R. J. Corbee. J.Anim. Physiology & Anim. Nutrition. Aug 2012. Quote: "Obesity is an important disease with a growing incidence. Because obesity is related to several other diseases, and decreases life span, it is important to identify the population at risk. Several risk factors for obesity have been described in the literature. A higher incidence of obesity in certain breeds is often suggested. The aim of this study was to determine whether obesity occurs more often in certain breeds. The second aim was to relate the increased prevalence of obesity in certain breeds to the official standards of that breed. To this end, we investigated 1379 dogs of 128 different breeds [including 18 cavalier King Charles spaniels] by determining their body condition score (BCS). Overall, 18.6% of the show dogs had a BCS >5, and 1.1% of the show dogs had a BCS>7. There were significant differences between breeds, which could be correlated to the breed standards. It warrants firm discussions with breeders and judges in order to come to different interpretations of the standards to prevent overweight conditions from being the standard of beauty. [among the 18 CKCSs, the average BCS was 4.67 and the BCS range varied from 3 to 6.]
Are
your pet food labels accurate? Laura K. Allred. August 2012. Petfoodindustry.com Quote: "The need for
increased attention to identifying animal proteins and grains was highlighted in
a recent survey of 21 commercial dog foods performed by our laboratory in
Florida. Ten of the foods were purchased in local grocery stores and 11 were
purchased in local specialty pet stores. Five of the foods were chosen
specifically because they claimed to be gluten-free, while the remainder was an
equal mix of large and small brands. All the products were tested for the
presence of beef, pork, poultry, turkey, sheep, horse and deer content using the
US Department of Agriculture protocol, which is a qualitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method that can detect both muscle and organ tissue
from the designated species. The samples were also tested for gluten using a
quantitative ELISA. The test results were then compared to the ingredient label
on the package. We found eight foods that tested positive for an animal protein
not listed on the ingredient label: two
instances of undeclared beef/sheep, five
of pork and one of deer. Conversely, in two instances, foods claiming to contain
venison tested negative for deer content but positive for beef, sheep or pork.
Two foods used a general term, meat and bone meal, rather than listing a
specific protein source. Both of these foods tested positive only for pork
content, but these were not considered instances of mislabeling. Twelve of the
21 foods tested listed no gluten source (wheat, rye, barley or related grains)
in their ingredient list, and five were specifically labeled as gluten-free or
grain-free. Five of the 12 foods with no listed gluten source, including two of
those foods promoted as gluten- or grain-free, tested positive for gluten at
greater than 80 ppm. This level is far above FDA’s proposed limit of 20 ppm for
gluten-free labeling in human foods. Overall, there were 12 instances of
mislabeling in 10 of the dog foods tested; two foods had more than one labeling
issue."
Effect of Weight Loss in Obese Dogs on Indicators of Renal Function or Disease. A. Tvarijonaviciute, J.J. Ceron, S.L. Holden, V. Biourge, P.J. Morris and A.J. German. J.Vety.Inter.Med. Dec. 2012. Quote: "Background: Obesity is a common medical disorder in dogs, and can predispose to a number of diseases. Human obesity is a risk factor for the development and progression of chronic kidney disease. Objectives: To investigate the possible association of weight loss on plasma and renal biomarkers of kidney health. Animals: Thirty-seven obese dogs [including three cavalier King Charles spaniels] that lost weight were included in the study. Methods: Prospective observational study. ... A weight management protocol was then instigated, using either a high protein high fiber [Royal Canin's Satiety Support, a dry food with sawdust as the primary ingredient] (35 dogs) or high protein moderate fiber [Royal Canin's Obesity Management] (2 dogs) weight loss diet. ... Three novel biomarkers of renal functional impairment, disease, or both (homocysteine, cystatin C, and clusterin), in addition to traditional markers of chronic renal failure (serum urea and creatinine, urine specific gravity [USG], urine protein-creatinine ratio [UPCR], and urine albumin corrected by creatinine [UAC]) before and after weight loss in dogs with naturally occurring obesity were investigated. Results: Urea (P = .043) and USG (P = .012) were both greater after weight loss than before loss, whilst UPCR, UAC, and creatinine were less after weight loss (P = .032, P = .006, and P = .026, respectively). Homocysteine (P < .001), cystatin C (P < .001) and clusterin (P < .001) all decreased upon weight loss. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed associations between percentage weight loss (greater weight loss, more lean tissue loss; r = −0.67, r2 = 0.45, P < .001) and before-loss plasma clusterin concentration (greater clusterin, more lean tissue loss; r = 0.48, r2 = 0.23, P = .003). Conclusion and Clinical Importance: These results suggest possible subclinical alterations in renal function in canine obesity, which improve with weight loss. Further work is required to determine the nature of these alterations and, most notably, the reason for the association between before loss plasma clusterin and subsequent lean tissue loss during weight management."
Evaluation of fiber concentration in dry and canned commercial diets formulated for adult maintenance or all life stages of dogs by use of crude fiber and total dietary fiber methods. Amy K. Farcas, Jennifer A. Larsen, Andrea J. Fascetti. J.Amer.Vety.Med.Assn. April 2013;242(7):936-940. Quote: "Objective: To assess differences among reported maximum crude fiber (CF), measured CF, and measured total dietary fiber (TDF) concentrations, and determine fiber composition in dry and canned nontherapeutic diets formulated for adult maintenance or all life stages of dogs. Design: Prospective cross-sectional study. Sample: Dry (n = 20) and canned (20) nontherapeutic canine diets. Procedures: Reported maximum CF concentrations were obtained from product labels. Concentrations of CF and TDF were measured in samples of the diets for comparison. For each diet, percentages of TDF represented by insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) and soluble dietary fiber (SDF) were determined. Results: For dry or canned diets, the median reported maximum CF concentration was significantly greater than the median measured value. Measured CF concentration was significantly lower than measured TDF concentration for all diets. Median percentage of TDF (dry-matter basis) in dry and canned diets was 10.3% and 6.5%, respectively (overall range, 3.9% to 25.8%). Fiber composition in dry and canned diets differed; median percentage of TDF provided by IDF (dry-matter basis) was 83.4% in dry diets and 63.6% in canned diets. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Among the evaluated diets, measured CF concentration underrepresented measured TDF concentration. Diets provided a wide range of TDF concentration, and proportions of IDF and SDF were variable. In the absence of information regarding TDF concentration, neither reported maximum nor measured CF concentration appears to be a particularly reliable indicator of fiber concentration and composition of a given canine diet."
