Dear Colleagues,

In this Special Issue, we are pleased to invite scholarly articles pertaining to nutritional disorders in companion animals. Most commonly, these disorders can be attributed to the dietary intake being insufficient or excessive in particular nutrients, or to the animal’s inability to absorb or utilize nutrients. Different life stages and physiological states create additional nutritional challenges, and consequently some of these nutritional disorders arise in otherwise healthy animals during growth, strenuous exercise, or gestation and lactation. In recent times, the ready availability of nutritionally complete and balanced commercial pet foods has greatly reduced the incidence of nutritional deficiencies, whereas conditions related to overconsumption, such as obesity, have become more prevalent. Topics contributed to this special issue may include any condition that is directly attributable to the diet; or any condition that is ameliorated by dietary intervention even where the diet is not the cause of the disease, such as is the case with certain inherited metabolic disorders.

We look forward to receiving your contributions,

Dr. Wendy Brown
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• Diet
• Nutrition
• Nutritionally responsive disorders
• Diet-related health disorders
• Nutrient imbalance
• Vitamin deficiencies and excesses
• Inherited metabolic disorders
• Bioavailability
• Malabsorption
• Urinary calculi
• Diet fixation
• Obesity
• Food allergies and sensitivities
• Eclampsia
• Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism
• Nutritional anaemias
• Dog
• Cat
• Rabbit
• Guinea pig

Title: The Role of Thiamine and the Effects of Deficiency in Dogs and Cats
Authors: Georgia Kritikos, Jacqueline M. Parr and Adronie Verbrugghe *
Affiliation: Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; E-Mails: gkritiko@uoguelph.ca (G.K.); parr@uoguelph.ca (J.P.); averbrug@uoguelph.ca (A.V.)
*   Correspondence: averbrug@uoguelph.ca
Abstract: Thiamine is an essential dietary nutrient that has a critical role in energy metabolism, although its functions are still not completely understood. Recent pet food recalls for insufficient dietary thiamine have highlighted the importance of adequate thiamine intake in dogs and cats. Prolonged thiamine deficiency leads to clinical signs that can span several organ systems, and deficiency can be fatal if not reversed. In this review, the current knowledge of thiamine metabolism will be summarized. Dietary recommendations for dogs and cats will be discussed, and the risk factors and clinical signs associated with thiamine deficiency will be examined.
Keywords: vitamin B₁; water-soluble vitamins; dog food; cat food; nutrient deficiency