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Veterinary Sciences
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Effects of Diet on Small Animal Health
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Effects of Diet on Small Animal Health

A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases in Veterinary Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2023) | Viewed by 9916

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Alessandro Gramenzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy
Interests: microbiome; lipidomics; probiotics
Prof. Dr. Andrea Boari

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy
Interests: small animal internal medicine; gastroenterology; endocrinology; feline medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The nutrition of dogs and cats is of increasing importance in relation to the state of health and wellbeing of animals. In particular, in recent years, scientific research has focused on aspects related to the study of the mechanisms through which some nutrients act in improving the response of the organism and/or some organs to pathological processes. In this field, the study of functional foods and nutraceutical principles, both of animal and vegetable origin, is of considerable importance, in order to provide the veterinarian with an additional therapeutic tool in the clinical setting. The fields of study in which notable results are being achieved are those relating to the intestinal microbiota of the dog and cat and how, through diet, it is possible to positively influence the bacterial balance especially towards the metabolism in order to identify those metabolites that are involved in processes to improve the efficiency of the intestinal barrier. Furthermore, the intestinal microbiota is intimately linked to other organs such as the liver and the brain, intervening in modulating numerous metabolic, endocrine, and nervous signals. Another very interesting field of application for veterinary clinical practice is the study of lipidomics, which allows, in a dynamic way, verifying the effects of the different lipidic contributions of the diet on the fatty acid composition of membrane phospholipids in order to be able to evaluate the inflammatory state of the animal.

This Special Issue on “Effects of Diet on Small Animal Health” aims to increase the flow and exchange of information between the various veterinary disciplines through the publication of a selection of research articles from leading laboratories in this field. It is hoped that this problem will further stimulate collaboration between researchers engaged in studying aspects of the research concerning the effect of diet on animal health.

Prof. Alessandro Gramenzi
Prof. Dr. Andrea Boari
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Veterinary Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • dog
  • cat
  • nutrition
  • pet food
  • nutraceuticals
  • functional foods
  • probiotics
  • prebiotics
  • postbiotics
  • lipid
  • protein
  • lipidomics
  • Omega 3
  • Omega 6
  • digestibility
  • bioavailability

Published Papers (6 papers)

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16 pages, 1947 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Dietary Protein Concentration on the Fecal Microbiome and Serum Concentrations of Gut-Derived Uremic Toxins in Healthy Adult Cats
by Stacie Summers, Jessica Quimby, Jason Gagné and Michael Lappin
Vet. Sci. 2023, 10(8), 497; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10080497 - 02 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1495
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of feeding healthy adult cats with foods containing variable protein concentrations on the fecal microbiome and serum concentrations of the gut-derived uremic toxins indoxyl sulfate, p-cresol sulfate (pCS), and trimethylamine-n-oxide. Twenty healthy young [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of feeding healthy adult cats with foods containing variable protein concentrations on the fecal microbiome and serum concentrations of the gut-derived uremic toxins indoxyl sulfate, p-cresol sulfate (pCS), and trimethylamine-n-oxide. Twenty healthy young adult cats were randomized into two groups and fed either a low-protein diet (LPD; 7.4 g/100 kcal ME) or a high-protein diet (HPD; 11.0 g/100 kcal ME) for a 12-week period. Serum uremic toxin concentrations were measured via liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, and the fecal microbiome was characterized using shallow sequence shotgun metagenomics. Cats that consumed the HPD had higher pCS concentrations at 8 weeks (p = 0.028) when compared to baseline. After 12 weeks, cats fed the HPD had higher fecal alpha diversity indices at both the taxonomic and functional levels and lower fecal Bifidobacterium relative abundance compared to those cats fed the LPD. In conclusion, a change in diet and dietary protein concentration shifted the fecal microbial community and microbial function. Feeding cats a high amount of protein increased serum concentrations of the uremic toxin pCS; however, the effect was short-lived. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Diet on Small Animal Health)
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0 pages, 319 KiB  
Article
A Supplement with Bromelain, Lentinula edodes, and Quercetin: Antioxidant Capacity and Effects on Morphofunctional and Fecal Parameters (Calprotectin, Cortisol, and Intestinal Fermentation Products) in Kennel Dogs
by David Atuahene, Annalisa Costale, Elisa Martello, Alessandro Mannelli, Elisabetta Radice, Davide Giuseppe Ribaldone, Biagina Chiofalo, Bruno Stefanon and Giorgia Meineri
Vet. Sci. 2023, 10(8), 486; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10080486 - 27 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1819 | Correction
Abstract
Oxidative stress causes several pathological conditions in humans and animals, including gastrointestinal disorders. The aim of this study was to analyze the antioxidant capacity of three natural powdered raw materials containing quercetin, bromelain, and Lentinula edodes and develop a new feed supplement for [...] Read more.
Oxidative stress causes several pathological conditions in humans and animals, including gastrointestinal disorders. The aim of this study was to analyze the antioxidant capacity of three natural powdered raw materials containing quercetin, bromelain, and Lentinula edodes and develop a new feed supplement for dogs using a combination of them. The total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), and ABTS (2,2′-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt) of the extracts, either individually or in combination, were evaluated colorimetrically. The effects of this supplement on healthy adult dogs’ nutritional, inflammatory, and stress status were evaluated. American Staffordshire Terrier adult female dogs (n = 30) were randomly assigned to a control (n = 15) or a treated (n = 15) group. The supplement was added as powder to the food of the treated dogs once daily for 28 days. There was no significant difference in the body weight and body condition scores between the initial and final phases of the experiment. At the end of our study, a significant decrease in fecal calprotectin, cortisol, indole/skatole, and N-methylhistamine and a significant increase in short-chain fatty acids were observed as compared to the control group. In conclusion, this natural feed supplement can be used to improve gastrointestinal health and psycho-physical conditions in dogs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Diet on Small Animal Health)
20 pages, 3639 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Intestinal Microbiota and Metabolic Pathways before and after a 2-Month-Long Hydrolyzed Fish and Rice Starch Hypoallergenic Diet Trial in Pruritic Dogs
by Chiara Noli, Antonella Varina, Caterina Barbieri, Alessandra Pirola and Daniela Olivero
Vet. Sci. 2023, 10(7), 478; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10070478 - 21 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1652
Abstract
Intestinal microbiota alterations were described in allergic individuals and may improve with diets. Farmina Ultra Hypo (FUH), a hydrolyzed fish/rice starch hypoallergenic diet, is able to improve clinical signs in allergic dogs. Study objectives were to determine microbiota differences in allergic dogs before [...] Read more.
Intestinal microbiota alterations were described in allergic individuals and may improve with diets. Farmina Ultra Hypo (FUH), a hydrolyzed fish/rice starch hypoallergenic diet, is able to improve clinical signs in allergic dogs. Study objectives were to determine microbiota differences in allergic dogs before and after feeding with FUH for eight weeks. Forty skin allergic dogs were evaluated clinically before and after the diet. Unresponsive dogs were classified as canine atopic dermatitis (CAD); responsive dogs relapsing after challenge with previous foods were classified as being food reactive (AFR), and those not relapsing as doubtful (D). Sequencing of feces collected pre- and post-diet was performed, with comparisons between and within groups, pre- and post-diet, and correlations to possible altered metabolic pathways were sought. Microbiota in all dogs was dominated by Bacteroidota, Fusobacteriota, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, albeit with large interindividual variations and with some prevalence changes after the diet. In general, bacteria producing short-chain fatty acids were increased in all samples. CAD dogs showed pre-and post-diet microbiota patterns different from the other two groups. Bacteria taxa were enriched post-diet only in the AFR group. Changes in metabolic pathways were observed mainly in the CAD group. FUH may be able to improve intestinal microbiota and thus clinical signs of skin allergy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Diet on Small Animal Health)
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19 pages, 15158 KiB  
Article
Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Changes Reveal the Immunomodulatory Function of Casein Phosphopeptide-Selenium Chelate in Beagle Dogs
by Wencan Wang, Ling Xu, Yong Cao, Guo Liu, Qianru Lin and Xin Mao
Vet. Sci. 2023, 10(5), 345; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10050345 - 12 May 2023
Viewed by 1877
Abstract
Casein phosphopeptide-selenium chelate (CPP-Se) is an organic compound produced by the chelation of casein phosphopeptide with selenium. This compound showed the ability to modulate canine immune response in our previous study; but its effect on the peripheral blood transcriptome and serum metabolome was [...] Read more.
Casein phosphopeptide-selenium chelate (CPP-Se) is an organic compound produced by the chelation of casein phosphopeptide with selenium. This compound showed the ability to modulate canine immune response in our previous study; but its effect on the peripheral blood transcriptome and serum metabolome was unknown. This study aims to reveal the potential mechanism behind the immunomodulatory function of CPP-Se. We have identified 341 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in CPP-Se groups as compared to the control group which comprised 110 up-regulated and 231 down-regulated genes. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis found that DEGs were mainly involved in immune-related signaling pathways. Moreover, the immune-related DEGs and hub genes were identified. Similarly, metabolomics identified 53 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) in the CPP-Se group, of which 17 were up-regulated and 36 were down-regulated. The pathways mainly enriched by DEMs were primary bile acid biosynthesis, tryptophan metabolism, and other amino acids metabolic pathways. Combined analysis of transcriptomic and metabolomic data showed that the DEGs and DEMs were commonly enriched in fatty acid biosynthesis, pyrimidine metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and glycerolipid metabolic pathways. Taken together, our findings provided a theoretical basis for further understanding of the immunomodulatory function of CPP-Se as well as a scientific reference for the future use of CPP-Se in pet foods as a dietary supplement to modulate the immunity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Diet on Small Animal Health)
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15 pages, 8480 KiB  
Article
Comparative Serum Proteome Analysis Indicates a Negative Correlation between a Higher Immune Level and Feed Efficiency in Pigs
by Siran Zhu, Jinglei Si, Huijie Zhang, Wenjing Qi, Guangjie Zhang, Xueyu Yan, Ye Huang, Mingwei Zhao, Yafen Guo, Jing Liang and Ganqiu Lan
Vet. Sci. 2023, 10(5), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10050338 - 10 May 2023
Viewed by 1431
Abstract
Identifying and verifying appropriate biomarkers is instrumental in improving the prediction of early-stage pig production performance while reducing the cost of breeding and production. The main factor that affects the production cost and environmental protection cost of the pig industry is the feed [...] Read more.
Identifying and verifying appropriate biomarkers is instrumental in improving the prediction of early-stage pig production performance while reducing the cost of breeding and production. The main factor that affects the production cost and environmental protection cost of the pig industry is the feed efficiency of pigs. This study aimed to detect the differentially expressed proteins in the early blood index determination serum between high-feed efficiency and low-feed efficiency pigs and to provide a basis for further identification of biomarkers using the isobaric tandem mass tag and parallel reaction monitoring approach. In total, 350 (age, 90 ± 2 d; body weight, 41.20 ± 4.60 kg) purebred Yorkshire pigs were included in the study, and their serum samples were obtained during the early blood index determination. The pigs were then arranged based on their feed efficiency; 24 pigs with extreme phenotypes were grouped as high-feed efficiency and low-feed efficiency, with 12 pigs in each group. A total of 1364 proteins were found in the serum, and 137 of them showed differential expression between the groups with high- and low-feed efficiency, with 44 of them being upregulated and 93 being downregulated. PRM (parallel reaction monitoring) was used to verify 10 randomly chosen differentially expressed proteins. The proteins that were differentially expressed were shown to be involved in nine pathways, including the immune system, digestive system, human diseases, metabolism, cellular processing, and genetic information processing, according to the KEGG and GO analyses. Moreover, all of the proteins enriched in the immune system were downregulated in the high-feed efficiency pigs, suggesting that a higher immune level may not be conducive to improving feed efficiency in pigs. This study provides insights into the important feed efficiency proteins and pathways in pigs, promoting the further development of protein biomarkers for predicting and improving porcine feed efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Diet on Small Animal Health)
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1 pages, 136 KiB  
Correction
Correction: Atuahene et al. A Supplement with Bromelain, Lentinula edodes, and Quercetin: Antioxidant Capacity and Effects on Morphofunctional and Fecal Parameters (Calprotectin, Cortisol, and Intestinal Fermentation Products) in Kennel Dogs. Vet. Sci. 2023, 10, 486
by David Atuahene, Annalisa Costale, Elisa Martello, Alessandro Mannelli, Elisabetta Radice, Davide Giuseppe Ribaldone, Biagina Chiofalo, Bruno Stefanon and Giorgia Meineri
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(4), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11040149 - 27 Mar 2024
Viewed by 504
Abstract
There was an error in the original publication [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Diet on Small Animal Health)
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