Effects of food enriched with egg yolk hydrolysate (bone peptide) on bone metabolism in orchidectomized dogs.

We examined the effects of chicken egg hydrolysate (also known as "bone peptide" or BP) on bone metabolism in 5- to 8-month-old orchidectomized dogs. The bone formation marker serum bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) and the bone resorption marker urine deoxypyridinoline (DPD) were used as indicators to measure changes in bone metabolism. The following results were observed that Serum BAP was higher in dogs fed BP-enriched food throughout the clinical investigation. Serum BAP was statistically significantly higher in dogs fed BP-enriched food than in dogs fed non-BP-enriched food at 2 months after orchidectomy. This suggests that BP promoted bone formation immediately after orchidectomy.

Comparative investigation of body composition in male dogs using CT and body fat analysis software.

In small animal veterinary practices, body condition score (BCS) is generally used to diagnose obesity. However, BCS does not constitute objective data. In this study, we investigated the value of using human body fat analysis software for male dogs. We also compared changes in body fat after neutering. Changes in body fat at the time of neutering (age 1 year) and 1 year later were compared by performing CT scanning and using human body fat analysis software. We found that body fat increased in all the individuals tested. In terms of the site of fat accumulation, subcutaneous fat was more pronounced than visceral fat with a marked increase on the dorsal side of the abdomen rather than the thorax.

Metabolic and Hormonal Alterations with Diacylglycerol and Low Glycemic Index Starch during Canine Weight Loss.

Obesity increases insulin resistance and disregulation of glucose homeostasis. This study investigated low glycemic index starch (LGIS)/diacylglycerol (DAG) diet on plasma insulin and circulating incretin hormones during canine weight loss. Obese Beagle dogs were fed one of four starch/oil combination diets (LGIS/DAG; LGIS/triacylglycerol (TAG); high glycemic index starch (HGIS)/DAG; and HGIS/TAG) for 9 weeks during the weight loss period. At weeks 1 and 8, fasting plasma insulin, glucose, nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) were determined. Weight loss did not affect fasting insulin, glucose, and NEFA, but fasting GIP increased and GLP-1 decreased. LGIS affected postprandial insulin at both times and glucose was similar to insulin, except 60 min postprandially with DAG at week 8. NEFA lowering was less with the LGIS diets initially but not thereafter. At 60 min postprandially on week 8, GIP was significantly elevated by DAG, while GLP-1 was increased only with the HD diet. LGIS suppressed insulin and glucose responses up to 180 min postprandially at both sample times. DAG increased incretin hormones as did the DAG/HGIS combination but only at week 8. This latter finding appeared to be related to the glucose response but not to insulin at 60 min.

Postprandial lipid-related metabolites are altered in dogs fed dietary diacylglycerol and low glycemic index starch during weight loss.

In this study, we investigated a combination of a low glycemic index starch (LGIS) and diacylglycerol (DAG) on lipid, lipoprotein (LP) metabolism, and weight management. Obese, intact female adult Beagle dogs were assigned to 1 of 4 starch/oil combination diets [LGIS/DAG (LD); LGIS/triacylglycerol (TAG); high glycemic index starch (HGIS)/DAG; and HGIS/TAG (HT)] and fed for 9 wk (n = 6/group) using an incomplete 4 × 4 Latin square design. Each dog was fed 1 of 2 opposite starch/oil combination diets (e.g. LD and HT). At wk 1 and 8, postprandial blood was collected for plasma triacylglycerol (TG), ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), total cholesterol (TC), and LP analyses. During the same week, dogs were overnight feed-deprived and post-heparin blood was collected for LP lipase and hepatic lipase activity determinations. At wk 1, 4, and 8, blood was drawn from overnight feed-deprived dogs for plasma TG, BHB, TC, LP, leptin, and adiponectin measurements. Feces were collected at wk 3 for digestibility calculations. The LGIS diets resulted in lower carbohydrate, protein, total tract dry matter digestibilities, and metabolizable energy compared with the HGIS diet groups (P < 0.05). Thus, the LGIS groups lost more body weight (P = 0.001), which was positively correlated with plasma leptin concentrations (r(2) = 0.427; P < 0.001). Moreover, the LGIS diet lowered TC concentrations in combination with DAG. The DAG diet groups decreased postprandial TG and increased BHB concentrations (P < 0.05). Starch/oil types did not alter lipase activities or adiponectin concentrations. In conclusion, the LGIS diet demonstrated potential as a weight management tool in dogs by decreasing postprandial TG and increasing BHB in combination with DAG.