The art of establishing mineral tolerances of dogs and cats.

ABSTRACT

For over six decades, nutritional science has provided well-developed, peer-reviewed nutrient recommendations to support the health of dogs and cats. These guidelines are updated based on new scientifically valid research and appropriate peer-review. Recent regulatory and scientific positions around health issues have resulted in strong opinions and desires for rapid regulatory action surrounding mineral nutrition, but with limited and conflicting scientific evidence. Pet Food Institute nutrition experts have come together to jointly author an article on the complexities of establishing mineral tolerances of dogs and cats to illustrate the limitations in defining mineral tolerances. This discussion covers how mineral requirements were determined, including the opportunities and pitfalls encountered. Scientific councils must review and clarify any proposed changes in conducting mineral nutrition research that might impact complete and balanced foods and surrounding regulations. It is important to clarify the multiple issues in mineral nutrition research and the necessity for thorough evaluation of data while avoiding arbitrary and potentially harmful guidelines.

Dogs and cats are living longer and healthier lives due, in part, to the scientific development of nutritional information. This information has allowed the building of many new types of foods, treats, and supplements that promote life, health, and enjoyment by the pet. There are several organizations that have provided helpful reviews of nutritional data through scientific councils that help identify safe and healthy criteria for all pet food products. These are readily available for those who want to learn more about pet nutrition. For many nutrients, there is a large database of information to help build products. Nutrients that are called macro- or micro-/trace minerals (e.g., sodium, potassium, zinc, copper, etc.) often have more limited information. Recently, strong opinions about pet health as related to mineral nutrition have been shared and robustly communicated without adequate scientific research to support the hypotheses. This has led to misinformation, concerns, and fear. To safeguard the health of companion animals and provide assistance to regulatory bodies regarding the nutritional welfare of dogs and cats, scientific panels have come together from industry, government, and academia to review, approve, and challenge nutritional guidelines. This overview provides the reader context into the rigor needed to establish safe mineral tolerances for dogs and cats.