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It has been suggested that cats be fed foods similar to their natural diet (ie, high protein and fat with relatively little carbohydrate)
Osteoarthritis is a progressively painful disease characterized by articular cartilage degradation with loss of proteoglycan and collagen, subchondral bone sclerosis, periarticular proliferation of new bone, and chronic inflammation of synovial membranes.
Many nutrients are critical for maintaining brain structure and function, including cognition. A deficiency of some nutrients can lead to compromised brain structure and function, which accelerates brain aging. Additional nutrients may have benefits when provided in quantities greater than those listed in recognized requirements, whereas other nutrients that may be beneficial to cognitive function may not be recognized as essential nutrients. The purpose of the information provided here was to summarize the evidence for beneficial effects of nutrients on brain function and cognition, with an emphasis on the aging brain, and to provide evidence on the dietary management of
Health has become one of the most important factors for dog owners when choosing a diet for their pets.
Trends in companion animal nutrition often mirror trends in human nutrition, reflecting the desire of pet owners to feed diets that they consider healthy and beneficial for the well-being of their pets.
Chronic enteropathies are a heterogeneous group of gastrointestinal disorders characterized by gastrointestinal clinical signs that persist for at least 2 weeks. Depending on the study, chronic enteropathies and other diagnoses (eg, IBD) may include a variety of disorders and patient populations, and the inconsistent nomenclature can result in confusing information in the literature. Regardless, achieving a correct diagnosis and classification of chronic enteropathy is essential for proper nutritional management. The most important step in this process is eliminating the possibility of systemic disorders as well as ruling out several primary gastrointestinal diseases, all of which may be less responsive to
Vitamin K1, also commonly known as phylloquinone, is the natural form of the fat-soluble vitamin K found in plants. Vitamin K is needed to complete the synthesis of blood coagulation proteins and for bone mineralization. Deficiency of vitamin K can lead to coagulopathies and uncontrolled bleeding. Purified vitamin K1 is synthesized and sold commercially. Although acceptable for use in infant formulas and other foods for human consumption, regulations regarding the use of vitamin K1 in animal foods are not definitively defined, but the need for its use is increasing. Menadione, a synthetic vitamin K-active
Reduced food intake is an important clinical sign that can result from a myriad of chronic diseases (eg, CKD, congestive heart failure, cancer, or liver disease) as well as acute illness or injury. Reduced food intake can lead to insufficient intake of calories and other nutrients, weight loss, muscle loss (cachexia), and, ultimately, poor outcomes.
It is important for veterinary health-care teams to be aware of and to take steps to
Both the World Small Animal Veterinary Association
In many species, the biosynthesis of vitamin D begins with exposure to UV light, wherein 7-dehydrocholesterol is transformed to previtamin D3. Factors that affect synthesis of vitamin D3 include quantity and quality of the UV light, coat, and skin pigmentation. Dogs and cats are unique from humans and many other species in that they lack the ability to synthesize vitamin D3 in the skin, likely because of high activity of 7-dehydrocholesterol-Δ7-reductase.
