Canine obesity is associated with reduced lifespan and metabolic dysfunction, but can be managed by dietary intervention. This study aimed to determine the effects of restricted feeding of a high-protein, high-fiber (HPHF) diet and weight loss on body composition, physical activity, blood metabolites, and fecal microbiota and metabolites of overweight dogs. Twelve spayed female dogs [age: 5.5±1.1 yr; body weight (BW): 14.8±2.0 kg, body condition score (BCS): 7.9±0.8] were fed a HPHF diet during a 4-wk baseline phase to maintain BW. After baseline (wk 0), dogs were first fed 80% of baseline intake and then adjusted to target 1.5% weekly weight loss for 24 wk. Body composition using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and blood samples (wk 0, 6, 12, 18, 24), voluntary physical activity (wk 0, 7, 15, 23), and fresh fecal samples for microbiota and metabolite analysis (wk 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24) were measured over time. Microbiota data were analyzed using QIIME 2. All data were analyzed statistically over time using SAS 9.4. After 24 wk, dogs lost 31.2% of initial BW and had 1.43±0.73% weight loss per wk. BCS decreased (P<0.0001) by 2.7 units, fat mass decreased (P<0.0001) by 3.1 kg, and fat percentage decreased (P<0.0001) by 3.1 kg and 11.7% with weight loss. Many serum metabolites and hormones were altered, with triglycerides, leptin, insulin, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6 decreasing (P<0.05) with weight loss. Relative abundances of fecal Bifidobacterium, Coriobacteriaceae UCG-002, undefined Muribaculaceae, Allobaculum, Eubacterium, Lachnospira, Negativivibacillus, Ruminococcus gauvreauii group, uncultured Erysipelotrichaceae, and Parasutterella increased (P<0.05), whereas Prevotellaceae Ga6A1 group, Catenibacterium, Erysipelatoclostridium, Fusobacterium, Holdemanella, Lachnoclostridium, Lactobacillus, Megamonas, Peptoclostridium, Ruminococcus gnavus group, and Streptococcus decreased (P<0.01) with weight loss. Despite the number of significant changes, a state of dysbiosis was not observed in overweight dogs. Fecal ammonia and secondary bile acids decreased, while fecal valerate increased with weight loss. Several correlations between gut microbial taxa and biological parameters were observed. Our results suggest that restricted feeding of a HPHF diet and weight loss promotes fat mass loss, minimizes lean mass loss, reduces inflammatory marker and triglyceride concentrations, and modulates fecal microbiota phylogeny and activity in overweight dogs.

An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that inclusion of the direct fed microbial Clostridium butyricum in diets for weanling pigs will improve growth performance, systemic immune function, microbiota composition, and gut morphology in weaned pigs. A total of 275 newly weaned pigs (20 ± 2 d of age) with an average initial BW of 6.4 ± 0.8 kg were allotted to a randomized complete block design with 11 pens per treatment. Diets included a positive control diet containing Carbadox, a negative control diet without Carbadox, and three treatment diets in which 1,250 × 108 cfu/kg, 2,500 × 108 cfu/kg, or 3,500 × 108 cfu/kg of C. butyricum was added to the negative control diet. A two-phase feeding program was used (phase 1, 14 d; phase 2, 21 d). At the conclusion of the experiment (day 35), a blood sample was collected from one pig per pen (11 pigs per treatment) and this pig was then euthanized and digesta and tissues samples were collected. Results indicated that for the overall phase, pigs fed the positive control diet had greater (P < 0.05) ADG and ADFI and tended (P = 0.064) to have greater final BW than pigs fed the negative control diet. The ADG and G:F increased and then decreased as increasing doses of C. butyricum were included in the diet (quadratic, P < 0.05). The concentration of tumor necrosis factor-α was less (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the positive control diet compared with pigs fed the negative control diet or diets containing C. butyricum. Crypt depth tended (P = 0.08) to be less in pigs fed the negative control diet compared with pigs fed the positive control diet and villus height tended to increase as the doses of C. butyricum increased in the diets (quadratic, P = 0.08). Villus height also tended (P = 0.084) to be greater in pigs fed diets containing C. butyricum compared with pigs fed the positive control diet. Crypt depth increased as the dose of C. butyricum increased (quadratic, P < 0.05) and villus width at the bottom tended to increase (linear, P = 0.072) as the dose of C. butyricum increased in the diet. Alpha and beta diversity indices of ileal and colonic microbiota were not affected by diet. In conclusion, addition of 1,250 × 108 cfu/kg of C. butyricum, but not greater levels, to diets fed to weanling pigs increased growth performance and tended to increase villus height and crypt depth, but changes in the abundance of intestinal microbiota were not observed.

O steoarthritis 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. 1 Osteoarthritis is estimated to affect approximately 20% of dogs ≥ 1 year of age and 90% of dogs > 5 years of age. [2][3][4][5] Cats are similarly affected by osteoarthritis, with prevalences ranging from 16.5% to 91% and increasing with age. [6][7][8][9] Given the high prevalences reported, it is possible that companion animals may have undiagnosed osteoarthritis and the associated pain that goes unnoticed. Cats in particular may not show clinical signs typically associated with osteoarthritis, and even subtle changes in a cat's behavior at home may be caused by osteoarthritis-associated pain. Veterinarians should closely evaluate patients' joints at every annual examination and discuss signs of osteoarthritis and pain with clients. To prevent disease progression as early as possible, discussions about osteoarthritis should take place for patients as young as 1 year of age. Careful evaluation and client education are essential to identifying osteoarthritis in its earliest stages.Clinical signs of osteoarthritis include evidence of pain or tenderness, decreased range of motion, swelling, stiffness, muscle atrophy, crepitus, and effusion. The presence of pain can cause an animal's behavior to change, leading to aggression or decreased activity, in addition to signs such as limping and difficulty rising, climbing stairs, or getting onto furniture. 10 Painful disease makes it difficult for pets to interact with people, which strains the human-animal bond and can damage the relationship with the owner. Because of osteoarthritis-related pain, pets may have trouble walking around the home. They

A variety of functional ingredients, including fibers, prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics may be added to pet foods to support gastrointestinal and immune health. While many of these ingredients have been tested individually, commercial foods often include blends that also require testing. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of diets containing blends of fibers, ‘biotics’, and/or spray-dried plasma on apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), stool quality, fecal microbiota and metabolites, and immune health outcomes of adult dogs. Twelve healthy adult intact English pointer dogs (6 M; 6 F; age = 6.4 ± 2.0 yr; BW = 25.8 ± 2.6 kg) were used in a replicated 3x3 Latin square design to test diets formulated to: 1) contain a low concentration of fermentative substances (control diet; CT); 2) be enriched with a fiber-prebiotic-probiotic blend (FPPB); and 3) be enriched with a fiber-prebiotic-probiotic blend + immune-modulating ingredients (iFFPB). In each 28-d period, 22 d of diet adaptation was followed by a 5-d fecal collection phase and 1 d for blood sample collection. All data were analyzed using SAS 9.4, with significance being P<0.05 and trends being P<0.10. FPPB and iFPPB diets led to shifts in numerous outcome measures. Dry matter (DM), organic matter, fat, fiber, and energy ATTD were lower (P<0.01), fecal scores were lower (P<0.01; firmer stools), and fecal DM% was higher (P<0.0001) in dogs fed FPPB or iFPPB than those fed CT. Serum triglycerides and cholesterol were lower (P<0.01) in dogs fed FPPB or iFPPB than those fed CT. Fecal protein catabolites (isobutyrate, isovalerate, indole, ammonia) and butyrate were lower (P<0.05), while fecal immunoglobulin A (IgA) was higher (P<0.01) in dogs fed FPPB and iFPPB than those fed CT. Fecal microbiota populations were affected by diet, with alpha diversity being lower (P<0.05) in dogs fed iFPPB and the relative abundance of 20 bacterial genera being altered in dogs fed FPPB or iFPPB compared to CT. The circulating helper T cell:cytotoxic T cell ratio was higher (P<0.05) in dogs fed iFPPB than those fed CT. Circulating B cells were lower (P<0.05) in dogs fed FPPB than those fed iFPPB, and lower (P<0.05) in dogs fed iFPPB than those fed CT. Our results demonstrate that feeding a fiber-prebiotic-probiotic blend may provide many benefits to canine health, including improved stool quality, beneficial shifts to fecal microbiota and metabolite profiles, reduced blood lipids, and increased fecal IgA.