Creatine and creatinine contents in different diet types for dogs – effects of source and processing

Abstract

SummaryThe concentrations of creatine and its degradation product creatinine were determined in a variety of unprocessed as well as processed feedstuffs suitable for dogs. Unprocessed feedstuffs were categorised as single feedstuffs, bone and raw food diets (BARF), and small vertebrates, for example prey animals. Processed feedstuffs were categorised as meat/meat and bone meals, complete wet diets and complete dry diets. The feedstuffs were chosen to cover a broad range of each of the three defined processed and unprocessed feed categories available on the market without further subclustering. The creatine content of the samples was compared on a dry matter, protein and energy basis. The relation of creatine to crude protein permitted a rating of the meat quality in terms of muscle tissue. Results: We found no difference in creatine concentrations between the three categories of unprocessed feedstuffs (raw single feedstuffs, prey and BARF diets), neither on a dry matter basis nor when expressed relative to crude protein and metabolisable energy respectively. Significantly lower levels were determined in meat/meat and bone meal and commercial dry diets (e.g. 303 mg creatine/MJ ME in unprocessed vs. 6 mg/MJ ME in processed feedstuffs; p < 0.001). We conclude that in relation to ME, the exclusive use of conventionally processed diets for dogs, especially dry diets, leads to considerably lower intake of creatine which is a natural compound of the diet of this carnivorous and omnivorous species.

Stability of creatine monohydrate and guanidinoacetic acid during manufacture (retorting and extrusion) and storage of dog foods

“…The ingredients used for the formulation of the moist and dry mixtures were typically those used in pet food manufacture, and their nutrient contents were within the range expected for commercial moist and dry dog foods (Hand, Thatcher, Remillard, Roudebush, & Novotny, ). The Cr and Crn concentrations of the moist, base mixture before heat sterilisation were within the range reported for raw single animal tissues commonly used in dog rations (0.54–6.77 and 0.03–0.17 g/kg DM for Cr and Crn, respectively) reported by Dobenecker and Braun (). The average Cr concentrations in the moist mixture with CrMH (6.26 g/kg DM, Table ) were close to the expected (i.e.…”

“…(n = 1 except for initial value, see Novotny, 2010). The Cr and Crn concentrations of the moist, base mixture before heat sterilisation were within the range reported for raw single animal tissues commonly used in dog rations (0.54-6.77 and 0.03-0.17 g/kg DM for Cr and Crn, respectively) reported by Dobenecker and Braun (2015). The average Cr concentrations in the moist mixture with CrMH (6.26 g/kg DM,…”

“…Creatinine (Crn) concentrations were generally higher than Cr (10 of the 12 foods), and the authors concluded that in the canned dog foods, as well as in dried meat samples and rendered meat meal, Cr is degraded to a variable extent to Crn. When investigating the Cr supply by different types of dog food, as compared to prey, Dobenecker and Braun (2015) confirmed the findings by Harris et al (1997) as they found mean values of 9.6 and 10.3 mmol/kg dry matter (DM) for Cr and Crn, respectively, in commercial moist dog foods (n = 32) and 0.6 and 3.5 mmol/ kg DM for Cr and Crn for commercial dry dog foods (reported values in mg/kg DM transferred to mmol/kg DM). Overall, Dobenecker and Braun (2015) showed that the highest Cr supply per MJ of diet is provided by unprocessed food, especially prey and that processed dog foods and ingredients (meat and bone meal, dry and moist foods) contained significantly less Cr and more Crn.…”

“…When investigating the Cr supply by different types of dog food, as compared to prey, Dobenecker and Braun (2015) confirmed the findings by Harris et al (1997) as they found mean values of 9.6 and 10.3 mmol/kg dry matter (DM) for Cr and Crn, respectively, in commercial moist dog foods (n = 32) and 0.6 and 3.5 mmol/ kg DM for Cr and Crn for commercial dry dog foods (reported values in mg/kg DM transferred to mmol/kg DM). Overall, Dobenecker and Braun (2015) showed that the highest Cr supply per MJ of diet is provided by unprocessed food, especially prey and that processed dog foods and ingredients (meat and bone meal, dry and moist foods) contained significantly less Cr and more Crn. As already assumed by Harris et al (1997), the high Crn levels were attributed to degradation of Cr due to heat treatment, whilst the increased use of vegetal matter in the formulation of especially dry commercial pet foods, likely adds further to their extremely low Cr concentration.…”

The Potential of Guanidino Acetic Acid to Reduce the Occurrence and Severity of Broiler Muscle Myopathies

“…Creatine could be one of these compounds. Creatine is found mostly in fresh meat, fish, and other animal products but is scarce in processed animal proteins (Balsom et al, 1994;Harris et al, 1997;Krueger et al, 2010;Dobenecker and Braun, 2015;De Groot et al, 2019;Khajali et al, 2020) and absent in plants (Khan and Cowen, 1977;Gábor et al, 1984;Krueger et al, 2010; Table 1). As a result, all-vegetable diets entirely lack creatine, and feeds containing animal proteins contain only a little of this semiessential nutrient (Michiels et al, 2012;De Groot et al, 2019;Khajali et al, 2020).…”