Karen Wedekind, PhD

Dr. Karen Wedekind has over 30 years experience as a nutritionist in the pet food industry, and has multi-species expertise in companion animals, poultry, swine, rats and horses. She has been an author/co-author on 24 patents and 33 peer-reviewed publications primarily focused on minerals, antioxidants, and development of animal models to assess nutrient requirements, bioavailability and role of trace minerals in lameness.

From the Author
Ingredient Issues
Protein hydrolysis — nutrition and health
Hydrolyzed proteins have a lot of potential in pet food formulations.
Hydrolyzed proteins can be complex, but their nutrition and health benefits should not be overlooked in formulating pet food.
Ingredient Issues
The importance of a balanced diet — without mineral excesses
The possible undesired results of unbalanced minerals in pet food formulations bear further examination.
Trace mineral concentrations in pet food formulations can impact the nutritional balance and value of the final product.
Nutrition
Diversifying methionine choices in pet food formulations
DL-methionine and methionine hydroxy analogue are different molecules and are absorbed differently by the animal. In the end, however, both molecules are efficiently and completely converted to L-methionine for use by the animal.
When choosing a methionine supplement, HMTBa can help purchasers diversify their methionine choices. | iStockphoto.com/PeopleImages
Pet Food Ingredients
Avoiding mineral excesses for optimal pet nutrition
Many petfood companies stress the importance of meat-first formulations. The implication to consumers is that these diets are better for their pets. However, meat-first diets may result in overages for a number of nutrients, especially protein, fat, calcium and phosphorus.
Excess macro-minerals increase risk for a number of dog and cat diseases and can have detrimental effects on bioavailability of trace minerals. That’s why avoiding such excesses is important to pet health.
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Optimal pet nutrition: the ideal protein concept
In light of the advancing age of the pet population, optimal nutrition should aim to decrease the risks for these diseases and other age-related problems such as obesity, bone loss and lean muscle mass loss. Recent research in geriatric cats has demonstrated that by formulating to an optimal lysine:calorie ratio as well as to an ideal protein content, dietary protein could be lowered without causing lean muscle mass loss.
In light of the advancing age of the pet population, optimal nutrition should aim to decrease the risks for disease and other age-related problems such as obesity, bone loss and lean muscle mass loss.
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References for ‘Optimal pet nutrition: the ideal protein concept’
Find the sources behind the research on geriatric pets presented in Dr. Karen Wedekind's article on ideal levels of protein.
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