Nutrition: Page 303

Are your petfood labels accurate?

Petfood product names and ingredients can be key factors in a consumer’s decision to buy a particular product. For example, some pet owners may try to avoid gluten or certain protein sources in a petfood to help prevent allergic reactions in their pets; those who remember the melamine-related recalls of 2007 may still scan ingredient labels for the presence of wheat or wheat gluten.

The ingredients and claims listed on a petfood label can be key factors in a consumerâ€™s decision to buy a particular product.

Pet Food Ingredients

Feeding high-omega-3 diet to dogs with OA

The aim of the trial was to compare the effect of a veterinary therapeutic diet (VTD) rich in omega-3 fatty acids from fish origin to a regular diet used as control (CTR) in dogs afflicted by naturally occurring osteoarthritis (OA). Thirty privately owned dogs had lameness confirmed by an orthopedic examination, stifle/hip OA and locomotor disability based on the peak of the vertically oriented ground reaction force (PVF) measured using a force platform.

Pet Food Ingredients

Lanthanum salts improve bone formation in small animal model

Two lanthanum salts—lanthanum carbonate (LaCO3) and Lancer, a lanthanide citrate mixture—were tested for their effects on bone metabolism in a small animal model for post-menopausal osteoporosis. Forty female outbred Wistar Han rats, sham-operated (SHAM) or ovariectomized (OVX) at four months old, were allotted into groups: SHAM, OVX control (negative control), OVX + LaCO3 (1.74 g/kg feed) and OVX + Lancer (8 g/kg feed).

Pet Food Ingredients

Omega-3s affect owners’ perception of cats with OA

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the clinical effect, registered by a survey, of a 10-week period of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation of the diet (1.53 g eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and 0.31 g DHA) of 16 cats with radiologically documented, naturally occurring osteoarthritis (OA), compared with a 10-week period of supplementation with corn oil (no EPA or DHA).

Pet Food Ingredients

Can natural substances protect dogs from oxidative stress?

Cardiac diseases are considered the second most prevalent cause of death in dogs. Oxidative stress has been shown to induce damage in a variety of canine cardiovascular cell types and is implicated in the initiation and progression of various cardiac diseases.

Pet Food Ingredients

Influence of L-carnitine in overweight cats

This study investigated the influence of dietary supplementation with L-carnitine on metabolic rate, fatty acid oxidation, weight loss and lean body mass (LBM) in overweight cats undergoing rapid weight reduction. Thirty-two healthy, neutered, colony-housed cats were fed an energy-dense diet unrestricted for six months, then randomly assigned to four groups and fed a weight-reduction diet supplemented with 0 (control), 50, 100 or 150 μg of carnitine/g of diet.

Pet Food Ingredients

Effect of omega-3s on adipokines in dogs

The objective of this study was to determine associations between serum concentrations of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids or body condition and serum concentrations of adipokines in healthy dogs. Body condition score and percentage of body fat were determined for 62 adult, client-owned dogs.

FDA responds to letter from US animal feed, ingredient, grain groups

Three major US grain, animal feed and feed ingredient processing organizations commended the Food and Drug Administration for clarifying its enforcement policy for implementing several key sections of the Food Safety Modernization Act, which was signed into law in January 2011. Among other things, the Food Safety Modernization Act specifies a July 3 effective date for requirements that grain, feed, feed ingredient, grain processing, milling and other sectors of the commercial food and animal feed industry conduct hazard analyses and implement preventive controls.

New natural petfood store opens in Illinois, USA

Labrador Franchises Inc., operator of the Pet Depot Franchise, opened its 30th franchise location in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, USA: Graham’s Pet Depot. Owned and operated by Valerie Graham and her brother David Graham, the store provides customers with 5,500 square feet of natural petfood and supplies for all companion animals, along with a professional pet grooming salon.

How to: Apply human food trends to petfood

The field of pet nutrition has become more science-based than ever, according to the Veterinary Practice News article "Pet Food Nutrition Mimics Human Health Trends." Large petfood companies are using scientific research to provide petfood options to consumers that claim to prevent or combat common health problems such as kidney disease, arthritis and cancer.

Health and how what we eat affects our health are at the forefront of the human food movement, so an emphasis on nutrigenomics, novel ingredients and holistic methods has been the answer petfood manufactuers have served up to the 'But is it healthy?' call.

Packaging update: The latest materials, products and technologies

Every year I am met with the task of sniffing out what's new and happening in petfood and treat packaging. In past years trends have included convenience, portability and sustainability.

Blue Dog Bakery recently unveiled 'fully refreshed packaging' across its product line. The new packaging gives Ruffy, the brandâ€™s blue dog mascot, a makeover and reveals a new modern look.

Q&A with Rush Direct's family team

Find out more about this woman-owned and family-run petfood business and what is driving them to success

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