Improving faecal health of our pets - Petfood Forum · 2019-08-15 · •Faecal health score similar to ... •Fecal microbiota similar to cellulose. The role of fibre in canine dilated

Improving faecal health of our pets:

What is the role of dietary fibre?

Dr Emma Bermingham, AgResearch Ltd, New Zealand

Why do we care about faecal health?

Faecal health is a proxy for intestinal health

• Intestinal health linked to general health outcomes for our pets viasystemic inflammation and the intestinal microbiome.

• Obesity

• Skin conditions

• Oral health

Humans are living in closer proximity to their pets

• Health

• In rare cases diseases may be passed to pet-owners via faecaltransmission

• Convenience

• Litter tray/toileting

• Odour

How do we assess faecal health?

Faecal health

• Faecal quality, in conjunction with microbiome and digestibility, are used as a proxy for intestinal health

Faecal quality

MicrobiomeDigestibility

Focus on faecal quality

and microbiome

Faecal quality

• Consistency

• Assessment based on visual scoring

• Odour

• Subjective

• Technically challenging

• Frequency

• Humanisation

• Output (volume)

Moxham (2001) WALTHAM® Focus, 11: 24

Microbiome

• Changes in the intestinal microbiome have been associated with a number of diseases in both humans and our pets

Philmister et al., (2019) ANZLAA

Dietary fibre

What is dietary fibre?

• “…large class of plant carbohydrates that resist digestion hydrolysis…to be fermented in the large intestine…”

• Solubility and source of fibre affect its fermentation

• Soluble fibre has increased rate and extent of fermentation – provide more energy to the pet

• Typically derived from plants

Dietary fibre is classified according to…• Physical structure

• Cellulose

• Solubility

• Soluble fibre

• Insoluble fibre

• Fermentative capacity

• Fermentable

• Non-fermentable

• Viscosity

Slavin (2013) Nutrients 4, 1417

Fibers Examples

Dietary Fiber

Lignin, Cellulose, B-glucans,

hemicellulose, pectin, gums,

resistant starch

Soluble FibersB-glucans, gums, wheat

dextrin, psyllium, pectin, inulin

Fermentable FiberWheat dextrin, pectins, B-

glucans, guar gum, inulin

Viscous FibersPectins, b-glucans, guar

gum, psyllium

Functional Fiber

Resistant dextrins, pysllium,

fructooligosaccharides,

polydextrose

Insoluble FibersCellulose, lignin, some

pectins, some hemicelluloses

Non-fermentable FibersCellulose, lignin, some

pectins, some hemicelluloses

Non-viscous Fibers Polydextrose, inulin

Fermentation of dietary fibre is linked to health benefits

• Microbial fermentation produces

• Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)

• Vitamins/minerals

• Phenolics/antioxidants

O’Keefe (2016) Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 13, 691

Dietary fibre can improve faecal quality

• Transit time – digestibility, nutrient re-cycling, defecation frequency

• Fermentation – production of SCFA, vitamins etc

• Water-holding capacity – faecal consistency (Faecal Health Score)

Fermentable Viscous Total-tract dry

matter digestibility

Total-tract crude protein

digestibility

Pectin Y Y ↑ ↓

Cellulose N N ↓ ↑ =

GOS Y N ↓ ↓

Beet pulp Y N ↓ ↓ =

FOS Y N = =

NRC 2006

Fibre vs. Prebiotic

• Prebiotic is a nutrient that promotes the growth of specific micro-organisms (e.g. Bifidobacterium) in the large intestine.

• Usually, but not always, a plant fibre.

• Inulin: a soluble fermentable fibre from chicory root, agave and Jerusalum artichoke

• Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)

• Galactooligosaccharides (GOS)

Carlson et al. (2018) Curr Dev Nutr 2, nzy005

Carnivores and dietary fibre

Pet foods contain 0.6-3.5 % DM of dietary fibre

• Safe upper limit for a range of fibres have been stipulated by the NRC (2006)

Fibre (g/kg diet) Dog Cat

Inulin 70 ND

Cellulose 94 100

Guar gum 34 ND

Pectin 34 ND

Beet pulp 75 NS

Wheat bran 128 100

Davies et al. (2017) Sci Rep 7, 17107; de Godoy et al. (2013) Nutrients 5, 3099

Cats and dogs do not require dietary fibre

• Dogs and cats fed raw food diets can produce SCFA from other pathways

• Reduced faecal volume

• Improved faecal health score

• Reduced defecation frequency

Butowski et al. (2019) PlosOne 14(5), e0216072; Bermingham et al. (2017) PeerJ 5: e3019

% Acetate% Propionate% Butyrate

Feral cats and wolves eat very little plant fibre

% Daily energy requirement of feral cats

Plantinga et al. (2011) Bri J Nutr 106 s35; Bosch et al. (2015) Bri J Nutr 113, s40

% Daily energy requirements of wolves

ProteinFatCarbohydrate

(incl. Fibre)

Animal-derived “fibre” could play an important role in pet health

Animal ‘fibres’ are readily fermentable

Depauw et al. (2013) J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr 97, 146

• Glycoprotein-rich material

• Bone

• Tendon

• Cartilage

• Skin/hair/feathers

…and in some cases, produce more SCFA than traditional plant fibres

Hydrolysed collagen BHydrolysed collagen A

Butowski et al 2019. (unpublished)

Plant fibre

Cat hair

Hydrolysed collagen

Biologically appropriate diets impact faecalquality

• Cats and dogs fed raw red meat diets defecate less frequently and their stools are smaller

• Transit time appears to be affected, more so in the cat.

• What is appropriate?

• How does animal-derived fibre impact this?

Butowski et al. (2019) PlosOne 14(5), e0216072; Bermingham et al. (2017) PeerJ 5: e3019

Cat

Raw red meat

Cat

kibble

Faecal health score 1.83 3.39

Faecal output (g DM/d) 4.38 13.93

Dog

Raw red meat

Dog

kibble

3.6 3.1

28.3 64.5

Hydrolysed wool acts in a similar manner to plant fibre in the cat

Deb-Choudhury et al (2018) Food Funct 9, 4107

• Faecal health score similar to cellulose and inulin

• Digestibility of macronutrients similar to cellulose

• Faecal SCFA concentrations similar to cellulose and inulin

• Fecal microbiota similar to cellulose

The role of fibre in canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)

• Reports started appearing early 2018

• Veterinary Cardiologists reported 150 cases of dogs with

DCM

Grain-free food has been linked to DCM in dogs

Canine dilated cardiomyopathy

• DCM development is slow with few obvious signs

• Lethargy

• Anorexia

• Shallow breathing

• Sudden fainting

• Death from irregular heart rhythm without any previous disease signs

• Genetic pre-disposition important in several dog breeds – mostly large & giant

• Established link between DCM and insufficient circulating Taurine in large breed dogs and cats

• Speculation that this was the mechanism in the current spate of cases

Taurine status is typically associated with DCM

Fascetti et al. (2003) J Am Vet Med Ass 223, 1137; Backus et al. (2006) J Nutr 136, 2525

• Diet:

• Mostly dry (88% cases)

• 4 raw (2% cases)

• 95% affected dogs fed a single, primary dog food

• 91% dogs fed grain-free diets - but not all

• Contaminants/mineral imbalances ruled out

Dietary links with DCM have focused on “grain-free” aspect

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/news-events/fda-investigation-potential-link-

between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy

…but peas and lentils are common ingredients

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/news-events/fda-investigation-potential-link-

between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy

• 93% of the diets contained peas or lentils:

• 89% diets contained peas

• 62% diets contained lentils

• 42% diets potatoes/sweet potato

• High fibre diets increase transit time and faecal output

• Loss of bile salts - major source of taurine in the animal

• Taurine is the only AA used form bile salts

• High fibre diets increase abundance of microbes that break down taurine in the intestinal lumen preventing it from being recycled

Dietary fibre affects taurine status

Storey 1798; Kim et al., 1996

• Pulses (peas, lentils, chickpeas and dry beans)

• Used as ingredients in dog food for over 20 years

• Protein and fibre source

• High in lysine

• Low in methionine (precursor for taurine)

• Low in taurine

• Scientific literature supports inclusion at 15-17% DM

• Some detrimental impacts on crude protein digestibility observed.

• Current levels in grain-free pet foods estimated to be 40% DM

Increased inclusion % of pulses in grain-free pet foods

Mansilla et al. (2019) J Anim Sci. 97:983; Mennetti el al (2014) J Anim Sci 92, 2094;

Yamka et al. (2003) ASNim Feed Sci Tech 109, 121.

Legumes high in lysine, low in methionine, cysteine and taurine

Ingredients DM%

CP%

Crude Fibre %

mg/g protein Taurine %

Lysine Methionine Cysteine

Legumes Fava BeansChick peas

Soyabean meal

86.688.7

89.1

27.220.3

47.7

8.556.16

3.89

2.396.94

6.20

0.701.48

1.38

1.252.16

1.47

--

-

Grains BarleyOatsRice

90.290.089.0

11.311.27.9

3.902.200.52

3.534.394.45

1.776.093.18

2.293.232.29

---

Animal-derived ingredients Beef (MDM)Chicken (meat, skin)Lamb, ground

40.638.240.5

15.017.616.6

---

7.738.138.80

2.872.672.59

1.531.311.20

0.030.020.05

Mansilla et al. (2019) J Anim Sci. 97:983

• Whole prey diets high in essential amino acids

• Highly digestible

• Taurine requirement not determined

• Animal-derived fibres are high in essential amino acids

• What is their role in faecal health?

Whole prey diets high in essential amino acids

Kerr et al (2014) J Anim Sci 92, 4478

in vitro effects of animal-derived fibre

Butowski et al. in preparation

• Work is underway to determine the impacts of collagen on faecal health in the cat

• Collagen reduces faecal health score in cats

• Still within normal range

• Work assessing other parameters, including gut motility markers is underway

RawRaw +

Collagen 4%

Raw +

Collagen 6%

Raw +

Inulin+cellulose 4%

Faecal Score 2.716 2.596 2.321 3.064

• Fibre is not an essential nutrient for cats and dogs

• Inclusion in diets may have health benefits

• Short-chain fatty acid production, microbial composition

• Animal-derived ‘fibres’ have similar health impacts as plant-based diets

• Typically, high amino acids including tryptophan, methionine, cysteine and taurine

• Effects on transit time needs to be determined

• Taurine recycling

Conclusions

Acknowledgements

Assoc Prof David Thomas (Massey University)

Ms Nina Butowski (AgResearch)

Translated by Ms Di Lu (AgResearch)