Feeding Dogs & Cats, Pet Food Labels, & Evaluation of Pet Food

Question 1

The category of dietary fiber contains a vast array of heterogenous compounds. What unifies them all to be
called ‘dietary fibre’?

Answer 1

Unified by resistance to animals’ digestive enzymes

Question 2

What are viscous fibres & how do they affect digestion?

Answer 2

Viscous fibres slow gastric emptying & small intestinal transit
- Can influence diffusion, digestion and/or absorption of nutrients

Upper GIT: enhance satiety, decrease food intake, modulate post-prandial glycemic response

Lower GIT: depends on fermentability
- If they are highly fermentable, then they are “used up” by the gut microbiome
- If they have low fermentability, they will persist through transit of the colon and “normalize”
fecal consistency (by holding water and gelling)

Question 3

What category or type of dietary fibre do all viscous fibres fall under?

Answer 3

All viscous fibres are soluble fibres! (but not all soluble fibres are viscous!)

Question 4

What type of fiber would most consistently increase fecal bulk/volume?

Answer 4

Insoluble dietary fibre (IDF) – adds bulk to feces
- Examples = cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin

Soluble dietary fibre (SDF) – adds volume to feces
- Examples = pectins, gums

Question 5

What are the major by-products of fiber fermentation in the gut?

Answer 5

i. amino acids
ii. vitamins (B vitamins, vitamin K)
iii. gases (ie: methane)
iv. short chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate, butyrate)

Question 6

What is the preferred source of energy for colonocytes?

Answer 6

Butyrate

Question 7

Fermentable fibers are important for supporting health. If diets lack fermentable fibre, what is there an increased risk of developing (specific health issues)?

Answer 7

• decreased microbial activity
• Impaired intestinal health
• Increased risk of colitis & obesity