Natural Remedies, Grain Free, Ect. Flashcards
What are the associations surrounding CBD? Is there any published data? Any known risks?
- Hundreds of chemical compounds: Cannabinoids, Terpenoids, Flavanoids
- Growing use for a variety of conditions- cancer, joint disease, epilepsy, pain
- Very little published data- several clinical trials are underway
What are the associations surrounding Garlic in pet food? Is there any published data? Any known risks?
- For fleas & parasites
- No published information on efficacy
- Potential to induce Heinze-body anemia
What are the associations surrounding Ginger in pet food? Is there any published data? Any known risks?
- For stomach pain, anti emetic
- No published data on efficacy for pain
- Few studies suggest anti-emetic effect 25 mg/kg PO (Sharmaa et al 1997)
- Strong flavor
What are the associations surrounding coconut oil in pet food? Is there any published data? Any known risks?
- Supposedly a source of medium chain triglycerides and other beneficial, oxidation resistant, fatty acids
• Only 15-20% of the FA are MCTs in coconut oil
• No proven benefits in pets (Fagua et al. 2015)
• MCTs may be substrates for ketone bodies and may provide an energy source for CNS (Pan et al. 2010)
• Potential risks for high fat diets
What are the associations surrounding Turmeric in pet food? Is there any published data? Any known risks?
- Curcuminoids are phytochemicals with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti neoplastic
- Few studies in companion animals, none conclusive (Comblain et al. 2017)
What are the associations surrounding apple cider vinegar in pet food? Is there any published data? Any known risks?
- Used to treat a variety of skin issues, UTI, digestion, clean teeth
- May have some antifungal activity, used in dogs with yeast otitis
- Risks for skin burns, teeth erosion
What are the associations surrounding Omega 3 fatty acids: Marine sourced in pet food? Is there any published data? Any known risks?
Studies known in these areas that prove benefit:
• Anti-inflammatory effect ( more than those found from palm seed oil ect)
• Dermatological disease (Scott et al.1997)
• Cardiovascular disease (Rush et al. 2000; Laurent et al. 2008)
• Osteoarthritis (Barrouin-Melo et al 2016; Roush et al 2010 )
• Renal disease (Brown et al. 1998; Brown et al. 2000;…)
• Hyperlipidemia (Bauer 1995)
• ect
- important to know quality you are receiving, cold extraction is most preferred.
- Takes time to work
What are the associations surrounding grain free diets? Is there any published data? Any known risks?
• No evidence of harmful effect for grain inclusive
• Grains contribute vitamins, minerals, amino
acids, essential fatty acids, and fiber
• Highly digestible (>90%)
• Allergies relatively uncommon
FDA warning: potential connection between diet and cases of DCM as result of taurine deficiency.
Grain Free and DCM? Is it real? Should we be concerned?
From January 1, 2014 to November 30, 2018, 300 cases of DCM were reported to the FDA
• November 30, 2018 to April 30, 2019 236 additional cases reported
• The FDA reported that 90% of the diets named in the reports that had received
were grain-free, though 10% do contain grains
- The FDA states that nearly all of the grain-free products had adequate levels of
methionine-cystine (above the Association of American Feed Control Officials
(AAFCO) minimum nutritional requirement of 0.65%) and that they are still
gathering information to understand “if (and how) taurine metabolism may have a role in these reports
What is taurine?
Free amino acid present in several tissues in high concentration : Heart and retina
Taurine is conjugated into bile acids, similar to glycine. Dogs and cats use taurine rather than glycine, whereas other mammals may use either.
Dogs can make taurine from methionine or cysteine
Is there a breed association with DCM from grain free diets? What about the diets themselves?
- Golden Retriever’s, mixed breeds, labradors, great dane and pitbulls had the highest # of DCM reported but it was found in both large and small breeds.
- Association with Dry food being primary formulation fed for large number of cases.
- Variety of companies and manufacturers were implicated.
How could ingredients be implicated in issues with Grain free diets and DCM?
- Dogs can produce taurine from methionine and cysteine
- If a company calculated the protein % as total, rather than animal protein this could mean that much protein is vegetable protein
- Legumes are high in protein, but relatively low in methionine and cysteine
- In addition- legumes have several antinutritive compounds:
- Phytates
- Glycoproteins
- Phytosterols
- Phenols
- These reduce digestibility, but are usually destroyed in cooking
How can fiber be a potential cause for issues relating to grain free diets and DCM?
• Taurine is conjugated to bile acids in
dogs and cats • Indigestible protein and fiber may alter
bacterial flora • Result in production of cardiac toxins
(as in people/rodents) or depletion of
taurine
Are all dogs low in taurine that reported DCM from a grain free diet? Were there ingredients that were implicated?
No
Some ingredients implicated: potatoes, sweet potatoes, legumes
What should we do in regards to patients on a grain free diet?
- Recommend diet change for dogs on a GF diet
- Measure plasma or whole blood taurine levels
- Supplement? Only if low.
