Treating & Preventing Disease with Nutrition
Preventative Pet Nutrition = Ideal Weight & Evidence based food & supplements … but which products … and in which breeds?
Preventative Pet Nutrition = Ideal Weight & Evidence based food & supplements … but which products … and in which breeds?
As a practicing wellness veterinarian for over 30 years no area has been as exciting (or challenging!) as treating and preventing disease with nutrition. We now have more prescription foods than ever before, more proof that preventative nutrition can help a pet live a longer and healthier life and more committed pet owners with great questions! A “perfect storm” requiring lots information and the best answers we can provide!
The following data has been compiled from the following lectures given by board certified veterinarians (all un-affiliated with pet food companies). We have provided links directly to peer reviewed websites so you can do your own research in this very exciting area.
As veterinarians based in science we owe you the best science based perspectives to help you make the right decisions regarding nutritional products, amounts to feed and breed specific wellness issues specific to your breed (or mixture of breeds!).
Important Disclaimer:
ALL OF THIS INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE CROSS CHECKED AND USED WITH THE ASSISTANCE & GUIDANCE OF YOUR VETERINARIAN
Without lab wellness testing, a good physical exam, an accurate body condition score and knowing all underlying conditions (and for rescues/mixed breeds their true genetic makeup) much of this information cannot be properly or safely applied.
Most common diseases that we see as wellness veterinarians
- 75 to 85% have Periodontal Disease
- 50 to 60% are above their Ideal Weight
- 20 to 30% have Osteoarthritis
- 10% to 20% have Allergies (inhalant or food)
- 10% to 20% Organ Failure (Kidney, Liver, Pancreatitis, Diabetes)
- 5 to 10% have Urinary Stones (kidney or bladder)
Many of these are breed specific i.e. small breeds get much more periodontitis and larger breeds generally have much more arthritis & orthopedic problems like Cranial Cruciate Ligament disease and hip dysplasia (many small breeds of course can have orthopedic disease such as patellar luxations and even hip dysplasia)
List of diseases we commonly treat with Rx foods & supplements (partial list)
- Diabetes
- Obesity (over 20% of ideal weight)
- Periodontitis
- Osteoarthritis
- Renal failure
- Inhalant allergies
- Food allergies
- Liver disease
- Pancreatitis
Evidence based supplements/food ingredients
1) Fish oils (EPA & DHA) see full discussion
2) Joint health (glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, perna) see more
3) Probiotics
Proviable ® by Nutramax high number of organisms & multi-strain see more
Purina Fortiflora ®, Vetriscience Everyday ® all have good competive products.
Quality control a huge issue (colony forming units etc) Look for at least 5 billion CFU’s. Properly handled & stored, use by __/___/___ dating Current debates are concern is whether single strain or multiple strain is better. Stay tuned!
Breed specific nutrition
Royal Canin has established some very interesting information with regard to breed specific nutrition. Although there is certainly not data for all breeds and it needs to be researched much more they have provided some excellent and comprehensive background. See their Yorkshire Terrier example
Iams is doing some similar things
Stay tuned as we sift through for good solid science!
Other useful websites for additional information:
Ohio State College of Vet Med website “Comparing Prescription Diets”
Your thoughts welcomed! Lets begin the dialogue.
Drs Ken, Sarah, Katie, Tina & Dawn
References
Recent lectures by board certified DVM’s (Nutrition, Internal Medicine & Surgeons) that I have attended to compile this review.
Naturally Neutraceutical Dr Rob Silver DVM Madison WI Sept 2006
Using Nutrition to Enhance Patient Care Dr Lisa Freeman DVM DACVN Oct 2007
Hills Symposium of Evidence Based Nutrition Dr Phil Roudebush DVM DACVIM Nov 2007
UW Orthopedic Considerations for the Canine Athlete Dr Paul Manley DVM DACVS Nov 2007
Rehabilitation in Veterinary Medicine Sherman Canapp DVM DACVS et al April 2008
International Veterinary Rehabilitation Symposium Dr Julie Churchill DVM DACVIM Aug 2008
Practical Small Animal Nutrition Dr Kathyrn Michels DVM MS DACVN Lake Delton Feb 2009
EPA/DHA Fish oils resources
Freeman, Lisa OSU Waltham 2002 Nutritional Conference
Mueller RS, et al. J Sm An Proc 2004, 45:293-297.
Simopoulos AP. J Amer Coll Nutr 2002, 21:495-505
Bauer JE. I Am Vet Med Assoc 2006, 229:680-684.
Caterson B, et al. Hills European Symposium Genoa, Italy, Apr 2005:14-18.
Brown SA, et al. J Nutr 1998, 128:2765S-2767S.
Smith CE, et al. J Vet Inter Med 2007, 21:265-273.
Obesity resources
1. “Feeding for Fitness” Dr Julie Churchill DVM DACVIM PhD Intl Rehabilitation Symposium Aug 13 2008.
2. “Obesity’s missing link: The union of metabolism, genome & disease” Dr Jane Armstrong DVM MS MBA DACVIM U of Minn
3. “An evidence-based review of the use of therapeutic foods, owner education, exercise, and drugs for the management of obese and overweight pets” Dr Phillip Roudebush DVM, DACVIM et al JAVMA Vol 233 No 5 Sept 1, 2008
4. “An evidence-based review of the use of nutraceutical and dietary supplementation for the management of obese and overweight pets” Phillip Roudebush DVM, DACVIM et al JAVMA Vol 232 No 11 June 1, 2008
5. Effect of weight reduction on clinical signs of lameness in dogs with hip osteoarthritis Mark A Tetrick, Peter Muir Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Apr 2000, Vol. 216, No. 7, Pages 1089-1091: 1089-1091.
Misc resources
Isoflavones Research Report Purina Research Report Volume 12 Issue 1
Obesity’s Missing Link: The union of metabolism, genome and disease Hills
