Feed additive decreased breath odour, flatulence and faecal odour in dogs
Take Home Message: Feeding dogs a mixture of protected fatty acids formulated to reach the hind-gut reduce breath odour, flatulence and faecal odour whilst improving the ease of faecal pick-up.
The inclusion of a novel complementary feedstuff in canine diets decreased breath odour, flatulence and faecal odour in dogs. And owners also recorded a significant improvement in coat shine, faecal consistency and ease of faecal pick-up, but there was a significant increase in faecal volume and feed intake.
Just some of the interesting results from trials carried out by scientists in Belfast to determine owner perceptions of the efficacy of a novel complementary feedstuff on dog faecal quality and a variety of canine parameters.
Poor faecal consistency, malodour and excessive or erratic volume are common conditions in companion animals and can present unpleasant situations for owners and handlers. The ratio of water to solids in faeces is an important determinant of faecal consistency, but does not always result in poor faecal consistency.
Gastrointestinal tract function is also implicated in poor faecal consistency and nutritional intervention is one approach to management of the problem.
A trial involving 21 dogs, aged between one and 12 years with body weights ranging from 2.5 to 40 kg, were used in the study. The dogs were randomly assigned to two treatments (feedstuff and control) in a standard cross-over design with a 21-day feeding period.
The complementary feedstuff, a mixture of short-, medium- and long-chain fatty acids all of which were encapsulated to reach the hind gut, was included at levels proportionate to the weight of each dog (0.3 g/kg). Fresh water was available at all times and faecal characteristics (consistency, volume, odour, colour and ease of pick up) and coat shine, breath odour and flatulence were scored by owners at weekly intervals throughout the trial, using a 5 level scale questionnaire design.
Fresh faecal samples were collected for microbiological analysis after 21 days and microbial counts were also taken.
“And we found that there were significant differences in all parameters evaluated within the questionnaire in favour of the additive, and enterobacteria levels between the two treatments determined through microbiological analysis tended to be different,” said Catherine Carmichael, from Belfast-based Devenish Nutrition.
“The tendency of the feedstuff to reduce enterobacteria in the faeces suggests a change in gut health and function,” she added.
Full details: Carmichael CL, Scott M, Wylie A, Wells D and Beattie VE: “The effect of a novel complementary feedstuff on canine faecal consistency and odour.”
Presented to the British Society of Animal Science Annual Conference, 12-14 April 2010, Queen’s University, Belfast.
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