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In cats, the incidence of obesity and diabetes is increasing, and little is known about specific aspects of the endocrine control of food intake in this species. Recent data suggest that ghrelin has an important role in the control of insulin secretion and vice versa, but this role has never been demonstrated in cats. Here we aimed to improve our understanding about the relationship between insulin, amylin and ghrelin secretion in response to a nutrient load in overweight cats. After a 16 h fast, weekly, six overweight male cats underwent randomly one of the four testing sessions: saline, glucose, arginine and TAG. All solutions were isoenergetic and isovolumic, and were injected intravenously as a bolus. Glucose, insulin, acylated ghrelin (AG), amylin and prolactin were assayed in plasma before and 10, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 min after the nutrient load. A linear mixed-effects model was used to assess the effect of bolus and time on the parameters. A parenteral bolus of glucose or arginine increased insulin and ghrelin concentrations in cats. Except for with the TAG bolus, no suppression of ghrelin was observed. The absence of AG suppression after the intravenous load of arginine and glucose may suggest: (1) that some nutrients do not promote satiation in overweight cats; or that (2) AG may be involved in non-homeostatic consumption mechanisms. However, the role of ghrelin in food reward remains to be assessed in cats.

Fed the same dry diet, large dogs show poorer fecal quality than small ones. A high colonic permeability could explain a low water and electrolyte net balance leading to high fecal water content. This experiment was conducted to evaluate colonic permeability in dogs varying in body size and to determine whether colonic permeability is related to fecal sodium concentration and fecal quality. Four breeds of dogs were used: six Miniature Poodles (MP), six Standard Schnauzers (SS), six Giant Schnauzers (GS) and six Great Danes (GD). Colonic permeability was evaluated using the ratio of urinary lactulose to sucralose (L:S) after oral administration. Fecal sodium concentration was measured by flame photometry. The urinary L:S ratio was significantly lower in GD, indicating a higher colonic permeability, than in the three other breeds (0.35 ± 0.12 for GD and 0.51 ± 0.05 for MP). GD also presented the higher fecal sodium concentrations and the poorest fecal quality. The higher fecal sodium concentration observed in GD could be explained by the higher colonic permeability and both these variables could be important explanations for higher fecal moisture in large dogs.

The increased prevalence of obesity after neutering in cats is problematic in veterinary practice. Although many factors seem to be involved, the role of prolactin (PRL) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), both implicated in adipose tissue development and glucose intolerance, should be considered. Seven male cats were castrated when 11 months old. Body weight was then recorded for 56 weeks and PRL, IGF-I and leptin assayed for 44 weeks. Body weight increased steadily but only significantly after 36 weeks. It stabilised after 44 weeks, and the cats then gained about 20% of their initial body weight. IGF-I increased rapidly and was significantly higher by week 3. PRL and leptin increased with initial peaks during the eighth and eleventh weeks, respectively. This study confirms that castration rapidly modifies the hormonal balance, partly explaining the body weight increase, and that hormonal changes precede this body weight increase. Hyperleptinaemia is apparently a consequence of excess weight.

Obesity is associated with multiple endocrine alterations and changes in the concentration of circulating hormones. However, few studies have explored such alterations in dogs with naturally acquired excess weight. In the present study, we investigated the effect of naturally acquired obesity on cortisol, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and prolactin secretion in dogs. Thirty-one overweight dogs were enrolled in the trial. Blood samples were collected before and after adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) injection. Free thyroxine (fT4), cortisol, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), IGF-1, prolactin and fructosamine were assayed. Body weight excess increased significantly with age and neutered dogs were more obese than entire ones. The ACTH stimulation test was within the normal range for 26 of 31 dogs. Prolactinaemia was increased in seven dogs and IGF-1 in six dogs. Twenty dogs had a fructosamine concentration >340 microm. Interestingly, 18 of 31 dogs showed disturbances of thyroid function based on high TSH and/or low fT4 baseline concentration, with 11 dogs showing both. According to these parameters only six of 31 dogs were free of hormonal disturbances. These results revealed the high incidence of such disturbances, especially thyroid dysfunction, in obese, but otherwise apparently healthy dogs. They demonstrate the importance of examining endocrine function during the initial evaluation of obese dogs to avoid failure of any nutritional treatment.

Objective: To compare large intestinal transit time (LITT) in dogs of various body sizes and determine whether fecal quality was correlated with LITT., Animals: 6 Miniature Poodles, 6 Standard Schnauzers, 6 Giant Schnauzers, and 6 Great Danes., Procedure: LITT was calculated as the difference between total (TTT) and orocecal transit time (OCTT). Minimum and mean OCTTs were determined by use of the sulfasalazine-sulfapyridine method. Minimum TTT was estimated by use of chromium and ferric oxide as color markers, and mean TTT was calculated from the recovery from feces of ingested colored plastic beads. Fecal moisture content was determined and fecal consistency was scored during the same period., Results: Large-breed dogs had higher fecal moisture content and more watery fecal consistency. No association between body size and OCTT was detected, but there was a positive correlation between body size and mean TTT. Mean LITT increased significantly with body size, from 9.1 +/- 1.1 hours in Miniature Poodles to 39.4 +/- 1.6 hours for Giant Schnauzers. Significant correlations were detected among mean LITT, mean TTT, and fecal scores, whereas no correlation was observed between fecal moisture content and TTT or LITT., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: LITT was correlated with fecal consistency in dogs of various body sizes. Mean LITT can be predicted from values for mean TTT in healthy dogs.

Fed the same diet, large and giant-breed dogs have higher faecal moisture and increased frequency of soft stools than small ones. This could be the result of physiological differences, such as a different gastrointestinal transit time. In this study, we have correlated mean total transit time (MTT) with body size and faecal consistency in dogs varying in body size. Fifty dogs from 13 different breeds were used, from a Dachshund to a Great Dane. The MTT was determined using coloured plastic beads [Cummings and Wiggins, Gut, Vol. 17 (1976), p. 219], and faecal consistency was scored daily during the study. We confirmed the strong correlation between height at the shoulder (body size) and faecal score (r = 0.76; p < 0.0001). The MTT increased with body size, from 22 h for a Miniature Poodle to 59 h for a Giant Schnauzer. We found significant positive correlations (p < 0.0001) between MTT and body size as well as faecal scores (r = 0.71 and 0.70 respectively). In the present study, we observed an effect of body size on MTT. In our 50 healthy dogs a longer MTT was related to a poorer faecal quality. Previous studies reported no relationship between body size and the upper gastrointestinal transit time in healthy dogs. So, we hypothesized that body size would mainly affect colonic transit time and that a longer colonic residence time would be related to a poorer faecal quality by promoting fermentation activity.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of dietary fat and energy density on body weight gain, body composition, and total energy expenditure (TEE) in neutered and sexually intact cats., Animals: 12 male and 12 female cats, Procedure: Male cats were castrated (castrated male [CM]) or underwent no surgical procedure (sexually intact male [IM]). Female cats underwent ovariectomy (spayed female [SF]) or laparotomy and ligation of both uterine tubes without ovary removal (sexually intact female [IF]). Cats were fed either the low-fat (LF) or high-fat (HF) diet for 26 weeks, with the final allocation consisting of 8 groups: IF-LF IF-HE SF-LF, SF-HF IM-LF, IM-HF, CM-LF, and CM-HF. Mean food intake for each group was recorded daily, and body weight was monitored weekly throughout the study. Body composition and TEE were measured before surgery in week 0 and at the end of the study (week 26) by isotope dilution (double-labelled water)., Results: N eutered cats gained significantly more body fat and body weight (53.80+/-5.79%) than sexually intact cats (27.11+/-5.79%) during the study. Body weight gain of neutered cats fed the HF diet was greater than those fed the LF diet. Following correction for body composition, TEE was similar in all groups and no pattern towards increased food intake was evident., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Weight gain in neutered cats was decreased by feeding an LF, low energy-dense diet. To prevent weight gain in cats after neutering, a suitable LF diet should be fed in carefully controlled meals rather than ad libitum.

The objectives of the study were to assess overall electrolyte absorption capacity as well as fermentative activity in dogs varying in body size in order to verify whether these parameters can explain the poor faecal quality in large dogs. Four breeds of dogs were used: six Miniature Poodles (MP), six Standard Schnauzers (SS), six Giant Schnauzers (GS) and six Great Danes (GD). Net absorption rates of electrolytes were assessed by calculating the apparent digestibility of sodium and potassium and measuring their content in stool. Fermentative activity was calculated by measuring faecal concentrations of lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids. The results showed higher faecal concentrations of fermentation products and electrolytes as well as poorer digestibility of electrolytes in Giant Schnauzers and Great Danes. Strong positive correlations were found between these different parameters and stool quality (scores and moisture). Lower overall electrolyte absorption and higher fermentative activity could thus be factors capable of explaining poorer faecal quality in these two large dog breeds.

We previously demonstrated improvements of colonic lesions due to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in rats after 7 d of supplementation with resistant starch (RS) type 3, a substrate yielding high levels of butyrate (C(4)), a colonic cell fuel source. In the present study, we hypothesized that if inflammation is related to decreased C(4) utilization by the colonic mucosa, RS supplementation should restore C(4) use simultaneously with an increase in the amount of C(4) present in the digestive tract. Hence, we compared, in vivo, the cecocolonic uptake of C(4) and its oxidation into CO(2) and ketone bodies in control and DSS-treated rats fed a fiber-free basal diet (BD) or a RS-supplemented diet. Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 60) were used. DSS treatment was performed to induce acute colitis and then to maintain chronic colitis. After cecal infusion of [1-(13)C]-C(4) (20 micro mol in 1 h), concentrations and (13)C-enrichment of C(4), ketone bodies, and CO(2) were quantified in the abdominal aorta and portal vein. Portal blood flow was recorded. During acute colitis, (13)C(4) uptake and (13)CO(2) production were lower in DSS rats than in controls. During chronic colitis, DSS rats did not differ from controls. After 7 d of chronic colitis, RS-DSS rats exhibited the same C(4) uptake as BD-DSS rats in spite of higher C(4) cecocolonic disposal. After 14 d, C(4) uptake was higher in RS-DSS than in BD-DSS rats. Thus, the increased utilization of C(4) by the mucosa is subsequent to evidence of healing and appears to be a consequence rather than a cause of this RS healing effect.

Objective: To compare orocecal transit time (OCTT) as assessed by use of the sulfapyridine appearance time in plasma after oral administration of sulfasalazine in dogs of varying age and body size and determine whether OCTT correlates with fecal quality., Animals: 6 Miniature Poodles (MP), 6 Standard Schnauzers (SS), 6 Giant Schnauzers (GS), and 6 Great Danes (GD)., Procedure: Determinations of OCTT were made at 12, 22, 36, and 60 weeks of age. Dogs were fed sulfasalazine mixed with a meal. Blood samples were then collected for 6 hours. The OCTT was the time from ingestion of the meal to detection of sulfapyridine in plasma. Fecal moisture content and consistency were recorded during the same periods., Results: Mean OCTT decreased during growth of GS and GD dogs. No correlation was found between OCTT and fecal variables during growth in the 4 breeds. Effect of body size was observed at 12 and 22 weeks of age, with a longer OCTT in GS and GD than in MP and SS dogs. Similar OCTTs were observed at 36 and 60 weeks of age in all breeds, although GS and GD dogs had poorer fecal quality during those periods., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: An effect of age on OCTT was observed only in large-breed dogs, with longer transit times in puppies (12 weeks old) than in adults (60 weeks old). Mean OCTT is not correlated with body size in adult dogs. No relationship was detected between OCTT and fecal variables in healthy dogs.

Butyrate is recognised as efficient in healing colonic inflammation, but cannot be used as a long-term treatment. Dietary fibre that produces a high-butyrate level when fermented represents a promising alternative. We hypothesised that different types of dietary fibre do not have the same efficiency of healing and that this could be correlated to their fermentation characteristics. We compared short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and type 3 resistant starch (RS) in a previously described dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model. Seventy-two Sprague-Dawley rats received water (control rats) or DSS (50 g DSS/l for 7 d then 30 g DSS/l for 7 (day 7) or 14 (day 14) d). The rats were fed a basal diet (BD), or a FOS or RS diet creating six groups: BD-control, BD-DSS, FOS-control, FOS-DSS, RS-control and RS-DSS. Caeco-colonic inflammatory injuries were assessed macroscopically and histologically. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) were quantified in caeco-colon, portal vein and abdominal aorta. At days 7 and 14, caecal and distal macroscopic and histological observations were improved in RS-DSS compared with BD-DSS and also with FOS-DSS rats. Caeco-colonic SCFA were reduced in FOS-DSS and RS-DSS groups compared with healthy controls. The amount of butyrate was higher in the caecum of the RS-DSS rats than in the BD-DSS and FOS-DSS rats, whereas distal butyrate was higher in FOS-DSS rats. Partially explained by higher luminal levels of SCFA, especially butyrate, the healing effect of RS confirms the involvement of some types of dietary fibre in inflammatory bowel disease. Moreover, the ineffectiveness of FOS underlines the importance of the type of dietary substrate.

A new method has been developed for the simultaneous measurement, in a reduced plasma sample, of concentration and 13C-isotopic enrichment of acetic, propionic, butyric, lactic, acetoacetic and beta-hydroxybutyric acids by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. After plasma deproteinisation, a diethylic extraction and a N-tert.-butyldimethylsilyl-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide derivatisation were performed. Both diethyl extraction and derivatisation procedures were optimised using the central composite designs methodology. The optimised method provides good linearity, intra-day and within-day repeatability. Except for beta-hydroxybutyric (49 microM) and acetoacetic acid (5 microM), detection limits were ranging between 0.2 and 0.7 microM allowing uses of this method for colonic metabolism studies.

Objective: To evaluate effects of age and body size of dogs on intestinal permeability (unmediated diffusion) as measured by the ratio of urinary lactulose to L-rhamnose (L:R) and absorption (carrier-mediated transport) as measured by the ratio of urinary D-xylose to 3-O-methyl-D-glucose (X:MG) and to determine whether these variables correlated with fecal quality., Animals: 6 Miniature Poodles, 6 Standard Schnauzers, 6 Giant Schnauzers, and 6 Great Danes., Procedure: A solution that contained lactulose and rhamnose or xylose and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose was administered orally to dogs that were 12, 22, 36, and 60 weeks old. Urine was collected 6 hours later, and urinary L:R and X:MG were calculated. Fecal moisture and scoring were recorded during the same periods., Results: Age and breed did not affect intestinal absorption, and we did not detect a relationship between X:MG and fecal variables. In contrast, we detected significant effects of age and body size on intestinal permeability. Puppies (12 weeks old) and large dogs had higher intestinal permeability than adult (60 weeks old) and small dogs. The increased intestinal permeability in large dogs was associated with lower fecal quality as indicated by the significant positive correlations between L:R and fecal moisture (r, 0.61) and L:R and fecal scores (r, 0.86) in adult dogs., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: These results indicate that age and body size should be considered when assessing intestinal permeability by use of the L:R urinary excretion test in dogs. High intestinal permeability could be a possible cause of poor fecal quality in large dogs.

Objectives: Cyclic administrations of dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) alternating with distilled water usually induce chronic colitis after a few weeks. In order to obtain stable chronic colitis (without recovery or relapse) in a few days, a new continuous DSS treatment was tested and characterized. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which remain poorly documented in experimental colitis, were also investigated., Methods: Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with 5% DSS for 7 days (DI) followed by 3% DSS for 7 days (DM) or 14 days (DF). Control rats received only water. Inflammatory injuries in the caecum and the colon were assessed by macroscopic (colon length, caecum weight, damages score) and histological parameters. SCFAs (acetate, propionate, butyrate) were quantified individually in caecal, proximal and distal contents., Results: Macroscopic and histological observations revealed that this continuous DSS treatment induced acute inflammation (DI) followed rapidly by chronic active colitis. The latter was uncommonly predominant in the caecum and the distal colon, and was also associated with some fermentative disturbances. Caecal SCFA concentrations decreased with DSS at DI and DM. The molar ratio of caecal butyrate increased with DSS. Acetate decreased in the colon while propionate increased., Conclusion: This new DSS treatment is able to induce in a few days stable chronic inflammation with caecal and distal predominant injuries, and mild fermentative caeco-colonic alterations. This model could contribute to the study of potential anti-inflammatory effects of prebiotics.

Objective: To compare gastric emptying time, small-intestinal transit time (SITT), and orocecal transit time (OCTT) of radiopaque markers in dogs varying in age and body size and to determine whether fecal variables (ie, consistency and moisture content) are related to gastrointestinal tract transit times in dogs., Animals: 24 eight-week-old female puppies, including 6 Miniature Poodles, 6 Standard Schnauzers, 6 Giant Schnauzers, and 6 Great Danes., Procedure: Gastrointestinal tract transit time experiments were performed at 12, 22, 36, and 60 weeks of age. Dogs were fed 30 small radiopaque markers mixed with a meal. Abdominal radiographs were taken. The time at which 50% of the markers had left the stomach (T50) and the time at which the first marker reached the colon were calculated. Fecal moisture content and scoring on the basis of fecal consistency were recorded during the same periods., Results: Puppies had a shorter mean T50 than adults, and mean OCTT decreased significantly only during growth of large-breed dogs. However mean fecal moisture content significantly increased with age, except in Giant Schnauzers. No effect of body size on T50 was found regardless of age, and no difference was observed between OCTT of small- and large-breed adult dogs. The effect of age on the mean SITT was not significant for any breed. However, a strong positive correlation was recorded between body size and fecal moisture content (r2 = 0.77) or fecal scores (r2 = 0.69) in adult dogs., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Age affects T50 in small- and large-breed dogs and OCTT in large-breed dogs. However, body size does not affect T50 or OCTT. A relationship does not exist between gastrointestinal tract transit time and fecal variables in healthy dogs.

Objective: To evaluate energy expenditure (EE) in dogs by estimating rate of CO2 production (rCO2)., Animals: 15 Beagles., Procedure: Food was withheld for 24 hours, and all dogs received an IV infusion of 13C sodium bicarbonate for 8 hours. Breath samples were collected before infusion and at 30-minute intervals from 4 to 8 hours, and 13C enrichment in breath CO2 was measured, using gas chromatography-isotopic ratio mass spectrometry. Food was withheld from 6 dogs, and rCO2 and O2 consumption were measured, using a conventional indirect calorimeter. The CO2 production and O2 consumption were measured by use of indirect calorimetry in 6 other fed dogs that were injected with 2H2O and H2(18)O. Blood samples were collected before tracer injection, 4 hours later, and on days 4, 7, and 11. Deuterium and 18O enrichments in plasma water were determined., Results: Mean rCO2 measured by indirect calorimetry was 516 +/- 34 and 410 +/- 16 micromol/kg(0.75)/min in 6 fed and 6 food-deprived dogs, respectively. The rCO2 calculated from 13C-bicarbonate dilution was 482 +/- 30 micromol/kg(0.75)/min. Mean rCO2 determined by use of the double-labeled water method was 1,036 +/- 46 mmol/kg(0.75)/d. Mean energy expenditure calculated from rCO2 determined by infusion of 13C bicarbonate, indirect calorimetry in fed and food-deprived dogs, and infusion of double-labeled water was 386 +/- 39, 379 +/- 25, 338 +/- 14, and 552 +/- 25 kJ/kg(0.75)/d, respectively., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Energy expenditure calculated by indirect calorimetry in unfed dogs can be considered representative of basal metabolic rate.

Portal appearance of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) produced from fermentation of three different resistant starch (RS) sources (raw potato starch, high-amylose maize starch and retrograded high-amylose maize starch) was investigated in pigs. The catheterization technique coupled with determination of portal blood flow was used to estimate SCFA uptake by the colonic mucosa. Our hypothesis was that these three RS were not equivalent butyrate providers for the colonic mucosa and that butyrate uptake would therefore be different after in vivo fermentation of each starch. The starches induced different patterns of appearance of SCFA in the portal blood; raw potato starch was the only RS source to show a significant appearance of butyrate in the portal blood. Thus, uptake of butyrate by the colonic mucosa apparently differed between starches. This finding suggests that butyrate uptake does not only depend on the flow of butyrate appearing in the lumen. Indeed, for unexplained reasons, utilization of butyrate by the colonic mucosa appeared to be less efficient when the butyrate was produced from fermentation of potato starch than when it was produced from fermentation of the other RS sources.