Senior Manager Clinical Trials Nestle Purina PetCare Company St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Abstract:
Background: Dietary fibers and prebiotics confer health benefits to pets. Because they have variable fermentation rates and soluble:insoluble composition, fiber blends may better improve digestive health parameters. Health benefits may be differential for dogs and cats depending on their anatomy and gut microbiome to ferment dietary fibers and prebiotics. Hypothesis/
Objectives: To determine if fiber blends provide a digestive health benefit to cats. Animals: Thirty-two colony-housed adult cats were recruited for randomized controlled feeding study. All cats were apparently healthy and had not received antibiotics for at least 60 days prior to study start.
Methods: To stabilize the intestinal microbiome, a low fiber control diet was fed for 28 days. Following stabilization, cats were randomized to 1 of 4 test diets for an additional 28 days: Control, Blend 1 (inulin, psyllium, pumpkin), Blend 2 (inulin, oat fiber, beet pulp, pumpkin, citrus fiber), or Blend 3 (inulin, wheat aleurone, pumpkin). Biological samples were collected to evaluate the impact of fibers on digestive and immune health. Parameters were compared to performance on the low fiber control using paired t-tests.
Results: Test diets were highly digestible. No differences were noted following Blend 1 consumption. Blend 2 decreased Streptococcus spp. (p< 0.05). Blend 3 consumption increased Bifidobacterium spp. and Actinobacteria spp. relative abundance while decreasing total branched chain fatty acids, isovalerate, dysbiosis index, and Streptococcus spp. (p< 0.05). Conclusions and clinical importance: Fiber blends performed differently when fed in vivo. Cats consuming the blend of inulin, wheat aleurone, and pumpkin had an improved gastrointestinal environment.
