Objective-To compare presumed fatty acid content in natural diets of feral domestic cats (inferred from body fat polyunsatrated fatty acids content) with polyunsaturated fatty acid content of commercial feline extruded diets. Sample-Subcutaneous and intra-abdominal adipose tissue samples (approx 1 g) from previously frozen cadavers of 7 adult feral domestic cats trapped in habitats remote from human activity and triplicate samples (200 g each) of 7 commercial extruded diets representing 68% of market share obtained from retail stores. Procedures-Lipid, triacylglycerol, and phospholipid fractions in adipose tissue samples and ether extracts of diet samples were determined by gas chromatography of methyl esters. Triacylglycerol and phospholipid fractions in the adipose tissue were isolated by thin-layer chromatography. Diet samples were also analyzed for proximate contents. Results-For the adipose tissue samples, with few exceptions, fatty acids fractions varied only moderately with lipid fraction and site from which tissue samples were obtained. Linoleic, α-linolenic, arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acid fractions were 15.0% to 28.2%, 4.5% to 18.7%, 0.9% to 5.0%, < 0.1% to 0.2%, and 0.6% to 1.7%, respectively. As inferred from the adipose findings, dietary fractions of docosahexaenoic and α-linolenic acid were significantly greater than those in the commercial feline diets, but those for linoleic and eicosapentaenoic acids were not significantly different. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-The fatty acid content of commercial extruded feline diets differed from the inferred content of natural feral cat diets, in which dietary n-3 and possibly n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids were more abundant. The impact of this difference on the health of pet cats is not known.

Objective—To compare results of body condition scoring by use of a 9-point scale with body composition determined by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in indoor-confined neutered domestic shorthair (DSH) pet cats. Animals—72 indoor-confined, adult neutered DSH pet cats (38 females and 34 males). Procedures—All cats underwent a physical examination including assessment of body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS; 1 = emaciated, 5 = ideal, and 9 = grossly obese), and girth. Urinalysis, CBC, and serum biochemical analysis were also performed. After the cats were confirmed healthy, they were anesthetized for body composition measurement via DEXA. Lean body mass, fat mass, and percentage body fat (%BF) were then evaluated. Results—The correlation between %BF and BCS (r = 0.87) was superior to the correlations between %BFand BW (r = 0.74) and between %BF and girth (r = 0.78). Values for %BF differed significantly between all pairs of BCSs except BCSs 8 and 9. Within a BCS, the %BF was similar for male and female cats. The mean %BF for cats with a BCS of 5 was 32, which exceeded the upper reference limit of %BF generally considered ideal (30). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—The 9-point BCS scale appears useful for assessing %BF in DSH pet cats. Nevertheless, study findings could indicate a need for redefining the ideal BCS for inactive neutered cats to include a BCS of 4.

Skeletal muscles from healthy dogs and Labrador Retrievers with hereditary muscular dystrophy were examined morphologically and histochemically and were analyzed biochemically for Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Cl-, total muscle water, and total neutral lipid content. Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used for elemental quantitation of hydrochloric acid tissue extracts. Muscle samples from dystrophic dogs contained substantially increased concentrations of Na+, Ca2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, and Cl-, and a considerable reduction in the content of K+ and Mg2+ compared with samples from healthy dogs. Total muscle water and total fat content was higher in muscles from dystrophic dogs. Most muscle samples from dystrophic dogs had a type-2 fiber deficiency and an increase in number of fibers with internalized nuclei.

Objective: To determine associations between serum concentrations of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids or body condition and serum concentrations of adiponectin, leptin, insulin, glucose, or triglyceride in healthy dogs. Animals: 62 healthy adult client-owned dogs. Procedures: Body condition score and percentage of body fat were determined. Blood samples were collected after food was withheld for 12 hours. Serum was harvested for total lipid determination, fatty acid analysis, and measurement of serum concentrations of adiponectin, leptin, insulin, glucose, and triglyceride. Associations between the outcome variables (adiponectin, leptin, insulin, glucose, and triglyceride concentrations) and each of several variables (age, sex, percentage of body fat, and concentrations of total lipid, α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid) were determined. Results: Serum concentrations of docosapentaenoic acid were significantly positively associated with concentrations of adiponectin and leptin and negatively associated with concentrations of triglyceride. Serum concentrations of α-linolenic acid were significantly positively associated with concentrations of triglyceride. No significant associations were detected between serum concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid or docosahexaenoic acid and any of the outcome variables. Percentage of body fat was significantly positively associated with concentrations of leptin, insulin, and triglyceride but was not significantly associated with adiponectin concentration. Age was positively associated with concentrations of leptin, insulin, and triglyceride and negatively associated with concentrations of adiponectin. Sex did not significantly affect serum concentrations for any of the outcome variables. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Docosapentaenoic acid may increase serum concentrations of adiponectin and leptin and decrease serum triglyceride concentration in healthy dogs.

OBJECTIVE To determine effects of restriction feeding of a moderate-protein, high-fiber diet on loss of body weight (BW), voluntary physical activity, body composition, and fecal microbiota of overweight cats. ANIMALS 8 neutered male adult cats. PROCEDURES After BW maintenance for 4 weeks (week 0 = last week of baseline period), cats were fed to lose approximately 1.5% of BW/wk for 18 weeks. Food intake (daily), BW (twice per week), body condition score (weekly), body composition (every 4 weeks), serum biochemical analysis (weeks 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16), physical activity (every 6 weeks), and fecal microbiota (weeks 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16) were assessed. RESULTS BW, body condition score, serum triglyceride concentration, and body fat mass and percentage decreased significantly over time. Lean mass decreased significantly at weeks 12 and 16. Energy required to maintain BW was 14% less than National Research Council estimates for overweight cats and 16% more than resting energy requirement estimates. Energy required for weight loss was 11% more, 6% less, and 16% less than American Animal Hospital Association recommendations for weight loss (80% of resting energy requirement) at weeks 1 through 4, 5 through 8, and 9 through 18, respectively. Relative abundance of Actinobacteria increased and Bacteroidetes decreased with weight loss. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Restricted feeding of a moderate-protein, high-fiber diet appeared to be a safe and effective means for weight loss in cats. Energy requirements for neutered cats may be overestimated and should be reconsidered.

Concentration of sulfamethazine was measured in plasma and tissues (fat, liver, kidney, spleen, lungs, and skeletal muscle) of pigs given the drug IV and PC. The plasma concentration vs time curve was best described by a 2-compartment model, with a distribution half-life of 0.46 hour and an elimination half-life of 16.9 hours. Bioavailability after oral administration was 85.8 +/- 5.3%. The tissue and plasma sulfamethazine concentration vs time data ,ere used to develop a multicompartment pharmacokinetic model of sulfamethazine disposition in pigs. Plasma and tissue concentrations of sulfamethazine in pigs were measured at various intervals after multiple oral doses of sulfamethazine, and were compared to concentrations predicted by the model. Model predictions for tissue concentrations of sulfamethazine after addition of the drug to feed (110 micrograms/g of feed for 98 days; 550 micrograms/g for 30 days) were compared to results from other studies. The model accurately predicted the number of days for sulfamethazine concentration to fall below 0.1 Kg of tissue/g (0.1 ppm. the tolerated concentration) in various tissues.

The body condition score (BCS) is insufficient in determining the amount of body fat in horses, thus defining obesity. Measurement of the subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) by ultrasonography should be considered as an appropriate method in the definition of fat distribution at different body locations in horses. Therefore, this study aimed to 1) characterize the SFT in three different anatomical locations (i.e. neck, lumbar region, and gluteal region); 2) evaluate the relationship between BCS and SFT; 3) determine the influence of gender, weight, age, and gait on BCS and SFT measurements, and 4) explore the agreement between the morphometric measurements [i.e. body mass index (BMI), girth circumference: height at withers ratio (GC: HW), neck circumference: height at withers ratio (NC: HW)], and BCS and SFT in a population of Colombian Paso Horses (CPHs). The Henneke’s body condition scoring was applied to 69 adult CPHs, selected using a convenience sampling. Additionally, BMI, GC: HW, and NC: HW were calculated. Body fat percentage (BF%) was calculated by ultrasound measurement of the SFT in the neck, lumbar region, and gluteal region. The BF% in the CPHs was 6.4 ± 1.1. The GC: HW, NC: HW, and BMI were not predictors of the BF% or BCS, and neither gender nor gait was decisive in the definition of fattening in the study animals, although age and weight were determining variables. According to our results, ultrasound is an adequate tool to calculate the BF% of the CPHs. However, it must be accompanied by Henneke’s BCS assessment.