Countering pet obesity by rethinking feeding habits

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-07/asoa-cpo073015.php

Public Release: 30-Jul-2015
Countering pet obesity by rethinking feeding habits
Reevaluation of pet feeding regimens could spell healthier animal companions
American Society of Animal Science

The most definitive player in pet health is the owner. Dr. Kelly Swanson, Professor of Animal and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Illinois, says the first step in combating pet obesity is simply realizing that an animal is overweight.

"Owners need to actually recognize that their pet is obese, and is not just a funny, pudgy animal that looks cute," said Swanson. "Lean, healthy pets not only live longer, but more importantly, have a better quality of life."

In fact, some lifelong studies show that maintaining a lean body condition score (BCS 4 or 5) adds an average of 1.8 years to dogs' lives. Preserving steady body conditions requires owners to not just read pet food labels, but to actually understand and apply the feeding directions.

Food types and feeding frequencies also need to vary from animal to animal. Dr. Dennis Jewell, Research Scientist at Hill's Pet Nutrition, emphasized the customization of feeding programs to fit each individual.

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For example, weight-loss regimens equate to the feeding of less energy-dense and more fiber-dense diets. Increased fiber intake results in less ad-libitum food consumption.

One overlooked feeding strategy may lie in the nature of the food itself. According to Dr. Katherine Kerr, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Florida, raw and whole-prey diets may provide a viable alternative to extruded ones. Her projects primarily focus on the eating patterns and nutritional health of African wildcats.

"While observing feeding behaviors, we soon recognized that felines aren't physiologically made to chew," said Kerr. "When feeding whole prey, they basically just crush the skull and swallow it whole."

The diets of wild-type cats include the hide, hair and bones of prey. When used in addition to other plant and animal fibers, these have a positive impact on energy metabolism and gut microbial populations. Meat-based and whole prey diets in domestic pets could yield similar results.
[It also includes the digestive tract of the prey, which includes partly digested vegetables.]

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