Carbohydrates Impact in Type 2 Diabetes in Cats

Diabetes is one of the most commonly diagnosed endocrine diseases in cats. Of all types of diabetes, type II is the most frequent one, 80% of the diabetic cats have type II diabetes. Even though it’s a multifactorial disease, obesity was found to be the most important risk factor in developing diabetes, obesity increases the chances of developing this disease to up to 4 times. The study was conducted on a number of 9 cats with uncomplicated diabetes with the purpose of monitoring the effects of the commercial dry food (with a high percentage of carbohydrates) and the commercial canned food (with a higher percentage of proteins and a lower percentage of carbohydrates) on the glycemic index. For this study, we considered the occasional administration of raw chicken and turkey meat because it wasn’t given for a long enough period of time. The diet is very important for diabetic cats because a lot of sick cats enter remission after a couple of months of being fed wet canned food and they no longer need the administration of insulin, but owners are instructed to carefully monitor glycaemia for the rest of the pet’s life

Nutritional Management of Overweight and Obesity in Dogs and Cats

Some of the most common nutritional disorders are overweight and obesity, a proportion of approximately 59% of dogs and cats being affected. A permanent challenge for vets is weight management, including the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity.Corporeal score and body-weight loss in dogs and cats have been monitored by feeding various diets. The study was conducted on a total of 10 animals (6 dogs and 4 cats), monitoring the effect of three types of food for dogs and two types for cats suffering from overweight and obesity.  Cooked food, dry food diet and premium dry food were investigated. We determined the quality and gross chemical composition of food and we measured corporeal score, weekly weight loss percentage and the number of calories consumed daily. We also appreciated the quality of life and activity level of the animals at the beginning and at the end of the trial. Nutritional management of investigated diets for overweight and obesity in dogs and cats revealed that through the smallest caloric restriction, dry food diet presented the highest efficiency, dogs and cats loosing weight steadily without losing muscle mass. Although the satiety effect occurs when the animals reach their ideal weight, the Rebound effect was not present

Determination of total aflatoxins and aflatoxin B1 content in oleaginous seeds and dried fruits coming from supermarkets and small shops

A very important category of mycotoxins are aflatoxins, made by Aspergillus fungi (A. flavus, A. parasiticus and A. nominus). From all aflatoxins, the following stand out: aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) - most toxic one, aflatoxin B2, G1 and G2 Study was conducted on 25 samples of fruit and seeds originating from supermarkets and small shops around Transylvania. Organoleptic and mycotoxicological tests were performed for all samples. For mycotoxicological testing, RIDASCREEN®FAST Aflatoxin was used, an immunoenzymatic competitive test for quantitative determination of aflatoxins from aliments and cereals and RIDASCREEN AFLATOXIN B1, ELISA test for quantitative determination of Aflatoxin B1 from cereals and fodders. Upon organoleptic testing, 2 samples were noticed to have modified parameters.Mycotoxicological testing revealed 6 samples with higher than normal total aflatoxin content, and 1 sample contained aflatoxin B1 above the upper limit established by the European legislation. The highest total flatoxin and aflatoxin B1 levels were found in roasted corn (46.5 ppb for total aflatoxins, espectively 4.01ppb for Aflatoxin B1)

Deoxynivalenol and T2 toxin content in wheat and bread from different Transilvania Region

The toxins produced by Fusarium fungi that contaminate cereals are a serious concern. The most important and broad family of fusariotoxins are trichothechenes, which comprise several components divided into 4 groups, with types A and B being the most significant. In order to determine the level of DON and T2 toxin, we collected a number of 25 amples, of which 10 were bread and 15 wheat, all of them were collected from the Transylvania region. In wheat samples, DON was identified in all 15 samples analyzed, with values between 33-2225 μg / kg, with an average value of 672.6 μg / kg and with a median of 372 μg / kg. Of these, 4 samples exceeded the maximum limit imposed by European legislation of 1250 μg / kg for DON, the maximum value being 2225 μg / kg. In the bread samples, the presence of DON was found in 8 out of 10 samples analyzed (80%) with values not exceeding the limits of European legislation of 500 μg / kg, between 0-321 μg / kg. Regarding the T2 toxin content, it was identified in only 2 of the samples analyzed (8%), a wheat sample and a bread sample, with values of 7 μg / kg and 5 μg / kg, these values not exceeding European standards. The results obtained by us show a high DON contamination at the level of wheat grains harvested from different counties of Transylvania, some of the values not respecting the European standards, but with low values recorded in bread samples. Regarding T2 mycotoxin, this was detected only in 2 samples, with low values and for this reason do not consist a high risk for human health

The importance of balanced diets administration and vitamin-mineral supplements in puppies and adult dogs

Balanced is a term that may be applied to a diet, ration, or feed having all the required nutrients in proper amount and proportion based upon recommendations of recognized authorities in the field of animal nutrition, such as the NRC, for a given set of physiological requirements. Growth is one period where concerns are frequently reported, as this is one of themost nutritionally demanding life stages, and deficiencies and excesses are manifested quite rapidly. Minerals and vitamins are part of the diet, providing the energy for growth and activity. Individual variation, increased growth rate and/or level of activity may lead to exceeding the daily requirements of minerals and vitamins and thus to disturbance of skeletal growth as a cause of frequently diagnosed orthopedic diseases. Growth rates of young dogs are affected by the nutrient density of the food and the amount of food fed. It is important that puppies be fed to grow at an optimal rate for bone development and body condition rather than at a maximal rate. This study includes 8 dogs all different breeds. The study covers the correction of bone deformities when dogs are given a balanced diet along with vitamin mineral supplements. To obtain the proper information, correct diagnosis and a treatment plan a clinical exam was given to each dog. Radiology reports/images were obtained, as well as blood tests. Once results were collected it is clear supermarket puppy food that does not contain minimum 1.2 - 1.8% CA and 0.8 -1.6% P can lead to bone deformities such as "rickets". Premium dog food and vitamin supplements should be given to small to medium breeds four months to one year old, and larger breeds one and a half to two years old

The nutritional impact on bacterial plate, the development and treatment of tartar in cats

The accumulation of bacterial plaque on the teeth, the mineralization of these and the change of the oral cavities pH are the result of the interactions between different components of the oral environment and bacterial flora. These interactions will determine the type of bacterial populations that will occur on every situs thus forming the dental plaque. The bacterial plaque can be characterized based on localization, bacteriological composition and the effect on the oral cavity. Tartar is the main factor, which determines different grades of gingivitis, infections, and paradental diseases leading to tooth loss at cats. A thorough prevention and treatment plan will primarily consist of a well-balanced alimentation with a gross structure of feed. Potassium phosphate has a crucial role in the efficiency of the therapeutic protocols capacity to eliminate bacterial plaque, accounting for a reduction of 32% of calcium accumulations thus considerably slowing the mineralization or calcification of bacterial plaque at cats. This study looked at the impact that certain foods have on the development of plaque and tartar formation, furthermore it analyzed the tartar reduction after implementing a therapeutic diet. We also did a microbiologic examination of the saliva and the deposits at the level of the enamel. It was also observed that cats that were fed dry and moist food in equal amounts, were more prone to develop the above mentioned deposits

The assesment of domestic cats body condition through direct and indirect methods

The cats inability to adapt their enzymatic package to a domestic lifestyle and a restricted space of movement , for cats raised in appartments , made them more prone to overweight and obesity. Body scoring is a method of evaluation subjective and semiquantitative through inspection and palpation. Through the inspection and palpation of the fat that covers the chest , the presence or absence of the abdominal waist and the size of the belly fat are enough to establish the body score for cats. The biochemistry results showed significantlu changes of the parameters leptin, insulin, plasma total ghrelin, cholesterol and tryglicerides, which sustains their role in the adaptation of cats to a positive or negative energy balance. The purpose of this study is to change the owners perspective regarding the way they treat the physiologycal needs of their pets. They ignore their cats need for space, unlimited acces outside, their needs regarding the food, especially the increased requirements of proteins. The owners tend to mistakenly believe that a cat with an ideal score is underweight and that overweight cats are an ideal score

Quality assessment of the feed in dairy cows diet from a Bucovina Farm

The study was conducted on a cattle farm with a number of 200 cows located in Bucovina County. With the help of the information received from the staff employed on the farm and through the visual examination, assessments were made on the technology of raising dairy cattle, the hygiene and welfare conditions on the farm and on the animal feed. A number of 4 feed samples were collected, representing all the feed used in the feed of these categories of dairy cows, both components and mixtures administered to animals. Sampling was done individually and was conditioned shortly after harvest by relative drying and grinding. The organoleptic examination was performed, the crude chemical composition was determined, the mycotoxicological examination was performed and the aflatoxin and zearalenone content was determined. The results obtained indicated an adequate quality of the fodder from the organoleptic point of view and of the crude chemical composition. Following the mycotoxicological examination, it was found that the fodder was contaminated with aflatoxin B1 in all the samples examined, but no sample exceeded the maximum permitted values, and with regard to the zearalenone values in the samples we analyzed, we found that the values recorded in lucerne hay, natural hay and concentrate for dairy cows were below the maximum limits imposed, instead the corn silo showed values that exceed twice the maximum values allowed by regulations for calves and dairy cows, respectively, we recorder a value of 1098,41 μg/kg

Critical patiens: nutritional management in cats and dogs

Among the first symptoms the pet’s owner observes when the animal is sick is the lack of appetite. Although this lack of food appetite isn’t usually the cause of the illness it would have a delay effect of the healings. One of the usual point of view of the hospitalized dogs and cats lies in the delay of nutrition till the appetite or wish to be fed comes back .Still it is very well underlined the fact that the early nutritional management for the dogs and cats being in a critical state reduces the mortality, improves the answer to stress and trauma and brings upon healing. The lack of an adequate nutritional support of the hospitalized patients can lead to high infectious risk, delayed healing, muscular weakness and high mortality. To reach this goal it is recommended the supply of the patient with a caloric support and balanced proteic diet. The study has been done on 10 patients, 8 dogs and 2 cats from different breed. Clinical exams of the animals have been done, X-rays, Ultrasounds, biochemical and hematological analysis in order to achieve a correct diagnose of the illnesses of the patients and to establish an adequate treatment for them. From the accomplished research and the obtained results we conclude that nutrition within the patients in critic state improves the general health state of the patient, so that it must be imposed along with the drug treatment as well as to other treatment modalities the moment the patient is brought to the vet