Functional foods in pet nutrition: Focus on dogs and cats

Alessandro Di Cerbo; Julio Cesar Morales-Medina; Beniamino Palmieri; Federica Pezzuto; Raffaella Cocco; Gonzalo Flores; Tommaso Iannitti

doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2017.03.020

Functional foods in pet nutrition: Focus on dogs and cats

Res Vet Sci. 2017 Jun:112:161-166. doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2017.03.020. Epub 2017 Apr 7.

Authors

Alessandro Di Cerbo¹, Julio Cesar Morales-Medina², Beniamino Palmieri³, Federica Pezzuto⁴, Raffaella Cocco⁵, Gonzalo Flores⁶, Tommaso Iannitti⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, Dental School, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-Tlaxcala, CP 90000, AP 62, Mexico. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Department of Surgery and Surgical Specialties, University of Modena, Modena, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Department of Veterinary Medicine, Pathology and Veterinary Clinic Section, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Lab. Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 14 Sur 6301, San Manuel, 72570, Puebla, Mexico. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ KWS BioTest, Marine View Office Park, Portishead, Somerset BS20 7AW, UK. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 28433933
DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2017.03.020

Abstract

Functional foods provide health benefits if they are consumed on a regular basis as part of a varied diet. In this review, we discuss the availability and role of functional foods in pet nutrition with a focus on dogs and cats. Indeed, functional foods modify gastrointestinal physiology, promote changes in biochemical parameters, improve brain functions and may reduce or minimize the risk of developing specific pathologies. This evidence derives largely from clinical studies while only limited evidence is available from studies in dogs and cats. Therefore, functional food consumption should be further investigated in pet nutrition to understand how dietary interventions can be used for disease prevention and treatment.

Keywords: Cat; Diet; Dog; Functional food; Nutraceutical; Pet.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animal Feed / analysis*
Animals
Cats / physiology*
Diet / veterinary*
Dogs / physiology*
Functional Food*