Have you ever noticed that the wolves found in Yellowstone are rarely obese? Even the alpha males, who in theory could have access to all the kill they choose, maintain a lean weight. Do they perfectly balance their calories in with their calories out? Whilst not impossible, it’s a slight stretch of their intuition and it demonstrates on a simplistic level, why the CICO model doesn’t really answer enough questions when exploring the concept of obesity. In our last My Pet Nutritionist blog article, we explored a range of ideas that can contribute to obesity in pets, but there are many more schools of thought, so we thought we’d explore another in a separate article. One of them being hormones. All of the fat found in cells is stored in the form of triglycerides. Fatty acids are converted into triglycerides for storage and then for fat to be used as energy, they are freed back into fatty acids. Getting fat is the process where triglycerides are created more quickly than they are broken down. This flow of fatty acids is regulated by a range of enzymes and hormones. This isn’t surprising when we consider the role of growth hormone, it is what drives the growth of children and adolescents. If you are considering bodybuilding, steroid hormones are used to increase bulk and if you take a trip down memory lane, chickens were injected with hormones in the 50’s to increase their size too! Findings here It seems that, on a simplistic level, certain hormones cause fat cells to suck up fatty acids more readily than they otherwise would or slow down the rate at which triglycerides are converted back. Both oestrogen and testosterone have been shown to decrease the rate at which certain cells take up free fatty acids, which results in keeping the fat cells relatively small (and why in humans you will notice differences in fat gain between males and females). This is why after neutering your pet, you are advised to monitor their weight as more often than not, they gain weight. This issue here is demonstrated by a study conducted in the early 1970’s. A professor named George Wade wanted to explore how animals regulated their fat supplies. He had two groups of rats and removed their ovaries. The first group then was given free access to food and they could eat as much as they desired. They subsequently ate more than they had before the surgery and became obese. The second group were restricted to the same number of calories they had eaten before the surgery. Their environment was also kept the same. But this second group too became obese it just occurred through a different mechanism. They simply became less active. With the removal of the hormones, it is thought that the uptake of the free fatty acids was unregulated, resulting in more fatty tissue. With the drop in lipid levels, group one sought to replace the circulating levels with more food, but with the absence of food in the second group, they simply became less active to account for the shortfall. The implication of hormones in fat regulation is also demonstrated when lesions in the brain disrupt the hypothalamus. The ventromedial hypothalamus is one of the most hormonally active areas in the brain, and lesions here have resulted in the development of obesity. Leptin largely exerts its influence in the hypothalamus and leptin has a crucial role in regulating food intake and maintaining metabolic homeostasis (balance). Being another hormone, leptin is secreted mainly by adipocytes. Plasma leptin levels are significantly associated with body mass index and total body fat. It is generally accepted that total fat mass is the strongest predictor of circulating leptin. The discovery of leptin made it clear that adipose tissue (fat tissue) is not only a regulator of body weight but also an endocrine organ with feedback loops between the brain and peripheral tissues. Leptin levels decrease during fasting or energy restriction and increase during refeeding, overfeeding and sometimes during times of stress. Several metabolic and hormonal factors influence the synthesis and secretion of leptin in the body such as cytokines, cortisol, catecholamines, fatty acids, glucose, and insulin. Which brings us to another hormone that is intricately involved in obesity in our pets. Insulin Insulin is deemed an anabolic hormone; it works to accelerate the rate at which nutrients are put together to make new tissues. Insulin is well known for its role in clearing glucose from the bloodstream and regulating blood sugar balance. We’ll use the dry fed dog to explore this a little further. When carbohydrates are digested by the dog, they are broken down into glucose. Carbohydrates can be complex (being longer chains of molecules and taking a little longer to be broken down) or simple (broken down quickly and easily). Ultimately, when they exit the digestive tract and find themselves in the bloodstream, they exist as glucose. When blood sugar levels start to creep up, insulin is called to action. Insulin is like the porter in the hotel; it shuttles glucose out of the bloodstream and opens the doors of where it needs to go. This can be to cells or muscles to be used as energy, but if it isn’t needed there, it can be stored (in adipose tissue). Think of it like when you’ve got an early check out and leave your luggage at reception until you’re due at the airport. But what insulin also does is blocks the conversion of triglycerides back; this makes absolute sense as it wants to prioritise the use of glucose as energy to get it out of the blood stream! But what this means is that insulin is in fact a fat regulator. Now we know glucose can be generated from non-carbohydrate sources through gluconeogenesis, but the issue for the dry fed dog, is that these diets often score incredibly high on their carbohydrate content. Due to the range on the market, it can be anywhere up
It always takes a couple of years for data to start filtering through, but in 2018, a survey of veterinary professionals believed that rates of obesity are increasing year on year. It is thought that 51% of dogs and 44% of cats in the UK are overweight. That is just over half of the population of dogs and nearly half of the population of cats. These numbers are up on the last data sourced in 2015. 100% of veterinary professionals are concerned about the prevalence of obesity and the health issues it can lead to. In the words of James Smith PT, we’d love to tell you it’s as simple as a calorie deficit, but here at My Pet Nutritionist, we know that obesity is in fact a multifactorial condition, which can make it a hard nut to crack. But we also know that the health of your pet depends on it. So, we’re not about to grab a hammer, instead we’re going to take a look around the cookware store and find the right nutcracker to do the job. Fancy a trip? The Health Issues Associated with Obesity: Being overweight increases the risk factors for developing: Cancer Diabetes Heart disease Osteoarthritis and degeneration of joints Urinary bladder stones Surgery complications Respiratory difficulties Kidney disease All things considered, its easy to see why obesity significantly reduces lifespan and why it is something that really needs to be addressed. What is obesity? Obesity is defined as an accumulation of excessive amounts of adipose tissue. It is generally a state of positive energy balance. When food is ingested, it is digested and metabolised. The body uses the nutrients it needs and converts the main macronutrients to energy. All energy in the body is produced by the breakdown of ATP, adenosine triphosphate. ATP is found in all cells in all the body, but as it is a large molecule, not so much can be stored. In nearly every living thing, this energy comes from the metabolism of glucose. There are three relevant energy systems. 1. ATP-P This is where the body uses all the ATP it has stored in its cells. This is the simplest energy production process; and if we were to consider it in human terms, this is the system that your 100m sprint would utilise. 2. Glycolytic System This system runs on glycogen, which is stored glucose. In human terms, this system provides moderate power and moderate duration. Both the ATP-PC and Glycolytic system are anaerobic, meaning they don’t require oxygen to produce ATP. 3. Oxidative Syste This system, as its name suggests does involve the use of oxygen to product ATP. This system cannot produce energy as quickly as the other two, but it can produce it continually and for a longer duration. This system can use stored carbohydrates and fats for fuel. In human terms, this would be the system that the marathon runner would access! So, in short, glucose is used as energy, but unused glucose can be converted to glycogen to be stored in the liver and muscles. If there is still leftover, then it is converted into fatty acids and stored in adipose tissue. This makes evolutionary sense; there would be a reserve during periods of low food availability. However, as you have noticed, fat too can be used as an energy source, and protein can be broken down into amino acids and then converted to glucose in a process known as gluconeogenesis. This is where the calorie in, calorie out idea comes from. An overabundance of any of the three macronutrients, can be converted into fat for later use. And the idea that obesity comes from reduced activity comes from the reasoning that those reserves aren’t actually used. On a simplistic level, this makes absolute sense and for the pet who is starting to look a little more round than usual, a simple reduction to their daily intake or a longer walk, may just tuck that waist in a little more. But there are many more factors at play here. Fat is the New Norm Do you know your pet is overweight? In an 8000-household study, 68% of surveyed owners report thinking their pet is the perfect weight. 67% of surveyed owners did not see obesity as a concern. Interestingly, a recent report from the NHS in the UK identified that 67% of men and 60% women were overweight or obese. 20% of Year 6 children were also classified as obese. Findings here Whilst we acknowledge there are faults in BMI scores, it still highlights a valid point. Sadly, pet obesity has many parallels with human obesity and according to the NHS, fat is the new norm for humans. As we know, we learn from experience and so, if we are consistently exposed to something, it becomes accepted. If we are consistently exposed to round pets, without a waistline, do we accept it? But, our pets need a waistline. They should tuck-in behind their ribs, and underneath. Whilst you shouldn’t be able to see their ribs, you should be able to feel them. They should not look rectangular from any angle, side or above. What treats are you offering your pet? Whilst for us humans, a decadent chocolate pot may be a weekend treat, dog treats have somewhat lost their novelty. Treats can be a useful resource during training, and in some cases, high value are necessary, but for some, treats are used as a way to prevent feelings of guilt when pets are being left home alone. Depending on how many times you leave the house, these can soon add up! 1. Table scrap We’ve all been there, those eyes looking up at you whilst you’re eating. Whilst that cubic inch of cheese only warrants 68 calories of your daily 2500 (call it 3%), for your 9kg Scottie Dog, that’s nearly 20% of their daily calorie allowance. If begging at the table is an issue, it is possible to remove the pets to
Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we get asked about vaccines a lot. We have plenty of data and scientific, validated research on the core DHP vaccines, but then we have the supposed concern of Leptosporosis, so here is our presentation of the facts. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection with around 250 serovars. It affects dogs, most mammals and marsupials and even humans. Leptospirosis can be found worldwide but is most prevalent in warm humid countries that experience heavy rain fall. The bacteria can be found in puddles, stagnant water and moist soil that has been infected by the urine of an infected animal. Leptospirosis is transmitted by drinking infected water, through open wounds and through mucus membranes like the eyes and nose. Symptoms can range from mild, subclinical infection with little to no symptoms at all, to multi-organ failure and in some cases death. Signs of leptospirosis are fever, muscle tenderness, vomiting, diarrhoea and jaundice to liver and kidney failure. In 80-90% of cases, leptospirosis is treatable with doxycycline. Low Phosphorus Beef {br} The leptospirosis vaccine is made by Nobivac MSD animal health, a subsidiary of Merck. There are two vaccines available, Nobivac Lepto 2 which covers two serovars and Nobivac Lepto 4, that covers four serovars. We must note that the L3 serovars is not found in the U.K., so one quarter of the vaccine is totally unnecessary. Vaccinating dose not prevent your dog from getting leptospirosis, it is only meant to lessen the severity of the illness. Interestingly a post vaccination survey done by Canine health concern, observed and analysed the history of over 3,800 dogs post vaccination, found that every single dog in the study with leptospirosis, contracted it within three months of the vaccination, which begs the question are we reducing the severity or actually making our dogs more susceptible to it!? Findings here In a 2007 study completed before the availability of the Lepto 4 vaccination, 1,241 healthy dogs, some of whom had been vaccinated and some had not, found that 24.9% of dogs had antibodies 1-6 different serovars. This shows these dogs had natural exposure to these serovars and had built some natural immunity to them. Findings here In cases of the vaccinated dogs, some showed antibodies up to 1,745 days after vaccination. Is this from the vaccination? If so, why are we annually vaccinating? If not, is this from natural exposure? If so, why is it necessary to vaccinate? In 2013, Christopher Ball from Liverpool university wrote his thesis on leptospirosis. This was funded by MSD the manufacturer of Nobivac leptospirosis vaccine. A questionnaire was sent out to 472 vet clinics all around the U.K.. They were asked how many cases of leptospirosis had been seen in the last 12 month’s. 89 clinic’s returned the the questionnaire, the majority reported no cases at all in the last twelve months, only 13 of the practises reported a case within the last twelve months, of which only 3 had been confirmed by laboratory test. None of the practises in the study reported suspecting or confirming two or more cases of leptospirosis in the previous 12 months to the study. With these figures, we need to ask ourselves how prevalent leptospirosis is in the U.K.? And does it really warrant the risks associated with the vaccine? Gut Guardian We may need to look to other means for evidence of adverse reactions, there has been a Facebook group set up called “Novibac Lepto 4 -our experiences” with 35,000 members and growing. Some of whom are professionals all sharing their experiences of this vaccine. There are some extremely harrowing and heartbreaking stories in the this Facebook group. The manufacturer’s of the vaccine and some professionals will say these stories are anecdotal, this may be so, but it reaches a point when ‘coincidence’ can’t be ignored when so many of the same stories are being shared. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) say that leptospirosis is not a core vaccine and in 2013 Christopher Day said in his thesis due to the perceived low rates of infection in the U.K., the leptospirosis vaccine is not considered a core vaccine, yet recently the BSAVA (British Small Animal Veterinary Association) made it a core vaccination. We would like to know what research and data this is based off. Leptospirosis is a killed vaccine (not live) and therefore contains adjuvants such as mercury and aluminium hydroxide, to stimulate the immune response when the vaccine is administered. This may potentially make it more dangerous in terms of adverse immune events in some dogs. Adverse reactions can be instant or within 7 days of administration. Symptoms can be anything from, sickness, diarrhoea, welts and swelling at the injection site, swollen glands, hives to anaphylactic shock, seizures, auto immune responses and even death. Vaccinosis however, is a disease resulting from a vaccination. This can occur many weeks and even months after the vaccine has been administered, hence why it can be difficult to get a vet to acknowledge and report adverse reactions. Leptospirosis is a zooatonic infection which means we can contract it from other animals. Lepto is known as weils disease in humans and we are often led to believe (from our vets) that it’s very important to vaccinate our dogs due to the risk of leptospirosis to ourselves and our families. However, on the NHS website it say ‘it’s very rare” to contract leptospirosis from our pets. When we take into consideration the low number of cases of leptospirosis, in Christopher Days study, and the fact the NHS have said its very rare to contract it off our pets, this would defiantly go against the consideration of this vaccination for our dogs. Findings here Health and safety executive .gov.uk say there is are around 50 cases of weils (Lepto) disease in the U.K. per year, out of a population of 65 million people. Some of those cases are brought back from abroad, its treated with antibiotics and there is no
Whether you describe your dog as a drama queen or not, most dogs are incredibly good at hiding pain. This mechanism makes complete evolutionary sense. Showing pain, showed a weakness of which predators could take advantage of. Here at my Pet Nutritionist, when you book for a consultation, we ask certain questions to determine if undetected pain could be present, amongst other things. Whilst you may immediately consider the dog limping or struggling to get out of their bed, chances are by this point, the pain has moved past a threshold that they are unable to hide. Our best chance as owners is to notice the subtleties of pain in the canine and know when to seek further help. So let’s explore the mechanism of pain in a little more detail, signs to watch out for what we can do for our four-legged friends. What is pain? We’ve all stubbed our toe in the middle of the night or stood on a piece of lego. This is acute pain, the event, despite being painful, is in fact short lived. This can occur for our dogs too, when they run into a plant pot in the garden for example. But pain can become chronic and this is often what they hide. Chronic pain is more commonly associated with musculoskeletal issues in our dogs, in cases of dysplasia or arthritis. But it can also be associated with gut dysfunction and many other diseases in the body. The origin of all pain is inflammation. Irrespective of the type of pain whether it is acute or chronic pain, peripheral or central pain, nociceptive or neuropathic pain, the underlying origin is inflammation and the inflammatory response. So what is the inflammatory response? Inflammation is a normal response of the body to protect tissues from infection, injury or disease. The inflammatory response begins with the production and release of chemical agents by cells in the infected, injured or diseased tissue. These agents cause redness, swelling, pain, heat and loss of function. Inflamed tissues generate additional signals that recruit leukocytes to the site of inflammation. Leukocytes destroy any infective or injurious agent and remove cellular debris from damaged tissue. This inflammatory response usually promotes healing but, if uncontrolled, may become harmful. Acute inflammation typically lasts only a few days. If a wound gets hot, turns red, hurts, and swells, we recognise that inflammation is at work. In this instance, inflammation is a beneficial process, serving to immobilise the area of injury as the rest of the immune system mobilises to heal. The treatment of acute inflammation, the administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, provides relief of pain and fever. In contrast, chronic inflammation lasts weeks, months or even indefinitely and causes tissue damage. In chronic inflammation, the inflammation becomes the problem rather than the solution to infection, injury or disease. Chronically inflamed tissues continue to generate signals that request help from leukocytes in the bloodstream. When leukocytes reach the tissue, they bring inflammation to the party. This chronic inflammatory response can break down healthy tissue in a misdirected attempt at repair and healing. As mentioned, perhaps the most understood cause of pain is joint inflammation. Repeated trauma or stress to the joint, incurred during everyday use, training, or performance, is often the cause of joint inflammation. You will notice the familiar symptoms like lameness, swelling and heat. The initial inflammation usually involves only the soft tissue structures of the joint, and cartilage damage is often not present at this stage. This inflammation allows leukocytes, or white blood cells, which are normally filtered out of the joint, to invade the joint space. The inflamed synovial membrane and the leukocytes release destructive enzymes such as free radicals, cytokines, and prostaglandins, all of which are potentially damaging to the cartilage. This is primarily what anti-inflammatory medications work on, they generally inhibit the production of prostaglandins. Joint degradation is an unfortunate side effect of ageing, but this can occur a lot sooner in those working or particularly active dogs. Degradation can also occur as aside effect in cases of dysplasia; as the bones are not sitting in the joint correctly, friction results in excessive degradation and subsequent inflammation and pain. In these cases, treatment is more relating to pain management and making your dog more comfortable. There are a number of practitioners that specialise in musculoskeletal concerns in the canine. Specialist Vets Chiropractors Vets Qualified in Acupuncture Canine Massage Therapists Hydrotherapists Physiotherapist Whilst there are breeds that are genetically predisposed to conditions like hip or elbow dysplasia, being mindful of appropriate nutrition during development along with appropriate exercise during growth is essential. Large breeds undergo a rapid stage of development and so essential nutrients to bone mineralization should be included in the diet; namely whole food sources of calcium and phosphorus along with vitamin D. Weight should also be monitored in the growing puppy. The bottom line? Count the nutrient dense, fresh food additions to your puppy’s diet, not the calories. As an aside, there is a lot of attention paid to the calcium: phosphorus ratio in the growing large breed. The note to make is that organic sources of both minerals are slowly and less efficiently absorbed; so, in fresh fed dogs this is less of a concern in terms of excess. Phosphorus found in meat products however is more efficiently absorbed than that found in plants. Findings here Gut Pain As humans, we are familiar with tummy aches, well, this can also biochemically occur in the dog as well. They just can’t tell us about it. As we have noted, pain is inflammation, and there are certainly plenty of things that can result in inflammation. Inflammation in the gut can be a result of things getting to places they shouldn’t really be, and so the immune response is summoned. Potentially harmful substances can find their way into the gut, but anything that is identified as non-self, kicks up the immune system. This can simply be a poorly digested protein. If
Whether you are a seasoned raw feeder, rather new to the journey, the Gordon Ramsey of the home-cooked dog food world, or simply want in to add some fresh food to your commercial pet food, here at My Pet Nutritionist, we have a few favourite fresh food additions. Try saying that on a Friday night! Anyway, they all pack a fair punch in terms of nutritional value, so we’ve decided to let you in on our secrets. 1) Green Leafy Vegetables! Top of the list for a reason. Green leafy vegetables include spinach, kale, watercress and broccoli. In green leafy vegetables you will find vitamins A, C, E and K along with many of the B-vitamins. These vegetables also contain carotenoids. Carotenoids act as an antioxidant, deactivating free-radicals and limiting the damage they can cause. There are two broad classifications of carotenoids: carotenes and xanthophylls. The latter containing oxygen, whilst the former do not. Xanthophylls include lutein and zeaxanthin, which are both primarily associated with eye health. They are often indicated in cases of macular degeneration. Beta-carotene one of the carotenes is turned into Vitamin A and is found in those green leafy veg like spinach and kale. Vitamin A is important in maintaining healthy skin, mucous membranes and supporting a functioning immune system. Vitamin A is regularly implicated in abnormal hair cycling, both deficiencies and toxicities can cause issues. For that reason, it is generally deemed that a whole food diet is more than capable of providing healthy levels. Green leafy vegetables also contain a rich source of folate, this is after all, where the name came from. Folate comes from the Latin folium, because it was first found in leaves! Folate functions as a coenzyme in many processes in the body. It is needed to make DNA and other genetic material and is essential in cell division. In short, it helps tissues grow and makes cells work. Folate is also involved in neurotransmitter synthesis, so it is implicated in mood and subsequently behaviour. And, one particular study showed a reduced rate of bladder cancer when leafy veg was added to the dog’s diet! Findings here So, lightly steam your kale or spinach, or blitz it up in a blender, pop it in a freezer mould and add them to your dog’s bowl! 2) Mushrooms! There are literally thousands of species of mushrooms on the planet, so it can be a challenge to know where to start. But they are incredible in terms of the benefits they can provide. Mushrooms can be involved in the prevention of certain disease, the regeneration of damaged cells, the protection of tissues and cells and used during treatment of existing conditions. The bioactive compounds of mushrooms include polysaccharides, proteins, fats, ash, glycosides, alkaloids, volatile oils, tocopherols, phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, folates, ascorbic acid enzymes, and organic acids. Reishi mushrooms are adored for their immunomodulating benefits. In short,they have regularly been used successfully in chronic autoimmunity and allergy cases. Maiitike mushrooms have been used for their antibacterial function and cordyceps have been seen to inhibit inflammatory responses throughout the body. Findings here Certain species have been seen to stimulate natural killer cell function, supporting the innate immune system in the body. Mushrooms are widely accepted a having anti-cancer properties. The bottom line? Mushrooms have been seen to be: Anti-inflammatory Anti-microbial Antioxidant Prebiotic Anti-diabetic If you are looking to add mushrooms to the bowl, cook them fully, lightly sauteed is fine. If you are looking to use them therapeutically, then please feel free to get in touch for advice and guidance. 3) Eggs! There’s a reason eggs are the protein reference. They contain the full essential amino acid profile. Eggs contain essential lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals and trace elements including vitamin A, iron, vitamin B12, riboflavin, choline, zinc and calcium. Egg proteins are distributed equally between egg white and egg yolk, whilst lipids, vitamins and minerals are essentially concentrated in the egg yolk. The yolk is a rich source of linoleic acid and as we know, LA is abundant in the epidermis of the skin, so eggs are a great source of food to support skin health. The one thing that eggs are rarely associated with is being anti-microbial. But there are a range of proteins found in the egg that exhibit antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic activity. Avidin is seen to target bacteria, lysozymeis seen to target bacteria, virus and fungi, and cystatin targets the above with parasites included! Chicken eggs also contain a range of antioxidant compounds that include vitamins, carotenoids, minerals and trace elements. They have demonstrated reductions in pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro. Conclusions suggest the supplementation of egg yolk proteins to reduce intestinal oxidative stress. Findings here Lysozyme, an enzyme found in eggs has been indicated in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease; it has been seen to protect in cases of colitis. Largely from its anti-inflammatory properties. Findings here Where you source your eggs from is essential, free-range birds produce more nutrient dense eggs than caged. Free-rearing results in much higher levels of tocopherol, alpha-tocopherol and lutein content. The anti-microbial function of the egg white is also modulated when hens are exposed to environmental microbes. Findings here So, if you want to add egg to the bowl,source free-range and organic. You can feed raw or cooked, and the egg shell is perfectly safe to feed too! 4) Berries! If you’re in the middle of a yeast or gut healing protocol, then berries may not be the first thing to add to your bowl, but for the typical dog, they are a beautiful addition. Berries contain many vitamins but that also have an impressive antioxidant profile. Anthocyanins (Greek anthos =flower and kyáneos = blue) belong to the flavonoid group of polyphenols, which are responsible for the red and blue colour of plant organs such as fruits, flowers, and leaves. Many studies have linked these compounds with antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties, protection against both heart disease and cancer, as well as a
As we look at photos or videos of dogs devouring their food, when we are dealing with a fussy eater, the question we always sit with is; why won’t my dog do that? Being a fussy eater can be technically defined as an eating disorder, and there are a number of causes. From behavioural to biochemical, let’s take a look at the complex world of the fussy eater and we’ll share our top 5 tips for dealing with them. Eating Behaviour Appetite and hunger are largely controlled by the brain and a range of hormones. In the brain the hypothalamus receives information from the digestive system like stomach extension, chemical nature of ingested food and the metabolic activity of the liver and uses it to maintain energy balance. It also receives information from the emotion/reward system. Food is a rewarding object that induces pleasant emotions. Studies have demonstrated that when the reward value of food decreases, so too does eating motivation. Sadly, these studies often include the injection of lithium after eating, which causes discomfort, but it does give us food for thought, pun intended, if our dog is eating food which may be causing them discomfort. The most discussed hormones when we are looking at appetite and hunger are leptin and ghrelin. Leptin is produced in adipose cells, or fat cells. So, the more fat cells there are, the more leptin is produced. In short, the more fat that is available in reserves, the less you need to eat. Ghrelin is predominantly secreted in the stomach, and it too modulates cells found in the hypothalamus by increasing excitatory inputs and decreasing inhibitory inputs. Here we are talking about neurotransmitters. Ghrelin is seen to have a large influence on the release of dopamine via increases in cell excitability. As dopamine is involved in reward and motivation, ghrelin is thought to target the motivational functions geared to gaining food and to select those which are more rewarding (high calorie). However, there are also other mechanisms in which the dopaminergic system comes into play for the fussy eater. A central feature of the dopamine neuron response is that it is triggered by unexpectancy. After receiving an unexpected reward like food (or how many likes our recent post has got on social media) a dopamine surge is elicited. For the dog who ends up with the same bowl of food every day, there is no longer unexpectancy. The other neurotransmitter that gets a little attention in terms of eating behaviour is serotonin. Serotonin has a well confirmed role in the regulation of eating behaviour. Serotonin is a key player in feelings of nausea – so higher levels could be produced in response to something not sitting quite right in the digestive system. What’s super interesting is that serotonin is metabolised largely by monoamine oxidase (MAO) so it stands to reason that MAO inhibitors can contribute to high levels in the body. Sadly, certain insecticides found on flea and tick collars contain MAO inhibitors. We must also consider the cascade of hormones that are released during the stress response. Stress is a redirection of resources, and this includes away from digestive function. If our dogs are exposed to acute or chronic stress, it could remove their desire to eat. That said, as an owner managing a fussy eater, the owner too can become stressed and anxious that the dog isn’t getting the nutrients they need to thrive. Unfortunately for us, dogs have incredible olfactory capabilities, meaning they can smell our stress! They also have this capacity to mirror our emotions. And so, when they don’t eat, we get stressed, so they get stressed and may be even less likely to eat. So what does all of this mean? If you have investigated further and there is no underlying health issue that could be causing your dog to be a fussy eater, they could: Be suffering discomfort from the food they are eating, whether this is a sensitivity, or issues with digestion. They are then less likely to want to eat it next time for fear of feeling poorly. Have an undesirable body score – there is a difference between the occasional fussy eater, and the chronic fussy eater. If your dog is only occasionally refusing food, they may well just not need it at that moment. Be bored with their food – this often applies to many commercial foods – dry food we’re looking at you. Having the same bowl of food every mealtime removes the sense of unexpectancy. Be stressed or sense our stress – have there been any recent changes to your routine? Are you more stressed than usual? Has their walking route changed? Have they had an altercation with another dog on a walk? Are there any new pets in the home? Have you moved any furniture? Have you noticed any other changes to your dog’s behaviour? Have there been any changes to your behaviour? Our 5 Top Tips for Managing a Fussy Eater: 1) Establish mealtimes! There’s no unexpected reward if a bowl of food is always laid out. 2) Ditch the dry! What is more boring than the same bowl of pellets every mealtime? Offer fresh food with a range of tastes, aromas, and textures. In addition, variety is the spice of life – use novel proteins – what’s more unexpected than novelty? This can also be helpful if you are concerned your dog may have a sensitivity to certain foods. Finally, cooking alters the aroma and texture of many foods so this can be a great way to entice if needed. 3) Use mealtimes as opportunities to enrich your dog’s life! Offer food in bowls or plates, or even on wooden boards. There is no categoric link between height of feeding and gastric torsion in dogs, so consider at what level you offer their meals; do they need to be raised if they are struggling with any musculoskeletal issues. If they are in pain whilst eating,
Gone are the days when you could walk into a pet shop and have the choice of three types of food: the cheapest, middle of the road and the most expensive. Thank goodness! But we now have a new problem. What on earth do I feed my pet? Do I feed dry kibble? Quite simply, NO. But what about the rest? Canned? Dehydrated? Commercial Cooked? Home Cooked? Commercial Raw or DIY Raw? At My Pet Nutritionist, we can help guide you. In an age of choice, is there a “best diet”? Obviously human research demonstrates fresh feeding over processed foods is far healthier for us and can prevent disease. this applies to our pets too however our job is to look at the pet, holistically and consider all constraints involved. Whilst we know there are rules of thumb for optimal health, much like for us humans, all pets are different. There may be a perfect diet for your pet, but that same diet may not be perfect for your neighbour’s pet. So let’s explore the different foods available to you, what we like about them and what considerations need to be made, if in fact they are your foods of choice. Raw Feeding Raw feeding is just that, when you feed meat, fat, bones etc in their raw state. Within raw feeding there are a number of approaches. You may come across phrases like BARF which stands for biologically appropriate raw feeding, or RMB which stands for raw meaty bones, you may also come across PMR which is prey model raw and more will no doubt appear over the coming years. The basis of a raw diet comes from considering the evolution of the dog. Dogs came from wolves, and before domesticated by humans, would largely fend for themselves; eating whole prey; eyes, brains, guts galore (although there is some data that suggests the guts were often left, which leads to the suggestion that dogs avoid greens when given the opportunity, but this isn’t always the case and some leafy greens pack some punch in terms of nutritional value). The biggest concern around raw feeding is contamination and so, we must practice appropriate handling techniques when handling any raw meat, just read the packaging on your raw chicken fillets. The more recent development is around antimicrobial resistance. Whilst raw food poses a risk, so does the inappropriate use of antibiotics, excessive use of disinfectants and sanitisers, livestock rearing techniques and pesticide use along with many more. Within raw feeding you may come across the 80-10-10 method. This is where you feed 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% offal (organs). This is what most commercial raw food manufacturers offer, in a ground state, as a basis for their meals. But you can also formulate a raw diet to FEDIAF guidelines, again some raw food manufacturers provide products that meet these requirements and offer complete foods. Raw food is in its original state, apart from being processed through a meat grinder in pre-made minces, what you see is what you get. Feeding a raw diet has been associated with a range of improvements and health benefits in pets: Digestibility of crude protein and fat is improved in raw foods compared to dry practical pet foods. Dogs fed a RMB diet have a significantly more diverse microbiome than commercially dry fed dogs. Dogs being fed a RMB diet demonstrated a high digestibility of nutrients. Generally, the size of stool is deemed as a measure of digestibility in pet food manufacturing and in raw fed dogs, stool size significantly diminishes (suggesting improved digestibility). Dogs fed dry kibble compared with a raw food diet have demonstrated altered immune cell gene expression. Keto diets have been seen to improve outcomes in pets with cancer; a raw diet is largely based on keto principles. In a randomised clinical trial in 2012, the positive effect of a raw diet was reported in relation to the formation of calcium oxalate uroliths. Lower calcium excretion was found in the urine of dogs eating a commercial RMBD, compared with excretion in dogs eating a commercial dry extruded diet. An initial analysis of the Dog Risk data (Helsinki University), has revealed a decrease in the incidence of atopy and allergy in dogs that eat RMBDs. It appears that an RMBD fed at a young age has a positive influence on reducing the incidence of atopy in the population. Eating raw meat, raw bone and cartilage gave the strongest association of any the food items consumed in the study. Results have indicated that raw food, fed at a young age, could protect German shepherd dogs from CHD (Canine Hip Dysplasia). All findings here Dogs fed raw food often have less plaque build up and white teeth on raw food. Pets have a dietary requirement for protein and fat. Protein to build and repair cells, fat to provide energy, insulation and to act as signalling molecules. They also have a requirement for a range of micronutrients, those vitamins, and minerals. Meat, bones and offal are full of available nutrients, in their original state. Raw is perfectly able to provide nutrients for your dog to thrive, but the dietary plan may take some tweaking to get it right. Some dogs take to bone straightaway, some need a little longer. Some can tolerate 10% offal, some start to get black, tarry poops without an offal free meal or day. The Poop Gives you the Scoop As much as we’d like to tell you the eyes are the window into the soul; when you’re feeding a pet, if you want to know what’s going on inside, keep a watchful eye on their poop. Too much bone in a raw food diet starts to give white, crumbly poop. Too much offal is usually a black and tarry poop. There are other indicators too, but here at My Pet Nutritionist, we’re not averse to a poop pic, so if you are worried about your dog then please feel free
When we talk about toxins at My Pet Nutritionist, we are talking about flea and tick treatments, worming and even households chemicals. The extra sprays of air-freshener, the over-powering smell of disinfectants and most things in the home being wiped with fabric softener. In a pet-free home, as a grown adult, it’s entirely your choice what you expose yourself to and if you want your home smelling like that, then go for it! But when you make the decision to care for a pet, who can’t tell you when they are feeling nauseous or have a headache, you have to think a little more carefully. How many of you go to a friend’s home and notice the sweet smell of their air freshener or carpet cleaner? But when you get home, you can’t smell your own? This is because we develop a tolerance – our homes may not smell strongly to us, but they may to our pets. Especially our dogs. Dogs possess an extremely strong sense of smell. Which is why they have found themselves with some of the most impressive jobs in the world; some become medical detection dogs as they can detect minute changes in a person’s odour, signalling disease. It is believed that a dog’s sense of smell is 10,000-100,000 times that of an average human. They could detect the equivalent of one drop of liquid in 20 Olympic sized swimming pools! Findings here So, even if we can’t detect a compound in our environment, it’s safe to say, our dog probably could. Your dog is detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Now, they detect these in cancer sweeps (different cancers will produce different VOCs), but most of us know of VOCs for the bad rap they have. VOCs are chemicals that evaporate under normal atmospheric conditions (room temperature, low boiling point), compromising air quality. It’s fairly obvious when you spill some fuel at the garage, or you’ve recently painted your kitchen. The odour is compounds in the air, that you breathe in and subsequently stimulate/inhibit your olfactory receptors. Findings here VOCs are found everywhere. They are released by many everyday items including: Cleaning Products – detergents, bleaches etc Air Fresheners Paints Deodorants/Perfumes Fabrics Rugs Vinyl flooring Wood Burners Cigarette Smoking Printers and photocopiers This list is not exhaustive but covers the main culprits in most homes. But why are they a problem? Many VOCs have been proved as carcinogenic. That is, they are known to cause cancer. This largely depends on length of exposure, but it is still a risk. Findings here Many studies are showing the moderate to strong increase in respiratory distress or allergic effects of exposure to VOCs. As you would expect, irritation of the eyes, nose and throat is regularly reported. It stands to reason there would be an increase in allergies reported when exposed to certain VOCs. How bad is it? The health effects of a certain VOC will depend on its chemical nature and also the degree of exposure. Exposure can include ingestion, respiration and absorption through the skin. Here, we wondered whether a long-coated dog, or cat is any worse off? If the compounds stick to their coat? They are carrying the compound around with them. But we have not yet found any data to explore this query. Consider that your pet will spend a good 20-23 hours a day in your home, accounting for a 1-2-hour walk or a prowl at night time. Obviously less if they attend day care or come to work with you. But that is a high level of exposure – you are likely out of the home for a much larger part of the day. Whether you work 8-10 hours, or you are part time and then nip to run errands. In humans, it is clear that VOCs disrupt hormones and reproduction which subsequently affects the development of babies and children – it’s not a push to suggest this could happen with our pets, so it’s advised to be even more mindful with pregnant bitches, litters of puppies and when you bring your new puppy home! Findings here In an age where we want our homes grey and white and smelling of spring flowers all year round, we are inadvertently exposing our pets to some pretty harmful compounds. So, what can we do about it It’s not as hard as you’d think. Firstly, if you are re-decorating, try to do so at times of the year where you can have windows and doors open to bring fresh air through the home. Also, opt for water-based paints as these contain much lower level of VOCs. If you are unsure, speak to your local DIY or paint supplier and ask for a low content specifically. Store partly used paints and solvents in the garage or shed, where people and pets are unlikely to spend much time. If you know you won’t ever use it again, offer it to friends or family to use or simply dispose of. When cleaning, check the labels of the products you use for common harmful VOCs including: Acetone Butanal Carbon Disulfide Dichlorobenzene Ethanol Formaldehyde Terpenes Toluene Alternatively, opt for environmentally friendly products. There are so many new companies popping up who use natural ingredients to help keep your home in tiptop condition. Most are also conscious of plastic usage. We recommend products from Iron, Method, Ecover and Velvet, you dissolve a sachet of product in water in a bottle that you are reusing. The ingredients are plant-derived and essential oils are used for fragrance where possible. They smell great. White vinegar is a great product to have in the home, it’s a powerful odour neutraliser. Perfect if you are toilet training or are worried that your home smells of wet dog! Activated charcoal is also a great odour neutraliser and air purifier. Pop bags around your home, in your car etc and you’ll soon notice odours disappear. Some gift companies have even started making bouquet style bags, specifically for this purpose! Citrus
In humans, the definition of anxiety is a feeling of unease, a worry or fear. It can be mild or severe. It’s quite easy to label these feelings ourselves, but as our four-legged friends haven’t yet figured out how to talk, what makes them anxious can be difficult to pin down. What we do know is they demonstrate stress behaviours alongside triggers, so we can intimate they feel anxious. What is clear, is that these behaviours aren’t great for our four-legged friends, so whilst we can also tackle the triggers, there are certain nutrients that can help modulate anxiety too. We have collated 5 of our top Fido-friendly-foods that can be safely added to their diets. Fatty Fish In dogs, the body has a requirement for two distinct Essential Fatty Acid families. The Omega-6 and Omega-3 series. Omega-6 Linoleic Acid (LA) Arachidonic Acid (AA) Omega-3 Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Fatty fish contain Omega-3 fatty acids which have a number of biological effects in the body. To start us off, studies have shown that aggressive dogs are characterised by low Omega-3 fatty acid status. This does not indicate causation, but there is certainly a correlation. Findings here Omega-3’s, in particular DHA, play critical neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory roles in the brain. Supplementation of omega-3 has been seen to: – Improve cognitive function Findings here – Reduce anxious symptoms Findings here – Reduce aggressive behaviours Findings here – Reduced stress-related hormone production Findings here Omega-3s are classed as polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fatty acids can be saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated. The difference is in their structure. Saturated fatty acids contain no double bonds between the carbon atoms and are therefore saturated with hydrogen. Monounsaturated fatty acids have one double bond (mono=one). Polyunsaturated fatty acids have two or more double bonds (poly=many). The more double bonds a fatty acid has, the less stable the molecule, which means it is more susceptible to oxidation, resulting in rancidity. This is why fish oils should be stored in a dark, glass bottle and why PUFA rich oils aren’t the best to fry your eggs with. Fats also act as carriers for fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K which means that low-fat diets can affect the metabolism of these crucial vitamins. Much data has highlighted that low vitamin D status is associated with anxiety and depression, so fatty fish helps modulate the metabolism of vitamin D too (if it is present in the diet of course). Findings here Sources to include: – Mackerel – Salmon – Sardines Oysters Whilst you may struggle to get your hands on oysters, what we’re really interested in is their zinc content. In the human literature, zinc is a trait marker of a mood disorder. Zinc deficiency is regularly associated with depression and anxiety, and supplementation often improves mood and cognitive function. Zinc plays a role in many metabolic processes, including enzyme catalysis, cell signalling and DNA replication and transcription. What this essentially means, this mineral is involved in neural development, learning, memory and mood. We know zinc plays a role in mood because we find zinc enriched neurons in parts of the brain associated with emotions. Before we knew better, in rat studies, we found that increasing zinc levels reduced rat-fighting behaviour and when supplemented alongside anti-depressant medication, rats developed improved resilience. The issue we have is that zinc also plays a role in the inflammatory response and likewise the down regulating of the same response. So, when we are in a state of chronic inflammation, when zinc should be in the nervous system, modulating, its instead crusading with the inflammatory (or anti-inflammatory) team and the brain is left with neurotransmitters where they shouldn’t be, or not even where they should be! Whilst it stands to reason that low dietary intake results in low levels of zinc, phytates found in cereals, corn and rice also inhibit zinc absorption. There are also some breeds who are predisposed to zinc deficiency, for example, certain sled dogs. Foods high in zinc: Oysters, beef, chicken, pork, hemp seeds, shiitake mushrooms and red meat. Whilst brazil nuts, tuna and oysters are also high in selenium, red meat is an easy addition in your dog’s diet. Another mineral, low levels of selenium are regularly reported in cases of anxiety, depression and fatigue. Findings here Selenium’s prime function is as an antioxidant. It works as a component of glutathione peroxidase, an enzyme which protects cell membranes and red blood cells from damage by free radicals. However, it is thought to modulate mood through its involvement in the synthesis and metabolism of thyroid hormones. Selenium deficiency is thought to dysregulate thyroid function and therefore play a role in mood disorders. Not only that but selenium has been found to exhibit modulatory effects on the dopaminergic, serotonergic and noradrenergic systems which are all involved in the regulation of mood and behaviour. One of the mechanisms is to inhibit the degradation of serotonin, resulting in an overall increase in levels. Selenoproteins also demonstrate antioxidant properties on dopaminergic neurons vulnerable to oxidative stress. Findings here Food Sources of Selenium: Pork, beef, turkey, chicken, fish, oysters, eggs, shiitake mushrooms and white meat. The word protein comes from the Greek word proteios which means of prime importance. Amino acids are the basic units of proteins and are held together by peptide linkages to form long protein chains. For the dog there are certain amino acids that are essential; they cannot be synthesised by the body, so they must be supplied by the diet. These include: Arginine Histidine Isoleucine Leucine Lysine Methionine Phenylalanine Threonine Tryptophan Valine For the cat, this also includes taurine. These amino acids found in certain foods,are precursors to certain neurotransmitters. Tryptophan, which is found in chicken and turkey, is the precursor to serotonin. Manipulation of serotonin through supplementation or depletion of tryptophan has established a role in higher order brain functions, memory, and mood. Low dietary tryptophan is associated with anxiety-like behaviour and increased defensive aggression. Tryptophan
Autoimmune disease, irritable bowel disorders, lupus, thyroid issues, eisonophilic skin disorders, chronic skin disease and allergic dermatitis, not a list any owner wants to pair with their pet, but sadly all of these diseases can be vaccine-related conditions. We can identify them as vaccine related conditions because symptoms are concomitant with vaccination date. We deem this reaction as vaccinosis. And sadly, it is far more prevalent than we could even imagine. At MPN, we see the correlation of vaccination and disease in many of our clients. So let’s take a look at where we started, and how we ended up in such dire straights. The smallpox vaccine was introduced in 1796 after Edward Jenner observed that milkmaids who had previously caught cow pox didn’t catch smallpox. The idea was that exposure to killed or weakened virus/bacteria that cause disease can prime the immune response, but it doesn’t actually make the host sick. So, vaccinations allow the host to develop immunity without having to suffer the disease. To this end, smallpox is now declared eradicated. There is no doubt that vaccination has been progressive in public health concerns, for both humans and pets, but they were never meant to make the host sick. For a number of reasons, the current vaccinations schedule for our pets, is. There is increasing evidence that over-vaccination is associated with the development or aggravation of immune-mediated disorders and chronic diseases in individual pets that are genetically predisposed. This raises a particularly interesting element that has perhaps been missed when developing the blanket vaccination schedules for our pets. Twin studies, in humans have demonstrated there is a clear genetic role in vaccine response. A growing list of genes have been associated with immune related functions critical to immunological response and much data is concluding it is the status of these genes that is key to immune response. Human data is highlighting that this is one of the reasons vaccines can either elicit partial, complete or failure to protect individuals treated under the same conditions. This would also suggest that the opposite is therefore true; gene status could elicit partial or complete adverse reaction, or hopefully failure to demonstrate adverse reaction. Genes are a set of instructions and there are a number of factors that can affect how they are expressed. This is likely understood in the canine world to some extent because most vaccines are advised as safe for healthy dogs but not those with a compromised immune system. So, what constitutes a compromised immune system? The primary role of the immune system in dogs is to protect against foreign invaders, or abnormal cells that invade or attack. The immune system must distinguish between self and non-self. Substances that stimulate a response are antigens. These can be contained within bacteria, viruses or microorganisms or cancer cells. They may also exist on their own, like pollen or food particles. There are three lines of defence, physical barriers, non specific immunity and specific immunity. Physical barriers are the first line of defence, they include the skin, the cornea of the eye and the membranes lining the respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive tracts. The key is to keep these barriers unbroken. These barriers are also defended by bacteria and secretions that contain enzymes that can destroy harmful bacteria. Examples include eye tears, secretions in the digestive tract and the microbiome in the gut. Nonspecific immunity should be present at birth; it treats all foreign substances in the same way. Inflammation results in white blood cells travelling into tissues to kill invading organisms and remove injured cells. Specific immunity is acquired and developed as the immune system encounters different antigens, it learns the best way to attack and develops a memory for that specific antigen. It takes time to develop a response, but in future encounters, the response is more rapid. Specific immunity involves the action of lymphocytes (B and T cells), antibodies, antigen presenting cells and cytokines. Most vaccines work by stimulating the development of specific immunity. But the immune system does not always function properly, it can be underactive and overactive. An underactive system puts the animal at risk of infection, but an overactive immune system can attack parts of its body that it misidentifies as being foreign. This is what happens in autoimmune conditions. The immune system can also overreact and produce too many antibodies or other chemicals; these are what we see as hypersensitivity or allergic reactions. Not only do we have to ensure the physical barriers remain healthy, but we also must ensure that responses are just right. We know that genes play a role in this, but so does the environment your dog (exposure to toxins, chemicals and pesticides etc) alongside nutrition. Each cell in every body uses chemical reactions to build some of the materials that it needs, converting substances provided by the diet into other chemicals necessary for normal functioning. This is why the immune system has its own micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) requirements. For example, Vitamin A helps to maintain structural and functional integrity of mucosal cells in innate barriers like the skin and respiratory tract, Vitamin D stimulates immune cell proliferation and cytokine production, helping to protect against infection, B12 has roles in natural killer cell functions just as folate maintains natural killer cells. Many micronutrients play a role in protecting against reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species which are produced when pathogens are killed by immune cells. Findings here So, there are many things that can compromise an immune system, which also informs whether the dog is a candidate for vaccination and indeed subsequent and frequent booster vaccinations. Signs your Dog may have a compromised immune system: Tiredness/lethargy Increased stress levels Digestive issues Slow healing wounds Frequent infections (eyes, ears etc) Delayed growth/development Skin sensitivities/allergies Joint stiffness and disease Other diagnosed disease If your dog is suffering with any pre-existing health conditions, it pays to consider titre testing. No animal should be vaccinated with a compromised immune system.
A global infection of both humans and animals, leptospirosis is on the tip of most owners and dog professional’s tongue. Caused by the pathogen icleptospira spp. it is a major zoonosis, with infection acquired from wild and domestic animals. Canine leptospirosis presents very similarly to the syndromes presented in other species with hepatic, renal and pulmonary ramifications. In short, it’s pretty rough, but vaccine induced immunity is restricted to serologically related serovars and is generally very short-lived; therefore, needing annual revaccination. If there are more than 230 serovars belonging to at least ten pathogenic species, does the vaccine even pose benefits? Or do the risks outweigh them? We are going to look at the science and explore both sides to this story. Fancy coming along for the journey? Leptospirosis is characterised by fever, jaundice, vomiting, diarrhoea, renal failure, haemorrhages and ultimately death. However, for those who recover, they may become asymptomatic renal carriers for extended periods and shed infectious leptospires into the environment. This is a large source of infection, as rats can be carriers but do not show signs of infection. Whilst treated dogs can shed leptospires, so can vaccinated dogs. This raises the first red flag; is this potentially increasing exposure? Most signs of leptospirosis become apparent in the first week after infection; younger dogs, less than 1 year of age tend to get the most severe forms of leptospirosis and 87-100% of infected dogs will have some degree of renal implication. There do appear to be different clinical parameters of the infection: Peracute Disease: super-sudden onset which usually affects younger dogs with an overwhelming exposure. The large amount of toxin causes rapid death before the kidney or liver disease even occurs. Acute Disease and Subacute Disease: this is the classic form which manifests as fever with bruising and bleeding, general muscle pain and painful abdomen from kidney and/or liver disease. There may be jaundice and inflammation in the eyes. Chronic Disease: recurring fevers, chronic hepatitis, chronic kidney disease, uveitis, poor appetite and weight loss. However, leptospira interrogans sensu lato is sensitive to doxycycline which is a readily available antibiotic. Leptospires are cleared from the blood within 24 hours of starting antibiotics. But it does take around 7 days to clear from the urine. Prognosis, depending on organ damage is 80-90% with appropriate treatment. There are, however, other serovars, like the pomona which is associated with more severe disease and in severe kidney cases, dialysis can be required which is often limited. So, whilst treatment is largely effective, if started soon enough, there was clearly enough concern to develop a vaccine. Vaccination against leptospira interrogans sensu lato is available for the seravars canicola, grippotyphosa, pomona and icterohaemorragiae. Some vaccines coverall four serovars, whereas some cover two of the four. This is where you will recognise the common lepto two or four vaccine. Vaccination against canicola and icterohaemorragiae has been traditional for dogs and vaccination overall, has been seen to reduce the severity of the disease, but will not prevent infected dogs from being carriers. Note, it supposedly reduces severity, it doesn’t necessarily prevent occurrence. The leptospirosis vaccine was soon associated with a higher chance of vaccine reactions. This is a result of human research into leptospirosis. In the U.K. in 2014 , over 2000 reports of Novibac L4 adverse reactions have been reported to the VMD (Veterinary Medicine Directive) and around 120 suspected deaths related to vaccinosis. In addition to this, data suggested that the severity of the disease was associated with the intensity of the immune response. In short, the more intense and early the response, the more severe the disease. Findings here If our immune system, and our dog’s, is primed to take out antigens and protect, why does a more intense response seem to make things worse? An intense immune response induces a high level of inflammatory cytokines which can result in severe tissue lesions. Immunity is like the porridge in Goldilocks. It can sometimes be too cold (lacking) and sometimes too hot (overzealous). Ideally, we want it, just right. There are many things that affect immune responses, in the case of lepto, a more intense response was associated with previous infection. Fever was induced by virulent injection in previously immunised rabbits whereas non-immunised rabbits exhibited no fever after injection. So, in this case, the immunised rabbits fared poorer than non-immunised rabbits. See where we might be going with this? So we are vaccinating to potentially reduce, not prevent the severity of infection but here it appears those rabbits immunised, had a more severe reaction to exposure. But, stress, nutrition and the environment can all affect immune responses too. So too, can genes. This can help explain why some animals are more, or less susceptible to pathogens (or vaccines) than others. And explain the age-old statement, but my dog was fine! It therefore raises no eyebrows when reports appear of clinical leptospirosis in numerous dogs when they had previously been vaccinated. You’ll remember this from earlier, when it was deemed to reduce severity, not necessary prevent occurrence. This was however, associated with vaccine type. In short, the dogs were vaccinated against only two of the many pathogenic serovars. So, in walked Lepto 4. But these new vaccines were associated with further increases in vaccine reactions, not limited to local swelling or hypersensitivity, but including cardiac abnormalities. Specifically, heart murmurs appearing between first and second vaccination. Findings here What is particularly interesting in studies exploring the use of lepto 4 vaccines, is that dogs demonstrated antibodies to serovars not vaccinated against. Researchers have therefore concluded that natural exposure (not vaccine exposure) to serovars provide positive titre results. Not only that, but in cases of vaccinations up to 1745 days previously, some dogs still demonstrated antibodies. This raises a question around the need for such frequent booster vaccinations. The take home from this particular study was “seroconversion following vaccination differed considerably among individual dogs.” Yet they still concluded that, “in the light of the high incidence and
Anxiety…the word that gets 337,000,000 hits on google. Many of us and our dogs would say, around that many things make us anxious in any one day, but anxiety for the dog can sadly be very life-limiting. Common signs include panting in the absence of exercise, pacing, salivating in the absence of food, inappropriate vocalisation, hyper-arousal, or lethargy and repetitive or compulsive behaviour. Not only that, but there are recognised cases of separation anxiety in the dog where they will dig at exit points, toilet inappropriately and the above behaviours become worse when separated from their guardian. Causes of anxiety are vast, what some dogs will find exciting, others will find stressful. This is where a better understanding of anxiety lies. In humans, anxiety is defined as a fear or worry, whereas stress is a response to a threat or situation. In the dog, if we consider separation anxiety, whilst dogs may respond to the trigger of you picking your keys up, or getting your coat, they exhibit a stress-response. Seeing as bonfire night is upon us, we thought we would talk about how to support and modulate this stress response. Stress is a response in the autonomic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system primes for flight or flight. The parasympathetic nervous system then comes along to balance it all out, and primes to rest and digest. Whilst this is a very generic overview of the stress-response, there are many processes that are going on, on the inside. To this end, certain nutrients can support and modulate stress responses and help to maintain a balanced system. Magnesium Often noted as the ultimate chill pill, magnesium is an essential nutrient that many are deficient in. Its low levels are regularly established incases of depression in humans, so it is clear it plays a role in mood modulation and the stress response. Findings here Magnesium affects a number of neurotransmitter systems. Firstly, it inhibits excitatory neurotransmitters. Excessive excitation can lead to the death of brain cells, which affects the overall structure and functioning of the brain. Magnesium also acts as a cofactor in the serotoninergic system. As we know serotonin is the happy chemical, and low levels of magnesium are regularly linked to low serotonin levels. Not only that, but magnesium excretion is increased during times of stress. Catecholamines and corticosteroids enhance the shift of magnesium from inside the cell to outside of the cell leading to increased urinary excretion. In turn, low magnesium levels increase the release of stress-associated hormones. This unfortunately creates a cycle of a reduced resistance to stress. Magnesium is found in leafy greens, nuts and seeds. The ones packing the highest punch are spinach and pumpkin seeds. Magnesium is also necessary for calcium absorption, so balancing these levels is key. High levels of calcium increase the need for magnesium. High dosages of vitamin D can also induce magnesium depletion. As an aside, magnesium competes with fluoride in the body and will decrease absorption, minimising the impact of fluoride in the body. Knowing that magnesium is a key player in many of the systems necessary for balanced mood and can be depleted further in times of stress, it pays to add magnesium rich foods to your dog’s diet. L-Theanine An amino acid found in tea leaves; its relaxing effects have been noted in humans for a while now. This is appearing to be true for our canine companions too. In mammals, L-Theanine can cross the blood-brain barrier within an hour after administration. It appears to remain in the plasma and brain for several hours after. L-Theanine isseen to facilitate the generation of alpha waves which are indicative of a relaxed but awake and alert state. L-Theanine helps regulate the usual stress responses like increased blood pressure, heart rate and cortisol secretion. In dogs, L-Theanine treatment has been seen to reduce anxiety scores during storms in fear of humans. Findings here There is also evidence for L-Theanine improving cognitive function and performance in test situations. Findings here It is thought that because of its similarity to glutamate, it can interact with the same receptors, therefore playing a role in neuroprotection against glutamate toxicity. There are also reports of increased GABA activity in the brain following L-theanine administration and we know that GABA is the brakes of the brain. Findings here Green tea contains the highest L-theanine content, and in moderation is perfectly safe to offer to your dog. Alternatively, there are a number of L-theanine supplements available. Findings here Vitamin D Every tissue in the body has vitamin D receptors, but it is the ones in the brain we are most interested in. Vitamin D activates genes that regulate the immune system and release neurotransmitters. In humans, vitamin D receptors are found in the same brain regions that are linked with depression, so we know it has an impact on mood; seasonal affective disorder ties in with this. It is thought that vitamin D plays a role in calcium balance in neurons, which helps to balance excitatory and inhibitory pathways in the brain. Not only that but vitamin D is linked to the regulation of nerve growth factor which is essential in neuronal survival. Offspring of vitamin D deficient mothers often experience learning and memory problems with altered grooming behaviours, and we know that grooming in most mammals is calming and comforting. Findings here The long and the short of it, vitamin D deficiency is regularly noted in cases of anxiety. Findings here Dog’s don’t have the same ability to synthesis vitamin D from the sun as we do, so they rely solely on dietary sources. Sources of vitamin D include oily fish, red meat, liver, and eggs. There are several health issues that affect absorption of vitamin D, like IBD and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency along with having a low-fat diet. Supplementation is an option but being fat soluble be mindful of levels. Magnesium assists in the activation of Vitamin D, so ensure adequate levels of Mg before you
