Page 932 - Small Animal Internal Medicine, 6th Edition

904 PART VII Metabolic and Electrolyte Disorders

to achieve a filling effect for the pet (fiber, moisture); surpris- includes skeletal muscle tissues. Preservation of lean body
ingly, even air-puffed kibble showed a satiety effect in one mass in humans has been shown to facilitate successful long-
VetBooks.ir study of dogs, possibly by slowing food intake. term maintenance of ideal body weight after successful
weight loss. Lower fat diets that provide a reduced percent-
Veterinary therapeutic diets formulated specifically for
age of calories from fat help reduce the energy density of the
weight reduction in dogs and cats typically vary according
to energy density and caloric distribution (Tables 51.2 and food because fat provides almost 2.5 times the calories per
51.3); however, most are less energy-dense than maintenance gram as provided by protein or carbohydrate. This is one
foods. This enables greater filling of both the bowl and the drawback of the lower-carbohydrate diet options designed
bowel, which is a strategy targeted to increased compliance for weight reduction in cats, as they are often higher in fat;
and satiety. Most weight reduction diets are high in fiber, as their increased energy density means that a small volume is
fiber is used as a bulking agent to dilute the calories as well needed to achieve the required degree of restriction, which
as to provide a satiating effect. However, conflicting research may not be acceptable to the owner or the pet.
findings have led to uncertainty about whether fiber reliably Once the daily caloric intake has been determined and
increases satiety. Because some patients may not respond appropriate weight reduction diet chosen, the method of
well to higher-fiber foods, a few diets do not use this nutri- feeding should be decided. Ideally, the patient should receive
tional strategy, especially those formulated for cats. portion-controlled meals rather than be fed ad libitum. The
Higher-protein diets not only ensure adequate amino acid number of feedings per day can be selected to suit the client’s
intake despite caloric restriction but also help increase the schedule, but two to four meals per day is adequate. One
proportion of fat loss while preserving or, indeed, increasing member of the household should be selected to feed the pet.
lean body mass during weight reduction. The lean body mass This will reduce inadvertent overfeeding by additional family
is the most metabolically active portion of the body and members. If treats are typically fed or are desired, the client

TABLE 51.2

Key Nutrients Concentrations in Selected Veterinary Therapeutic Diets Suitable for Weight Loss in Dogs*
TOTAL DIETARY
TYPE PROTEIN (% ME) FAT (% ME) FIBER (g/Mcal) ME (kcal/unit)
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Dry 33 (110.3 g/Mcal) 28 (34.9 g/Mcal) 103 245/cup
Canine Satiety Support
Weight Management
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Can 41 (113.2 g/Mcal) 28 (32.3 g/Mcal) 57.4 229/13.4-oz can
Canine Satiety Support
Weight Management
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Dry 36 (111.2 g/Mcal) 28 (35.2 g/Mcal) 103 225/cup
Canine Satiety Support
Small Dog
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Dry 36 (109.6 g/Mcal) 38 (34.7 g/Mcal) 97.5 240/cup
Canine Multifunction
Urinary+Satiety
Purina Veterinary Diets OM Dry 32.1 (102.9 g/Mcal) 18.9 (24.8 g/Mcal) 83.8 266/cup
Overweight Management
Canine
Purina Veterinary Diets OM Dry 32.4 (99.6 g/Mcal) 17.6 (22.3 g/Mcal) 81.2 235 kcal/cup
Select Blend Overweight
Management Canine
Purina Veterinary Diets OM Can 46.4 (129.3 g/Mcal) 30.1 (34.5 g/Mcal) 101.5 253/13.3-oz can
Overweight Management
Canine
Hill’s Prescription Diet r/d Dry 37 (105 g/Mcal) 21 (25 g/Mcal) 77 245/cup
Canine
Hill’s Prescription Diet r/d Can 30 (85 g/Mcal) 24 (29 g/Mcal) NA 257/12.3-oz can
Canine

CHO, Carbohydrate; Mcal, megacalories (1000 kcal); ME, metabolizable energy.
*Information obtained from manufacturer’s product guides. Foods with less than 85 g protein/Mcal not listed.