Rebecca Ricci

The potential role of leptin and adiponectin in obesity: a comparative review.

Leptin and adiponectin are adipokines produced by the white adipose tissue. The adipokines have been shown to be valuable quantitative markers of adiposity in dogs. Leptin positively correlates with body condition score (BCS) in dogs, regardless of age, sex and breed, and is influenced by feeding state, pharmacological treatment and thyroid gland activity. Conversely, adiponectin negatively correlates with body fat mass and is therefore more abundant in lean animals. The implication of leptin and adiponectin in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome is well established in humans, but currently lacking in dogs. Additional studies are necessary to demonstrate their potential usefulness for monitoring the progression of obesity-related diseases and response to treatment. To date, measurement of canine leptin and adiponectin has been used in experimental studies only, whereas bodyweight and BCS are considered the first-approach parameters for the routine assessment of body fat content in obese dogs.

Identification of undeclared sources of animal origin in canine dry foods used in dietary elimination trials.

Failure to respond to commercial limited antigen diets can occur in dogs kept on a dietary trial for the diagnosis of adverse food reaction (AFR). The aim of this study was to assess twelve canine dry limited antigen diets (eleven novel protein diets and one hydrolysed diet) for potential contamination by ingredients of animal origin not mentioned on the label. The validity of the two methods adopted for the detection of such food antigens was also evaluated. Each dietary product was analysed by microscopy analysis using the official method described in Commission Regulation EC 152/2009 with the aim of identifying bone fragments of different zoological classes (mammalian, avian and fish) and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the identification of DNA of animal origin. Discrepancies between the results obtained by PCR and/or microscopy analysis and the ingredients listed on pet food packages were found. Only in two pet foods did the results of both analyses match the ingredients listed on the label. In the remaining ten samples, microscopy detected bone fragments from one or two unpredicted zoological classes, revealing avian fragments in six of ten samples followed by those of fish in five of ten and mammalian fragments in four of ten. In two samples, microscopy analysis identified a contamination that would have otherwise passed unobserved if only PCR had been used. However, PCR confirmed the presence of all the zoological classes detected by microscopy and also identified the DNA of an additional unexpected zoological class in two samples. Dogs might fail to respond to commercial limited antigen diets because such diets are contaminated with potential allergens. Both PCR and microscopy analysis are required to guarantee the absence of undeclared animal sources in pet foods. Before ruling out AFR, a novel protein home-made diet should be considered if the dog is unresponsive to a commercial regimen.

A comparison of the clinical manifestations of feeding whole and hydrolysed chicken to dogs with hypersensitivity to the native protein

Twenty-six dogs with known adverse food reactions were fed whole chicken for 14 days. From this group, 12 dogs with cutaneous manifestations following exposure to chicken meat were selected and randomly divided into two groups (n = 6). Each group was then fed hydrolysed chicken or hydrolysed soy for 14 days in a blinded crossover design with a 17-day washout period between each diet. Assessments of a CADESI (Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index) score and pruritus were performed throughout the entire study, and combined in a global score (GS). Serum was collected weekly for the measurement of chicken- and soy-specific IgG and IgE. Dogs displayed the most severe clinical response when eating whole chicken compared to baseline (P < 0.001). The GS was significantly reduced in 11 of the 12 dogs when fed hydrolysed chicken were compared to those fed whole chicken (3.58 ± 2.81 versus 20.38 ± 14.65, P < 0.01). Serum immunoglobulin G and E responses were variable and did not show relationship with specific dietary exposure.

Effect of body weight loss on cardiopulmonary function assessed by 6-minute walk test and arterial blood gas analysis in obese dogs.

Background Few studies show the detrimental effect of canine obesity on cardiopulmonary function (CPF). The 6‐Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is a noninvasive exercise test easy to perform in clinical settings. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of obesity and body weight loss (BWL) on CPF assessed by the 6MWT and arterial blood gas analysis. Animals Six experimental Beagles and 9 privately owned obese dogs were enrolled in a diet‐induced BWL program. Methods Arterial blood gas analysis and 6MWT were repeated in obese subjects (BCS 8‐9/9), in the middle of BWL (overweight, BCS 6‐7/9), and in lean dogs (BCS 5/9). Heart rate (HRp) and oxygen saturation (SpO2) were measured by pulse oximetry before the 6MWT, at midtest, and during a 5‐minute recovery period. Results Twelve dogs completed the BWL program (initial BW, 27.3 ± 2.9 kg; final BW, 20.85 ± 2.9, lsmeans ± SE, P ≤ .001). BWL caused a significant increase in 6MWT walked distance (WD; obese: 509 ± 35 m; overweight: 575 ± 36 m; lean: 589 ± 36 m; P ≤ .05). Resting arterial blood gas results were not influenced by BWL. Including all time points, obese dogs showed higher HRp and lower SpO2 compared to overweight and lean dogs. SpO2 at the end of the walk was significantly lower in obese dogs. Conclusion and Clinical Importance Obesity negatively affects 6MWT performances in dogs. The 6MWT may be used to demonstrate the efficacy of BWL to improve CPF and quality of life in obese dogs. Although BWL induced significant improvement of cardiopulmonary parameters before ideal BW, WD improved until the end of the BWL program.

Welfare and meat quality of beef cattle housed on two types of floors with the same space allowance

Abstract Growth performance, behaviour, cleanliness, carcass traits and meat quality of 48 Simmental young bulls housed on slatted floor or on straw bedding with the same space allowance were compared in the study, which lasted 250 days. The animals (initial body weight = 321.2 ± 34.1 kg) were assigned to 8 balanced groups, according to their initial body weight. All the groups were reared in separate pens with a space allowance of 3 m2head. Four pens had a concrete floor covered with a straw bedding while the other pens had a fully slatted floor made of concrete slats. All the animals received the same diet provided ad libitum. Type of floor did not affect the bulls’ daily gain, feed intake and feed efficiency. Health status of the animals was satisfactory throughout the trial and several blood indicators of chronic stress were not modified by the treatment. Behavioural observations carried out at d 10, 80, 180 and 240 showed differences only on some behaviours due to the type of floor. In particular, the straw bedding increased eating behaviour and it encouraged the simultaneous presence of more bulls at the manger. Regardless of the type of floor, the progress of the trial showed a linear increase of animals’ inactivity (P<0.05) while linear decrease of bulls’ lying (P<0.01), eating (P<0.001) and ruminating (P<0.01) was observed. These results can be referred to the growth of the animal body frame, which made the space allowance progressively limiting. In the straw bedded pens, clean straw was added weekly and fully renewed every 3 weeks, but this bedding management did not allow a satisfactory cleanliness of the animals in comparison with the slatted floor. However, the worse cleanliness of the bulls on the straw did not promote their grooming activity. Young bulls were slaughtered at a final weight of 614.6 ± 14.7 kg and their carcass traits and meat quality were not affected by the treatment. The straw bedded system cannot always be considered the cleanest solution for the housing of beef cattle and its frequent renewal must be carried out, particularly when animals are kept with a minimum space allowance. The minimal differences observed for all the parameters measured in the study between the two types of floors must be related to the adoption of the same space allowance/animal and this factor has shown to be the most critical housing parameter affecting beef cattle welfare during the fattening period.

Alternative solutions to the concrete fully-slatted floor for the housing of finishing beef cattle: effects on growth performance, health of the locomotor system and behaviour.

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of two potential alternative solutions to the concrete fully-slatted floor (FS), namely, a perforated floor (PF) and a perforated floor coated with a rubber mattress (RM), on growth, locomotor system health, and behaviour of intensively finished young bulls. Forty-eight male beef-crosses (Charolais × Aubrac) were allotted to six pens of eight animals (two pens/floor type) for a finishing period of 175 ± 7 days. Growth was recorded and two health checks and two 8-h behavioural observations were carried out by trained assessors 1 month after the beginning of the trial (Initial) and 2 weeks before slaughter (Final). Feed intake was not affected by floor type, but average daily gain of RM bulls was higher than that of FS (1.37 vs. 1.19 kg, P=0.01), with PF being intermediate (1.27 kg). Behavioural observations showed that FS bulls had a higher number of slipping events (6.5) than PF (2.1; P=0.01) and RM bulls (0.9; P<0.01). Bulls on FS showed more lying down attempts (2.2 vs. 0.1; P=0.001), a lower number of lying/standing transitions (4.5 vs. 7.3; P<0.001) and a longer lying duration (5.9 vs. 4.7s; P<0.01) than RM bulls. Signs of lameness were observed in five FS bulls at the final assessment. RM floor proved to be a good alternative to FS but it increased the likelihood of overgrown claws due to insufficient hoof wear.

Growth performance, cleanliness and lameness of finishing Charolais bulls housed in littered pens of different design

Riassunto Performance di crescita, pulizia e lesioni agli arti di vitelloni Charolaise allevati su lettiera permanente in diversi tipi di box. Lo studio ha posto a confronto due tipi di box su lettiera permanente destinati all’allevamento di vitelloni Charolaise. Un box dotato di pavimentazione piana che garantiva uno spazio/capo di 5 m2 (Controllo) è stato confrontato con una soluzione (Partially Sloped Floor; PSF) che forniva uno spazio/capo di 6,4 m2 e in cui la metà della superficie più lontana dalla mangiatoia presentava un’inclinazione del 4%. È stato monitorato il ciclo d’ingrasso di 1338 animali stabulati in 43 box (20 Controllo e 23 PSF). Le prestazioni di crescita degli animali non hanno risentito del diverso tipo di box, mentre l’indice di pulizia dei vitelloni è peggiorato nel controllo a causa del minore spazio/capo. L’analisi logistica dei dati relativi alle patologie podaliche ha visto un aumento significativo del rischio incrociato nel caso del PSF. L’aggiunta di polvere di segatura alla lettiera in paglia ha migliorato la pulizia degli animali, aumentando però la manifestazione di sindromi respiratorie.

Assessment of welfare of finishing beef cattle kept on different types of floor after short- or long-term housing.

This study aimed at evaluating short- and long-term effects of housing beef cattle on deep litter (DL) or concrete fully slatted floor (FS) on their welfare. Animal-based measures of the Welfare Quality® assessment protocol for cattle were used to assess health status and behaviour of bulls. The assessment was carried out in a large commercial farm on 15 batches of bulls (4 DL and 11 FS) 1 month after their receiving day (short-term) and on 12 batches (three DL and nine FS) the week before slaughter (long-term). Signs of better comfort on deep litter in terms of shorter lying down durations (5.1 ± 0.5 v. 6.5 ± 0.4 s; P<0.05) and lower risk of hairless patches (odds ratio=0.09; 95% confidence interval=0.01 to 0.68; P<0.05) were already observed after 1 month. Heavy bulls after a long-term housing on FS showed a higher prevalence of bursitis, hairless patches and lesions/swellings than animals on DL. Bulls on fully slatted floor were at higher risk of early culling (odds ratio=6.44; 95% confidence interval=1.57 to 26.37; P<0.01), mainly due to musculoskeletal system pathologies/lameness. Deep litter proved to be a valid alternative to slatted floor, making animals more confident to interact with powerful movements such as mounting at the end of the finishing period. A negative aspect of the deep litter was the poor cleanliness of the bulls. Compared with the fully slatted floor, there were higher odds ratios for dirty bulls at both, the short- (odds ratio=25.09; 95% confidence interval=8.96 to 70.22; P<0.001) and the long-term housing (odds ratio=276.13; 95% confidence interval=98.21 to 776.38; P<0.001). In order to improve health and welfare of beef cattle finished at a heavy weight, deep litter systems are a promising alternative to fully slatted floors. However, proper management of deep litter is necessary to maintain satisfactory cleanliness of the bulls.

Synthetic rubber surface as an alternative to concrete to improve welfare and performance of finishing beef cattle reared on fully slatted flooring

The aim of this study was to compare a fully slatted concrete floor (concrete slatted (CS)) with the same floor on which synthetic rubber slats were placed on the concrete slats (rubber slatted (RS)) as housing solution for finishing beef cattle. The present study involved five commercial beef cattle farms in which the floor of at least three pens was kept as fully slatted, and in an equal number of pens a rubber cover was placed on the floor, tightly matching the gap profile of the concrete slats to allow the drainage of manure. A total of 326 finishing beef bulls were used (153 on CS and 173 on RS), and regardless of the floor treatment animals were housed in groups of 6 to 12 bulls/pen with a space allowance of 3.1 ± 0.2 m2/bull. Bulls had similar initial live weights (422.3 kg on CS and 425.0 kg on RS), but bulls on RS were heavier at the end of the finishing period with a higher average daily gain than bulls kept on CS (1.53 v. 1.46 kg/day; P<0.05). The proportion of bulls treated for locomotor problems was lower in RS pens compared with CS. Rubber covering prevented the occurrence of bursitis, but it increased the odds for hoof overgrowth at end of the finishing period. Hoof overgrowth detected in vivo in bulls on RS was confirmed at the slaughterhouse by the longer dorsal wall and diagonal lengths of the hoof as well as by a more acute toe angle. Compared with bulls on CS, bulls on RS showed less inactivity and resting time, increased social interactions, decreased abnormal lying down and unsuccessful attempts to lie down, as well as shortened the time for lying down. Bulls in RS pens were dirtier compared with those in CS pens, likely due to the draining gaps being reduced to 11.6 ± 1.2% of the total pen surface compared with the 16.9 ± 1.7% in CS pens. This study gave further evidence about the positive effects of the RS floor on growth performance and welfare of finishing beef cattle, although compromising cleanliness and hoof overgrowth.

Body condition score (BCS) and metabolic status of shelter dogs

Abstract A group of 147 shelter dogs were weighted and assigned a body condition score (BCS) using a 9 point scale system, in order to evaluate the prevalence of obesity in the kennel. More than 60% of the animals showed a BCS≥6 (overweight and obese) and this condition was mainly attributed to an excess of carbohydrates and fat in the diet. In 67/147 dogs, a blood sample was drawn and the effects of BCS, age and time spent in the shelter were evaluated on biochemical parameters. Obese dogs showed significantly higher levels of triglycerides (P<0.01), while increasing BCS determined only an increasing non significant trend on cholesterol values. Age influenced creatinine (P<0.05) and the oldest dogs scoring BCS≥6 registered significant higher NEFA (P<0.05) and CK (P=0.01) levels. Time spent in the shelter did not affect any parameter. The dogs’ metabolic condition reflects the need of taking more care of the quality of feed administered in the shelters to avoid the negative health effects caused by chronic obesity.