Effect of diet on markers of intestinal health in dogs.

The effects of two popular commercial pet foods on faecal markers of microbial metabolism were investigated. Adult dogs were fed a dry, extruded diet and a moist, canned diet in a randomly assigned crossover design. Fresh faecal samples were collected for chemical and enzyme activity assays. Relative to the canned diet, the dry food resulted in decreased faecal pH and faecal indole, sulphide and ammonia concentrations and increased total short-chain fatty acid, acetic and propionic acid concentrations. Faecal beta-glucosidase, beta-glucuronidase, beta-galactosidase and nitroreductase activities were decreased in dogs fed the dry diet. These changes in microbial metabolic activity are consistent with beneficial effects of the dry diet on colonic health. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.