Martello Elisa, Costale Annalisa, Ferrarini Fabrizio, Vergnano Diana, Guidetti Gianandrea, Meineri Giorgia
Centre for Evidence Based Healthcare, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG5 1PB, UK.
Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy.
Vet Sci. 2025 Aug 20;12(8):779. doi: 10.3390/vetsci12080779.
Hydrolyzed protein is increasingly used in pet food, especially for animals with adverse reactions to food or gastrointestinal issues. This randomized, double-blind controlled trial evaluated the effects of a diet containing hydrolyzed anchovy protein on the gut health of healthy adult West Highland white terriers (5 males, 25 females; 5.6-9 kg). The dogs were randomly assigned to a control group (CTR, = 15), receiving a standard commercial diet, or a treatment group (TRT, = 15), fed a diet partially replacing anchovy meal with hydrolyzed anchovy protein for 42 days. All the dogs underwent a veterinary health check at baseline (T0) and remained healthy throughout the study. The food and water intake were recorded daily. The body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS, 1-9), and fecal score (FS, 1-7) were assessed at days 0, 21, and 42. Fecal samples were collected at T0 and T42 to measure calprotectin, cortisol, and putrefactive compounds (indole and skatole). No significant differences were found between the groups in the BW, BCS, FS, calprotectin, or cortisol. However, the TRT group showed a significant reduction in fecal indole and skatole. The results suggest that hydrolyzed anchovy protein may improve gut fermentation and support better digestive health in dogs, leading to reduced fecal odor and increased owner satisfaction.
水解蛋白在宠物食品中的应用越来越广泛，尤其是对于那些对食物有不良反应或有胃肠道问题的动物。这项随机、双盲对照试验评估了一种含有水解凤尾鱼蛋白的饮食对健康成年西高地白梗（5只雄性，25只雌性；体重5.6 - 9千克）肠道健康的影响。这些狗被随机分为对照组（CTR，n = 15），接受标准商业饮食，或治疗组（TRT，n = 15），喂食一种用水解凤尾鱼蛋白部分替代凤尾鱼粉的饮食，持续42天。所有的狗在基线（T0）时都接受了兽医健康检查，并且在整个研究过程中保持健康。每天记录食物和水的摄入量。在第0天、21天和42天评估体重（BW）、身体状况评分（BCS，1 - 9）和粪便评分（FS，1 - 7）。在T0和T42收集粪便样本，以测量钙卫蛋白、皮质醇和腐败化合物（吲哚和粪臭素）。两组在BW、BCS、FS、钙卫蛋白或皮质醇方面没有发现显著差异。然而，TRT组的粪便吲哚和粪臭素显著减少。结果表明，水解凤尾鱼蛋白可能改善狗的肠道发酵并支持更好的消化健康，从而减少粪便气味并提高主人的满意度。
