Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Effects of poultry byproduct meal on gut bacteria and blood pressure
By Príncipe, Leonardo A et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2025·Department of Animal Nutrition and Production, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of enzymatically hydrolyzed poultry byproduct meal effects on fecal microbiota and pressure variables in elderly obese cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of elderly obese cats was given a special diet that included a type of processed poultry meal to see if it would help their gut health and blood pressure. While the diet didn't lower blood pressure, it did improve the balance of bacteria in their intestines, which is important for overall health. Both the special diet and the regular diet showed good diversity in gut bacteria, indicating that diet plays a key role in maintaining a healthy gut in senior cats. Owners should consider how diet can impact their cat's health, especially for older, overweight pets.
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Abstract
Arterial hypertension is influenced by the intestinal microbiota and its metabolites, which play a crucial role in host health. Dietary peptides are multifunctional molecules with therapeutic potential for managing hypertension. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of incorporating enzymatically hydrolyzed poultry byproduct meal (EHPM-c) into extruded dry diets on the fecal microbiota and blood pressure parameters of elderly obese cats. Eighteen owners of neutered, clinically healthy male and female cats of various breeds were randomly assigned to two groups: control (30.8%, conventional poultry byproduct meal-CPM-c) and test (17.07%, CPM-c + 12.0% EHPM-c). Clinical values of systolic blood pressure, serum aldosterone concentrations, angiotensin-converting enzyme I activity, and fecal microbiota using 16S rRNA were measured. Data were processed using SAS software (PROC MIXED, PROC GLIMMIX, and PROC CORR; < 0.05). Both groups exhibited high microbial alpha diversity, with no significant differences in beta diversity. Although the inclusion of 12.0% EHPM-c had no measurable effect on blood pressure, both diets promoted beneficial modulation of the fecal microbiota, improving intestinal health. These findings underscore the importance of diet in maintaining gut homeostasis in obese senior cats. While the inclusion of 12.0% EHPM-c did not significantly alter blood pressure parameters, the modulation of the fecal microbiota suggests a potential role in maintaining intestinal health. These results highlight the need for further studies to explore different inclusion levels and longer intervention periods.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40191086/