Saliva changes in dogs after 8 weeks of oral buttermilk

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Determine if feeding two teaspoons per ten pounds of body weight per day of Saco powdered buttermilk (SPB) for 8 weeks affects salivary pH (SpH), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (Phos), calcium (Ca), or total protein (TP) in dogs. ANIMALS: Eighteen dogs were enrolled following owner consent. Dogs with severe dental disease or that had been administered antibiotics in the past 3 months were excluded. PROCEDURES: Fasted saliva samples were collected using Salivette tubes within the same hour on Days 0, 1, 30, 31, 60, 61, 90, and 91. pH was measured immediately upon collection, samples were then mailed for laboratory analysis. SPB was administered at a dose of two teaspoons per ten pounds of body weight per day on Days 1-60. Baseline complete blood counts and serum chemistries were run before saliva collection on Day 1. RESULTS: Sixteen dogs completed the study. Side effects included flatulence (2) and loose stool (1). Salivette cotton swab ingestion occurred twice prior to change in method of securing swab during collection. Weight remained stable. There was no significant change in SpH, TP, Ca, or Phos during the study. There was a statistically significant, linear increase in Mg (p = 0.0065). CONCLUSIONS: Feeding two teaspoons per ten pounds of body weight per day for 8 weeks did not significantly affect salivary pH, total protein, calcium, or phosphorus. There was a small linear increase in salivary magnesium concentration over the study period that did not return to baseline within 30 days of discontinuation of buttermilk supplementation, significance of which is unknown.