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. 2017 Oct 26;12(10):e0187133.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187133. eCollection 2017.

Increased dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids alter serum fatty acid concentrations and lower risk of urine stone formation in cats

Jean A Hall  1 , Jeff A Brockman  2 , Stephen J Davidson  2 , Jen M MacLeay  2 , Dennis E Jewell  2
Affiliations

Increased dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids alter serum fatty acid concentrations and lower risk of urine stone formation in cats

Jean A Hall et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

The lifespan of cats with non-obstructive kidney stones is shortened compared with healthy cats indicating a need to reduce stone formation and minimize chronic kidney disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of increasing dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on urine characteristics. Domestic-short-hair cats (n = 12; mean age 5.6 years) were randomized into two groups and fed one of two dry-cat foods in a cross-over study design. For one week before study initiation, all cats consumed control food that contained 0.07% arachidonic acid (AA), but no eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Group 1 continued eating control food for 56 days. Group 2 was fed test food for 56 days, which was control food plus fish oil and high-AA oil. Test food contained 0.17% AA, 0.09% EPA and 0.18% DHA. After 56 days, cats were fed the opposite food for another 56 days. At baseline and after each feeding period, serum was analyzed for fatty acid concentrations, and urine for specific gravity, calcium concentration, relative-super-saturation for struvite crystals, and a calcium-oxalate-titrimetric test was performed. After consuming test food, cats had increased (all P<0.001) serum concentrations of EPA (173%), DHA (61%), and AA (35%); decreased urine specific gravity (P = 0.02); decreased urine calcium concentration (P = 0.06); decreased relative-super-saturation for struvite crystals (P = 0.03); and increased resistance to oxalate crystal formation (P = 0.06) compared with cats consuming control food. Oxalate crystal formation was correlated with serum calcium concentration (r = 0.41; P<0.01). These data show benefits for reducing urine stone formation in cats by increasing dietary PUFA.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: I have read the journal's policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: Four of the authors (JAB, SJD, JMM, and DEJ) have an affiliation to the commercial funders of this research, as employees of Hill’s Pet Nutrition. The work presented in this study was funded by and performed at the Pet Nutrition Center, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Topeka, KS (http://www.hillspet.com/our-company.html). The funding organization did not play a role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript and only provided financial support in the form of authors' salaries and/or research materials. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. Data are freely available upon request. Jean A. Hall has received research grant support from Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. in the past. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. Data is freely available upon request. Although Hills financed this study, they played no role in the study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, or in the manuscript writing or submission for publication. None of the authors has any other financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Struvite relative super saturation.
The struvite relative super saturation (RSS; y-axis) is predicted using urine specific gravity (P<0.001) and urine pH (P<0.001) measurements (interaction P<0.001; x-axis). Each cat (n = 12) is represented twice by an open circle, for 28 and 56 days on control food, and twice by a filled circle, for 28 and 56 days on test food. Feeding test food decreased urine specific gravity and decreased urine pH, together both of which decreased struvite RSS (r2 = 0.69; P<0.001). Note that there are fewer cats fed test food in the upper right quadrant of the graph.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Calcium oxalate titrimetric test.
The risk of oxalate crystal formation as determined by the calcium oxalate titrimetric test (COT; y-axis) is predicted using fractional excretion of calcium (P = 0.006) and urine specific gravity (P = 0.046) measurements (interaction P = 0.005; x-axis). Each cat (n = 12) is represented twice by an open circle, for 28 and 56 days on control food, and twice by a filled circle, for 28 and 56 days on test food. Feeding test food decreased fractional excretion of calcium and decreased urine specific gravity, together both of which increased resistance to oxalate crystal formation (r2 = 0.72; P<0.001). Note that there are fewer cats fed test food in the upper right quadrant of the graph.
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References

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