Research Communications of the 27(th) ECVIM-CA Congress: Intercontinental, Saint Julian's, Malta, 14th to 16th September 2017

Disclosures Increasing concentrations of dietary (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), e.g., eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), relative to (n-6) FA, e.g., arachidonic acid (AA), have been shown to increase plasma concentrations of EPA and DHA and reduce AA concentrations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of enriching food with bioactive ingredients, including EPA and DHA, on body composition, and concentrations of circulating fatty acids and the inflammatory biomarker prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ). Domestic short hair cats (n = 81; mean age 11.1 years, range 6 to 14 years) were fed a pretrial food for 30 days, randomized into three groups, and then fed one of three diets for 180 days. The protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. The pretrial food contained 33.4% protein, 0.12% arachidonic acid (AA) and negligible EPA and DHA. The control food contained 32.6% protein, 0.10% AA, 0.03% EPA, and 0.02% DHA. Test food 1 (TF1) and Test food 2 (TF2) contained 31.8% and 30.2% protein, respectively, as well as 0.04% AA, 0.095% EPA, and 0.06% DHA. Both TF1 and TF2 contained additional bioactive food factors (from broccoli, tomatoes, oats, and peas), with TF2 having increased bioactive ingredient concentrations compared with TF1. Serum was analyzed for FA and PGE 2 concentrations initially, and at 45, 90 and 180 days. Concurrently, body composition was determined by dual energy xray absorptiometry. After consuming food for 180 days, lean body mass (LBM) was unchanged in cats fed control food (42 AE 30 g), whereas cats fed TF1 (73 AE 30 g; P = 0.02) and TF2 (197 AE 31 g; P < 0.01) had increased LBM. Body fat was unchanged in cats fed control food (À11 AE 43 g), but decreased in cats fed TF1 (À124 AE 42 g; P < 0.01) and TF2 (À185 AE 43 g; P < 0.01). PGE 2 concentrations were decreased in cats fed control and TFs, and were positively correlated to the ratio of (n-6) to (n-3) FA in serum (r = 0.31; P < 0.01) and negatively correlated to the sum of (n-3) FA (r = ?0.30; P < 0.001). Cats consuming foods containing plant bioactives and fish oil had reduced concentrations of the inflammatory biomarker PGE 2 and enhanced lean body composition, which together may aid in offsetting inflammation and adiposity associated with aging in cats.