Remarkable frequency of a history of liver disease in dogs fed homemade diets with buckwheat

Abstract

Objective In our nutrition consultation service we observed liver disease in 2 dogs of one owner who was feeding buckwheat. This led to the hypothesis that buckwheat may cause problems. The present retrospective study in a German and a Russian nutrition consultation service was carried out to see whether there is an increased incidence of liver disease in dogs fed buckwheat. Materials and methods A retrospective study was carried out on the nutrition consultation cases of the Chair of Animal Nutrition and Dietetics, LMU Munich and a Russian nutrition consultant. All cases of dogs with buckwheat in their nutritional history were evaluated and compared with randomly selected dogs that had not been fed buckwheat from the same case set. Two German and 1 Russian buckwheat samples were compared (appearance, nutrient content, starch gelatinization, flavonoids, fagopyrin) as well as cooking methods. Results In the years 2007–2017, 34 cases of dogs fed buckwheat were identified in Germany and 57 in Russia. Eighty-five control cases in Germany and 48 in Russia were evaluated. In Germany, the incidence of liver disease in dogs fed buckwheat was 32 %, while that of the control group was 3.5 %. However, in Russia there was no significant difference between dogs fed buckwheat and control dogs. The appearance of the German and Russian buckwheat differed, with smaller seeds and more greenish colour in the German specimens while the Russian buckwheat presented larger and more brownish seeds. There was no difference in the analyses of the 3 buckwheat samples in crude nutrient and rutin content. Quercetin, quercitrin and fagopyrin were not detectable in all three samples. The degree of starch gelatinization in the Russian sample was higher than in the German. In Russia it is recommended to remove the reddish scum during boiling whereas this is rarely mentioned in Germany. Conclusion and clinical significance German buckwheat may represent a risk in canine diets. With the difference remaining unclear, it is recommended to refrain from feeding buckwheat to dogs. In dogs fed homemade diets and suffering from liver disease, buckwheat should be considered in the nutrition history.

Differences in Ratio of Carbon Stable Isotopes among Barley Grain Milling Fractions with Various Concentrations of Beta-Glucans

“…The milling fractions of barley grain are not just mixtures of compounds. They are organized in the cellular structures, including cell wall structures with b-G, and starch grains enveloped in the proteinaceous/carbohydrate matrix, as the remainder of cytoplasm after the drying of the grain [22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. So, the δ 13 C of the seed fraction is a result of all contents of the sample, not necessarily a predominance of the b-G.…”

“…Hydrothermal pre-treatment can change the properties of a plant material and thus alter its effect on the organism [22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. Plant material is subjected to microbial activities during the digestion in the gut, which may change the physical (viscosity) and chemical properties of ingested materials [22,[29][30][31][32][33][34].…”

Computer‐aided ration calculation (Diet Check Munich©) versus blood profile in raw fed privately owned dogs

“…On the other hand, two dogs (Doberman and Greyhound) belonged to the RMBD group with normal plasma taurine levels but suspected or confirmed dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). In this case, one dog received a grain‐free diet with buckwheat, which has been associated with hepatitis in dogs (Lineva et al, 2019), as well as the partner animal without suspected DCM and normal blood values. The second dog received a grain‐free diet with exotic protein sources, lamb and rice.…”

A Crop of High Nutritional Quality and Health Maintenance Value: The Importance of Tartary Buckwheat Breeding

“…The microbiota in the colon enable this process [42]. Small-sized phenolic molecules, which result from the colon's microbial conversion, are more easily absorbed than large-sized phenolic metabolites [43][44][45].…”