PSIII-40 Dietary effects on food intake body weight body composition and metabolism of adult female cats after spay surgery

摘要

Spay and neuter surgeries are common procedures to control the pet population, but have been associated with increased risk for obesity due to changes in appetite, decreased metabolic rate, and decreased energy expenditure. Dietary management post-spay could help decrease obesity risk, but few research studies have been conducted on cats following spay surgery. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a high-protein, high-fiber diet (HPHF) vs. a moderate-protein, moderate-fiber diet (MPMF) in female cats following spay surgery. Twenty healthy female cats (9.5±0.1 months old) were used. After a 5-wk baseline phase with cats fed MPMF to maintain BW, 16 cats were spayed and randomly allotted to MPMF (n = 8) or HPHF (n = 8), with the remaining cats being sham-operated and fed MPMF (n = 4). Cats were fed to maintain BW for 12 wk, then fed up to twice that amount during the subsequent 12 wk of study. Daily food intake, twice weekly BW and twice weekly BCS were assessed. Body composition using DEXA, serum metabolite concentrations, and voluntary physical activity levels were measured prior to spay (wk 0) and every 6 wk post-spay. A treatment*time effect was observed for food intake (g/d), but not caloric intake (kcal ME/d). Caloric intake was affected by time and treatment effects, being reduced over the first 12 wk and reduced at higher amounts in HPHF and MPMF cats vs. sham cats. BW, BCS and body fat percentage were affected over time. A treatment*time effect was observed for blood urea nitrogen, ALP, and fructosamine, while blood triglycerides, total cholesterol, creatinine, total protein, phosphorus, and bicarbonate were affected by time. Physical activity was also reduced over time. Our results demonstrate that spay surgery affects food intake, BW, metabolism, and physical activity in cats. Dietary intervention in this study, however, led to minor changes.