APPARENT DIETARY-PROTEIN REQUIREMENT OF DOGS WITH PORTOSYSTEMIC SHUNT

Current medical management of dogs with portosystemic shunt (PSS) incl udes dietary protein restriction. After establishment of baseline valu es, 32 dogs underwent portosystemic anastomosis to induce PSS. They we re assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments, and given 11 or 24% crude pr otein (CP); 20% of the protein was derived from branched chain or arom atic amino acids. The apparent digestibility of cp and of total digest ible energy were not affected by Pss. The apparent digestibility of fa t decreased from 92% to 85% in dogs with PSS (P < 0.01). Across all di ets, the apparent dietary protein requirement (ADPR) was 2.07 g of CP/ kg of body weight/d in clinically normal dogs and 2.11 g of CP/kg/d af ter PSS. Dietary amino acid composition had no effect on ADPR. The ADP R for dogs fed the 11% protein diets was 1.69 g of CP/kg/d in clinical ly normal dogs and 1.62 g of CP/kg/d after PSS, whereas the ADPR in do gs fed the 24% protein diets was 3.94 g of CP/kg/d before Pss and 3.31 g of CP/kg/d after PSS. Serum total protein, urea nitrogen, and album in concentrations were lower in dogs with PSS fed the 11% protein diet s, compared with those fed the 24% protein diets. We conclude that the re is no difference in ADPR in dogs with PSS; however, the low protein intake of 1.62 g of CP/kg/d appeared inadequate to maintain normal pr otein stores, Dietary protein that provides at least 2.1 g of CP/kg/d is recommended for dogs with PSS.