Metabolic profiles show few differences in serum amino acid, one-carbon, and fatty acid compounds in dogs fed a plant-based ("vegan") or meat-based diet
Abstract
Introduction: Dogs are omnivores, not herbivores, and yet entirely plant-based diets are formulated to meet their current known nutrient recommendations. However, little is known about the metabolic effects of feeding diets containing no animal-derived nutrients. Metabolomics allows for the investigation of dietary influences on animal metabolism and physiology beyond what may be revealed by routine healthcare assessments.
Methods: This study compared serum metabolomics in a longitudinal trial involving 61 healthy adult dogs fed an experimental extruded plant-based ("vegan") diet (PLANT, n = 31) or a commercial extruded meat-based diet (MEAT, n = 30) for 3 months. Both diets met industry nutrient recommendations for maintenance of adult dogs and had similar levels of total protein and fat, though amino acid and fatty acid profiles differed. Free amino acid and protein, one-carbon, carbohydrate, fatty acids, and lipid metabolites were analyzed at the start and end of the trial. Organic acids and lipid metabolites were measured using direct injection liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, one-carbon, and folate pathway metabolites by liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry, and fatty acids by gas chromatography. Repeated measures mixed modeling assessed metabolite differences between diet groups over time.
Results: In total, 11 of 47 amino acid and protein metabolites, 0 of 16 carbohydrate metabolites, 3 of 29 one-carbon/folate pathway…
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