Jean A. Hall, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), PhD: No financial relationships to disclose
Feeding a commercial renal diet is the most commonly prescribed management practice for cats with chronic kidney disease. The effects of nutrition on the gastrointestinal microbiome of cats, and its impact on kidney disease should be given attention in selecting a renal diet. In humans with CKD, there is CKD-associated gut dysbiosis. Adequate dietary fiber intake is able to correct CKD-associated dysbiosis. Dietary fiber favors the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, reduces gut-derived uremic toxins, inflammation, and oxidative stress, and improves the metabolic profile, thereby slowing progression of CKD and the development of CKD-associated comorbidities. Several prospective studies will be presented to demonstrate the benefits of dietary fiber for cats with CKD.
Learning Objectives:
classify types of fiber according to its physiochemical properties of fermentability, solubility in water, and viscosity.
summarize relevant trials in human CKD patients that show how dietary fiber delays the start of dialysis, reduces production of uremic toxins or metabolic acidosis, reduces serum urea and creatinine, prevents cardiovascular events and inflammatory processes, shows less inflammation and lower mortality, shows improved lipid profile and oxidative status, and has decreased systemic inflammatory status.
discuss a feeding study in cats with CKD, where consumption of foods with supplemental betaine and fibers led to improvements in body composition and changes in the plasma metabolome that corresponded to better kidney health.
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