COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR ALTERING STOOL QUALITY IN AN ANIMAL

• US 20090017130A1
• Filed: 07/09/2007
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill's Pet Nutrition Incorporated (Colgate-Palmolive Company)
• Original Assignee: Hill's Pet Nutrition Incorporated (Colgate-Palmolive Company)
• Inventors: Yamka, Ryan Michael, Friesen, Kim Gene
• Granted Patent: US 8,529,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/601
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/37 from waste material from hydrolysates of wood or straw A23K10/32; from molasses A23K10/33
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/158 Fatty acids; Fats; Products containing oils or fats
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/22 Compounds of alkali metals
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/24 Compounds of alkaline earth metals, e.g. magnesium
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/40 for carnivorous animals, e.g. cats or dogs
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/00 Drugs for disorders of the alimentary tract or the digestive system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/02 Nutrients, e.g. vitamins, minerals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/87 Re-use of by-products of food processing for fodder production

Abstract

The present invention provides compositions and methods for improving stool quality of a puppy by adjusting the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions consumed by the puppy.

Claims

1. A food composition comprising metabolizable cations and metabolizable anions, said composition having a dietary cation to anion balance (DCAB) of from about 50 to about 300 mEq.

2. The food composition of claim 1 which is a nutritionally complete food composition.

3. The food composition of claim 1 having a DCAB of from about 75 to about 250 mEq.

4. The food composition of claim 1 having a DCAB of from about 100 to about 150 mEq.

5. The food composition of claim 1 having a DCAB of about 125 mEq.

6. The food composition of claim 1 wherein said metabolizable cations are chosen from calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and mixtures thereof.

7. The food composition of claim 1 wherein said metabolizable anions are chosen from phosphorus, chloride, sulfur, and mixtures thereof.

8. The food composition of claim 1 comprising potassium citrate in the amount of from about 0.5% to about 1.0%.

9. The food composition of claim 1 comprising potassium citrate in the amount of about 0.76%.

10. The food composition of claim 1 comprising sodium bicarbonate in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 0.5%.

11. The food composition of claim 1 comprising sodium bicarbonate in an amount of about 0.2%.

12. The food composition of claim 1 comprising a soluble fiber in the amount of from about 1% to about 4%.

13. The food composition of claim 1 comprising 3% soluble fiber.

14. The food composition of claim 1 comprising a soluble fiber chosen from beet pulp, guar gum, chicory root, psyllium, pectin, blueberry, cranberry, squash, apples, oats, beans, citrus, barley, peas, or mixtures thereof.

15. The food composition of claim 1 comprising 3% beet pulp.

16. The food composition of claim 1 comprising an omega-3 fatty acid in the amount of from about 0.1% to about 10%.

17. The food composition of claim 1 comprising about 1.8% omega -3 fatty acid.

18. The food composition of claim 1 comprising omega-3 fatty acid chosen from DHA, EPA, ALA, octadecatetraenoic acid, and mixtures thereof.

19. The food composition of claim 1 comprising a gastrointestinal tract-improving agent, and/or an anti-diarrhea agent, and/or an anti-constipation agent, or a mixture thereof.

20. The food composition of claim 1 wherein the food composition is a dry food.

21. The food composition of claim 1 wherein the food composition is a moist food.

22. The food composition of claim 1 wherein the food composition is a semi-moist food.

23. The food composition of claim 1 where the food composition is in the form of a treat, snack, supplement or partially or fully edible toy.

24. A method for improving stool quality and/or stool frequency of a puppy comprising administering to the puppy a composition having a balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions of from about 50 to about 300 mEq.

29. The method of claim 24 or 25 wherein the metabolizable anions are chosen from phosphorus, chloride, sulfur, and mixtures thereof.

30. The method of claim 24 or 25 wherein the metabolizable cations are chosen from calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and mixtures thereof.

31. The method of claim 24 or 25 comprising administering to the puppy at least one compound chosen from one or more gastrointestinal tract-improving agents and/or one or more anti-diarrhea agents.

25. A method to improve stool quality and/or stool frequency of a puppy comprising increasing the dietary balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions for the puppy.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the balance is increased by increasing the puppy'"'"'s dietary intake of a metabolizable cation.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the balance is increased by decreasing the puppy'"'"'s dietary intake of an anion.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the balance is increased by increasing the puppy'"'"'s dietary intake of a metabolizable cation and by decreasing the puppy'"'"'s dietary intake of a metabolizable anion.

32. A method for treating a puppy susceptible to or suffering from constipation, comprising adjusting the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions consumed by the puppy by an amount sufficient to improve stool quality by decreasing the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions consumed by the puppy to produce looser stool.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions is decreased by decreasing the amount of metabolizable cations consumed by the puppy.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions is decreased by increasing the amount of metabolizable anions consumed by the puppy.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions is decreased by decreasing the amount of metabolizable cations and increasing the amount of metabolizable anions consumed by the puppy.

36. A method for treating a puppy susceptible to or suffering from diarrhea and/or loose stool, comprising adjusting the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions consumed by the puppy by an amount sufficient to improve stool quality by increasing the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions consumed by the puppy to produce firmer stool.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions is increased by increasing the amount of metabolizable cations consumed by the puppy.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions is increased by decreasing the amount of metabolizable anions consumed by the puppy.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions is increased by increasing the amount of metabolizable cations and decreasing the amount of metabolizable anions consumed by the puppy.

40. A method for improving the stool quality of a puppy in need thereof comprising

a. adding a sufficient amount of metabolizable cations or metabolizable anions to a food composition to increase or decrease the DCAB of the food composition as desired;

b. administering the food composition of step (a) to the puppy;

c. evaluating the quality of stool produced by the puppy; and

d. repeating steps (a)-(c) until the puppy produces a stool having desired qualities.

41. A method for treating a puppy susceptible to or suffering from constipation by modifying the stool quality of the puppy comprising:

a. adding a sufficient amount of metabolizable anions to a food composition to decrease the DCAB of the food composition;

b. administering the food composition of step (a) to the puppy;

c. evaluating the quality of stool produced by the puppy; and

d. repeating steps (a)-(c) until the puppy produces a stool having desired qualities.

42. A method for treating a puppy susceptible to or suffering from diarrhea and/or loose stool by modifying the stool quality of the puppy comprising:

a. adding a sufficient amount of metabolizable cations to a food composition to increase the DCAB of the food composition;

b. administering the food composition of step (a) to the puppy;

c. evaluating the quality of stool produced by the puppy; and

d. repeating steps (a)-(c) until the puppy produces a stool having desired qualities.

43. A kit for altering stool quality of a puppy comprising any one or more of:

a nutritionally complete puppy food composition;

metabolizable cations;

metabolizable anions;

a gastrointestinal tract-improving agent, an anti-diarrhea agent, and/or an anti-constipation agent; and

instructions for altering the stool quality of a puppy by increasing or decreasing the DCAB of the food composition using metabolizable anions and/or metabolizable cations to modify stool quality depending on the condition of the stool of a puppy to be treated.

44. The kit of claim 43 wherein said metabolizable cations are chosen from calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and mixtures thereof in pharmaceutically acceptable salt form.

45. The kit of claim 43 wherein said metabolizable anions are chosen from phosphorus, chloride, sulfur, and mixtures thereof in pharmaceutically acceptable salt form.