Talk about the importance of doing a complete nutritional evaluation of the patient before instituting a dietary change in any patient, especially an older dog or cat. The patient evaluation, the current diet, and feeding management should be included in this edvaluation. Many diseases in senior pets, as cognitive dysfunction, osteoarthritis, and obesity are “diet-sensitive”, meaning that diet can play a role in managing the effects of the disease.
Study the gastric distension level seen during a meal, the satiety effect and whether the nutrient value of the meal was important. Gastric distension is thought to produce satiety, but whether this effect is seen during physiologic distension by food was unknown.
Study the effects of six diets with different starch sources (cassava flour, brewer's rice, corn, sorghum, peas or lentils) on dog food digestibility and glycemic and insuline response.