Publikationsdatenbank

Immunological response to poultry protein, legumes, wheat and quinoa in diets for dogs (2025)

Art

Poster

Autoren

Schulze Holthausen, Johannes (WE 4)

Litzenburger, Jennifer (WE 4)

Paßlack, Nadine

Saliu, Eva-Maria (WE 4)

Zentek, Jürgen (WE 4)

Kongress

29th Congress of the European Society of Veterinary & Comparative Nutrition ESVCN

Leipzig, 04. – 06.09.2025

Quelle

Proceedings of the 29th Congress of the European Society of Veterinary & Comparative Nutrition ESVCN : 4th – 6th September 2025 Leipzig, Germany — Wilkens MR, Vervuert I, Heilmann R, Dobenecker B, Rackwitz R (eds.) (Hrsg.)

Leipzig: Müller Buchbinderei GmbH, 2025. LBH: Leipziger Blaue Hefte — S. 123

Sprache

Englisch

Kontakt

Institut für Tierernährung

Königin-Luise-Str. 49
14195 Berlin
+49 30 838 52256
tierernaehrung@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Introduction: Plant-based feed and cereals are increasingly used by dog owners to feed their dogs. Especially pseudo-cereals, which do not contain gluten, are sometimes preferred by dog owners concerned about intolerances in their pets. Therefore, it was the aim of the study to analyse the effect of cereals, pseudocereals and plant-based protein sources on immune parameters in blood to estimate their effect on the overall health of dogs.
Animals, materials and methods. Eight complete diets were fed to 10 healthy adult dogs in a randomized cross-over design over a period of 8 months. The diets either contained poultry or legume (peas and bean concentrate) protein with the addition of wheat flakes or the “pseudo-cereal” quinoa. The experimental setup was carried out in a three-factorial design (source of carbohydrate, wheat vs quinoa; source of protein, poultry vs legumes; protein concentration, maintenance vs 1.5 maintenance). Dietary protein levels were adjusted to meet 100% or 150%of protein and amino acids maintenance requirement [1]. After a three-week adaptation phase, blood was sampled at four-week intervals. Isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells were labelled for the surface markers CD3, CD4, CD8, CD25 and CD21, MHCII and CD5. Additionally, leukocyte differentials were quantified. The statistical evaluation included a three-factorial ANOVA, with P < 0.05 considered as significant and P ≤ 0.1, as a trend.
Results: Plant based protein (P < 0.001) and the interaction of plant protein source and concentration (P = 0.025) led to higher concentrations of eosinophilic cells in peripheral blood of dogs. The concentration of basophils was higher in dogs fed with poultry protein (P = 0.001) and with 1.5 times maintenance requirement of poultry protein (P = 0.030). The interaction of wheat or quinoa carbohydrate and poultry meal as a protein source tended to higher concentrations of basophils (P = 0.050). Concentrations of monocytes in peripheral blood tended to be higher in dogs fed poultry protein (P = 0.093). All blood values were in reference range. Flow cytometry analysis revealed higher counts of lymphocytes in the lymphocyte gate and of CD3+ lymphocytes in dogs fed wheat as a carbohydrate source compared to quinoa (P = 0.009).
Conclusion: Feeding diets with plant-based protein and the usages of higher plant-based protein concentrations might have a pronounced effect on myeloid cells, reflecting a first line defence mechanism of the innate immune system. Increased amounts of peripheral blood lymphocytes might indicate an adaptive immune system effect towards carbohydrate antigens in healthy adult dogs.