On March 20th, Dr. Francisco Poblanno successfully defended his DVSc. titled, Energy Requirements and Feeding Guidelines in Cats: Evaluating Commercial Label Feeding Directions and the ¹³C-Bicarbonate Method for Measuring Energy Expenditure
Read on for more information about Francisco and his thesis!
Can you provide a summary of your thesis?
Energy intake recommendations are essential for cat food formulation and for obesity prevention. This thesis evaluated the feeding guidelines of commercially available adult maintenance cat foods in Ontario, Canada, comparing them to predicted energy requirements from the National Research Council (2006) and the American Animal Hospital Association (2021).
Feeding guideline data from 790 cat food labels were analyzed for low, medium, and high recommended energy intakes for 3 kg and 5 kg cats. It was found that labels of dry foods generally recommend higher energy intake than wet foods. Energy intake recommendations were also higher for larger cats. Additionally, weight management and all-life stage label claims influenced energy recommendations.
Additionally, the potential of the ¹³C-bicarbonate method as an alternative for measuring energy expenditure in cats was explored in a pilot trial. The 13C-bicarbonatemethod measures energy expenditure by tracking a special carbon isotope (13C) in the cat’s breath after taking a dose of 13C bicarbonate. The amount of 13C in the cat’s breath indicates how much carbon dioxide their body produces, which is directly related to their energy use.
Although this method looks promising, its accuracy depends on two factors: the respiratory quotient and the recovery factor. The respiratory quotient is the ratio of carbon dioxide produced to oxygen consumed by the body. It helps determine which type of fuel (carbohydrates, fats, or proteins) a cat’s body is using for energy. The recovery factor refers to the percentage of the 13C label that is recovered as 13-carbon dioxide in the breath after administration. This recovery factor helps ensure accurate measurements of energy expenditure by accounting for the amount of 13C that is actually processed and exhaled by the body. These two values are determined by indirect calorimetry, the gold standard method for measuring EE in cats. Indirect calorimetry was performed at the same time to validate the tested method.
Improving feeding guidelines and refining energy expenditure measurement techniques are critical for advancing feline nutrition research. Future work on energy expenditure methods could eventually help develop more precise, evidence-based feeding recommendations.
What’s next for you?
I have moved to the US, and now work at the headquarters of Hill’s Pet Nutrition as a Clinical Nutrition Manager. I am hoping to sit the board examination for the European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (ECVCN) this year.
What is the most valuable lesson you learned while completing your DVSc?
Throughout my DVSc program, I have gained invaluable knowledge in nutrition and veterinary medicine while also meeting extraordinary people along the way. I have formed lifelong friendships at the university, worked alongside an incredible lab team, and had the opportunity to connect with fellow ECVCN residents during the annual conferences.
What are your future goals in pet nutrition?
I would be proud to continue dedicating my professional career to improve the lives of pets, and I firmly believe that nutrition is the key to achieving this goal.
Funding Statement: Francisco received a DVSc scholarship from Royal Canin, Canada to support his graduate student stipend.