Abstract
Commercial anti-uric acid diets for dogs may contain insufficient protein to sustain growth and lactation. In order to investigate the efficacy of an experimental purine-free diet moderately low in protein, its effect on urinary uric acid excretion was compared with that of a commercial dog food and a commercial low-protein anti-uric acid diet. The experimental diet, commercial dog food and commercial anti-uric acid diet contained 10.0, 12.8 and 5.0 g crude protein/MJ metabolizable energy, respectively. Twelve Dalmatian dogs were subjected to a 3 × 3 Latin square study. Although the plasma uric acid concentration was significantly lower when the dogs were fed either the commercial anti-uric acid diet (18.7 ± 6.0 µmol/l, mean ± SD, n = 12) or the experimental diet (19.2 ± 8.3 µmol/l), when compared to the commercial dog food (29.2 ± 11.1 µmol/l), no significant decrease of uric acid concentration in urine collected before the morning meal was seen. The average concentration of urinary uric acid was 60 µmol/l. There was a significant increase in the urea:creatinine ratio in urine when the dogs were fed the experimental diet compared to the commercial anti-uric acid diet, confirming that the experimental diet contained more protein. The experimental diet lowered plasma uric acid and was relatively high in protein and thus may be suitable for use in growing and lactating dogs to prevent ammonium urate urolithiasis.