title: Evaluation of fiber concentration in dry and canned commercial diets formulated for adult maintenance or all life stages of dogs by use of crude fiber and total dietary fiber methods.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess differences among reported maximum crude fiber (CF), measured CF, and measured total dietary fiber (TDF) concentrations, and determine fiber composition in dry and canned nontherapeutic diets formulated for adult maintenance or all life stages of dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dry (n = 20) and canned (20) nontherapeutic canine diets.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reported maximum CF concentrations were obtained from product labels. Concentrations of CF and TDF were measured in samples of the diets for comparison. For each diet, percentages of TDF represented by insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) and soluble dietary fiber (SDF) were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For dry or canned diets, the median reported maximum CF concentration was significantly greater than the median measured value. Measured CF concentration was significantly lower than measured TDF concentration for all diets. Median percentage of TDF (dry-matter basis) in dry and canned diets was 10.3% and 6.5%, respectively (overall range, 3.9% to 25.8%). Fiber composition in dry and canned diets differed; median percentage of TDF provided by IDF (dry-matter basis) was 83.4% in dry diets and 63.6% in canned diets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among the evaluated diets, measured CF concentration underrepresented measured TDF concentration. Diets provided a wide range of TDF concentration, and proportions of IDF and SDF were variable. In the absence of information regarding TDF concentration, neither reported maximum nor measured CF concentration appears to be a particularly reliable indicator of fiber concentration and composition of a given canine diet.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Amy K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Farcas
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Andrea J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Fascetti
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000032:analysis*; D004285:Dogs; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods*