title: Dietary management of labrador retrievers with subclinical hepatic copper accumulation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Genetic and environmental factors, including dietary copper intake, contribute to the pathogenesis of copper-associated hepatitis in Labrador retrievers. Clinical disease is preceded by a subclinical phase in which copper accumulates in the liver.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of a low-copper, high-zinc diet on hepatic copper concentration in Labrador retrievers with increased hepatic copper concentrations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight clinically healthy, client-owned Labrador retrievers with a mean hepatic copper concentration of 919 ± 477 mg/kg dry weight liver (dwl) that were related to dogs previously diagnosed with clinical copper-associated hepatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical trial in which dogs were fed a diet containing 1.3 ± 0.3 mg copper/Mcal and 64.3 ± 5.9 mg zinc/Mcal. Hepatic copper concentrations were determined in liver biopsy samples approximately every 6 months. Logistic regression was performed to investigate effects of sex, age, initial hepatic copper concentration and pedigree on the ability to normalize hepatic copper concentrations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In responders (15/28 dogs), hepatic copper concentrations decreased from a mean of 710 ± 216 mg/kg dwl copper to 343 ± 70 mg/kg dwl hepatic copper after a median of 7.1 months (range, 5.5-21.4 months). Dogs from a severely affected pedigree were at increased risk for inability to have their hepatic copper concentrations normalized with dietary treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Feeding a low-copper, high-zinc diet resulted in a decrease in hepatic copper concentrations in a subset of clinically normal Labrador retrievers with previous hepatic copper accumulation. A positive response to diet may be influenced by genetic background. Determination of clinical benefit requires further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fieten
authors.affiliation: The Royal Canin Research Center, Aimargues, France.
authors.forename: V C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Biourge
authors.affiliation: The Royal Canin Research Center, Aimargues, France.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P A J
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Leegwater
authors.affiliation: TCCI Consultancy BV, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T S G A M
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: van den Ingh
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rothuizen
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy / Q000662:veterinary; D003300:Copper / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006520:Hepatitis, Animal / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000178:diet therapy; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D003300:Copper
keywords: Copper-associated hepatitis; Dog; Petfood; Zinc