Endure (Plasma Protein) Improves Immune Status of Senior Dogs

By Javier Polo 

Javier.polo@ampc-europe.com

A functional and competent immune system is critical to maintaining health and long life. Indeed, the loss of immune competence is often associated with increased susceptibility to disease which affects many older people and animals. As nutrition and care of pets have improved, it is increasingly common for many of our senior compagnian animals to live to far advanced ages. However, these animals are at increasing risk of disease due to poor immune competence.

Recent research at the University of lllinois, Urbana, USA evaluated the immune response of senior dogs (Beagles and Pointers) fed diets without or with Endure coated on the outside of the dry kibbles. Dogs were 11-12 years (Beagles) or 7-12 years(Pointers) of age at the initiation of the study. Dogs were individually housed in indoor pens with access to individual outdoor runs. Dogs were fed an extruded kibbled diet with poultry meal as the primary protein source and brewers rice as the primary carbohydrate source. Diets contained approximately 34% crude protein and 25% fat. Endure® was solubilized in poultry fat and added to the outside of the kibble at 0,0.5,1,or 2%. Beagles were offered 500 g and Pointers 600 g of diet daily.

Following a 7 days dietary adaptation period, dogs were vaccinated to determine the effects of Endure on the immune capacity of the animals. A pre-vaccination blood sample was collected, then dogs were vaccinated (SQ) with 1 ml if vaccine containing canine distemper, adenovirus, type 2-coronavirus, parainfluenza, and parvovirus vaccines and leptospira bacterin (Duramune® Max 5-Cvk/4L, Fort Dodge Laboratories, Inc., Fort Dodge, lowa).

None of the dogs have been vaccinated with this product for at least 12 months. Subsequent blood samples were collected at 2,4,6,8,10,and 21 days post-vaccination via jugular or radial puncture for a complete blood count and white blood cell differentiation and serum anti-canine parvovirus antibody quantification.

Some of the dogs had relatively high titers against canine parvovirus. Because these animals would not be expected to exhibit significant effects of the vaccination (and potential benefit of Endure) they were deleted from the data set prior to analysis. Data from the remaining dogs were analyzed according to normal statistical procedures.

Results of total white cell counts are in Figure 1. Increasing amounts of Endure® in the diet resulted in increasing total white cell counts on days 0,2,8 and 20 and a trend(P<0.15) on days 4,6 and10.Differential counts of neutrophils. Lymphocytes and monocytes showed similar responses. These data clearly show that the inclusion of Endure can help dogs –especially senior dogs – live a healthier, longer life.

PETS International Magazine ISSUE 5,2004.