Abstract:
Compacting expanded perlite fines in the presence of a small amount of binder (starch and/or clay) and water, followed by drying, produces particles with low density, good integrity, and surprisingly higher absorption by volume than non-compacted expanded perlite or non-swelling clay. Furthermore, addition of a small amount of clumping agent (e.g., guar gum) to the compacted granules results in a clumping litter with low density, good integrity and comparable clumping ability to traditional clay clumping litter.
Abstract:
Edible chews having a polygon-shaped cross-section, such as a star-shaped cross section. This cross-sectional shape provides an increased surface area and forms edges, and these features clean teeth of an animal such as a dog. These edible chews have a soft chewy texture which avoids or significantly reduces gum bleeding which is caused by known dental treats with typically have a hard texture.
Abstract:
Methods and compositions improve amino and fatty acids availability, for example by achieving better blood enrichment in limiting amino acids, such as arginine and lysine, and essential fatty acids, such as linoleic acid. A higher fat digestibility was observed when rendered meat meal in pet food was replaced with a fresh or frozen meat slurry. A slurry can be made by subjecting fresh or frozen meat to size reduction, cooking with direct steam injection to increase the moisture of the meat, and emulsification of the steam-injected meat; and the slurry can be added to a dry blend comprising one or more of meat meals, grains, vegetable proteins, fiber, vitamins, minerals or fats in a preconditioner. The mixture formed by adding the slurry to the dry blend can be extrusion-cooked, cut into pieces, and dried to form a dry pet food kibbles.
Abstract:
The invention provides methods for enhancing neurogenesis in an animal. In one embodiment, a method for enhancing neurogenesis in an animal can comprise identifying an animal that is suffering from cognitive decline, that is at risk of becoming cognitively impaired, that is diagnosed with a disease, disorder, or other condition that affects its cognitive abilities, or that is at risk of contracting a disease, disorder, or other condition that affects its cognitive abilities, and administering a composition comprising an unsaturated fatty acid (UFA), a nitric oxide releasing compound (NORC), a B vitamin, and an antioxidant, to the animal, wherein the composition is administered in an amount effective for enhancing neurogenesis in the animal.
Abstract:
The invention provides methods for the treatment of cancer, reduction of cancer risk, or prevention of cancer in a companion animal, comprising: identifying the companion animal having cancer or at risk for cancer and feeding a dietary formulation in a therapeutically effective amount to the animal. The dietary formulation can comprise 20% to 60% protein; 10% to 40% fat; 10% to 50% carbohydrates; and 0.01% to 5% alpha-amylase inhibitor, and optionally 1% to 50% resistant starch. The therapeutically effective amount can be effective for the treatment of cancer, the prevention of cancer, or the reduction of cancer risk in the companion animal by lowering the postprandial blood glucose of the companion animal as compared to the postprandial blood glucose of the companion animal ingesting a comparable dietary formulation that excludes the alpha-amylase inhibitor.
Abstract:
Coolers for cooling pet food products and methods regarding same are presented. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a cooler comprising a chamber having product inlet, a product outlet and an air outlet, and at least one air duct having an exit opening so constructed and arranged for providing airflow into the product outlet.
Abstract:
The invention provides methods for promoting weight loss by an animal, promoting weight loss by an animal while preventing or minimizing loss of lean body mass by the animal, preventing a reduction in energy metabolism by an animal, reducing the risk of regaining weight by an animal after weight loss, and ameliorating undesirable animal behaviors associated with reduced caloric intake by intermittently feeding an animal a first diet containing calories that meet the animal's maintenance energy requirements and a second diet containing calories that do not meet the animal's maintenance energy requirements. In preferred embodiments, the described feeding pattern and diets are fed in conjunction with one or more weight loss agents.
Abstract:
Animal litter compositions having a non-agglomerated, organic, coated particle are described herein. Methods of manufacturing such litter compositions are also described.
Abstract:
The present invention provides cyclic peptides comprising a dimer of peptides, each peptide comprising a sequence corresponding to the HER2 splice variant HER2Delta16, wherein the cyclic peptide is cyclized via a disulfide bond between the peptides and via an amino acid linking the peptides. The invention also provides methods of making antibodies that specifically bind to HER2Delta16 homodimers using said cyclic peptides.