Page 34 - PET worldwide issue 03/2021

Dog food

The ingredients matter

Dogs deserve only the best, especially when it comes to their

nutrition. Asta Real offers ingredients that support canine bodily
functions.

“For working dogs in particular, curs – reactive oxygen species levels, while others which were
high-quality nutrition and supple- (ROS). If this is not neutralised not fed added astaxanthin had a
mentation are crucial to achieve with antioxidants, the resulting drop of 34 per cent. In Novasta,
peak performance,” states Asta oxidative stress can damage the Asta Real has developed an ef-
Real. Dogs used for activities mitochondrial membranes, and fective and scientifically backed
such as hunting, sledding, res- impair the body’s energy produc- pet food ingredient, suitable for
cue or guiding the blind can suf- tion process. If mitochondrial use in a wide array of applica-
fer muscle fatigue, soreness and function is impaired, the mus- tions from dry and wet food to
inflammation. cles receive less energy, which treats, flakes and capsules.
Carbohydrates act as a quick can contribute to fatigue and
source of energy, while lipids even muscle atrophy. For the sake of health
Asta Real asta- Astaxanthin can also be bene-
xanthin from the ficial for companion dogs who
microalga haema- are overweight or obese. Exces-
tococcus pluvialis sive fat accumulation, oxida-
is one of nature’s tive stress and liver function are
most powerful an- closely related, which means
tioxidants. It is able weight issues can shorten their
to reduce exercise- life span and cause conditions
induced inflam- such as diabetes. However, the
mation, deposit in addition of astaxanthin formu-
muscle mitochon- lations to dogs’ diets has been
shown to increase antioxidant
dria and promote
Photo: JMichl, iStock durance and faster improved lipid metabolism.
activity and liver function due to
higher levels of en-
recovery. A study
The ability of Asta Real’s asta-
with 10 high-per-
xanthin to improve conditions
formance husky
associated with obesity, while
pointers revealed
faster recovery
contributing to higher levels of
endurance, makes it a key ingre-
among those who also reducing inflammation and
consumed a high- dient for dog food, both for highly
carb, high-protein active working dogs and their
Maintaining performance also de- provide a slower but more sus- bar with added astaxanthin. The household companion counter-
pends on canine nutrition. tained source of energy during dogs fed with natural astaxan- parts.
strenuous exercise. While mus- thin did not deplete their carbo- n
cles burn lipids and oxygen for hydrate stores and had only a 4.1
energy, a harmful by-product oc- per cent drop in plasma glucose

34 PET worldwide 3|2021

PWW2021-03_Buch.indb 34 07.07.2021 13:47:44