Relationship between Base Excess of Dry Dog Foods and Urine pH

Abstract

The relationship between dietary base excess (BE), which is calculated from dietary content of Ca, Mg, Na, K, P, Cl, methionine and cystine (cysteine), and urine pH was examined in adult dogs. A total of seven dry foods, i. e., four experimental foods that are different in dietary BE, and three commercial foods, was fed to four clinically normal dogs, and urine pH was measured. There are four estimates of dietary BE; inclusion or removal of dietary content of cystine (cysteine), and coefficient of dietary content of P (2 or 1.8) in calculation of dietary BE. Urine pH highly and positively related to dietary BE, irrespective of estimated of dietary BE. When the regression equation between urine pH (y) and dietary BE (x) in this study was compared with that in previous study using cats, the y-intercept was higher in the regression equation in cats.. The present study indicates that similar to cats, urine pH can be estimated from dietary BE also in adult dogs,, and suggests that relationship between dietary BE and acid-base balance in dogs is different from that in cats.