Macronutrient composition and amino acid digestibility in pet diets containing pulse ingredients

Graphical Abstract

Changing consumer attitudes that incorporate a greater amount of non-animal sourced protein into diets have resulted in a similar adjustment in pet diets. Grain-free pet food often contains pulses, such as peas and lentils, that have a high protein and fiber content and lower amount of lipids. Concerns exist that these diets may contribute to the development of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), although a direct causal relationship has yet to be established (Mansilla et al., 2019). Animal vs. plant sourced diets also may differ in nutrient digestibility due to processing techniques (Pezzali and Aldrich, 2019) or the gut microbiome (Pinna et al., 2018) both of which could cause differences in mineral digestion and absorption (Cargo-Froom et al., 2019). In this issue, Reilly et al (2020) report that pulses are highly digestible protein sources that meet the majority of amino acid requirements for dogs. Addition of complimentary protein sources are recommended, however, to ensure that the methionine needs of the dog are met.