News and Events: February 2010
Introducing FortiFlora® for GI Conditions
The latest nutritional breakthrough from PURINA VETERINARY DIETS® is the launch of FortiFlora® canine and feline nutritional supplements containing a probiotic proven to help promote intestinal health and balance in dogs and cats of all ages. FortiFlora® is the only probiotic supplement for dogs and cats to contain the strain of the lactic acid bacterium Enterococcus faecium SF68®, which has proven efficacy in numerous studies, including the dietary management of diarrhoea and the support of immune function.
A highly diverse intestinal microflora population is indicative of a healthy gut environment, facilitating nutrient absorption by colonic microflora and lowering the potential for sickness, diarrhoea and intestinal inflammation. The balance of the intestinal ecosystem can be affected by a number of factors including health issues, aging, stress associated with travelling and boarding, changes in diet and the use of wide-spectrum antibiotics. If an imbalance occurs, a safe, efficient and effective way to help re-populate the beneficial bacteria is to use a nutritional supplement containing a probiotic, like FortiFlora®.
FortiFlora® guarantees that a viable level of bacteria arrive in the digestive tract by utilising a proprietary micro-encapsulation process. The protective coating prolongs the shelf-life of the bacterium and aids its transition through the digestive tract, before completely dissolving in the intestinal tract to release the bacterium. Well controlled in vitro and in vivo tests demonstrate that SF86® survives the acidic conditions of the GI tract in pets.
FortiFlora® is extremely palatable and is available in 1g daily dose sachets for sprinkling over regular food, wet or dry. To ensure pets feel the full benefit, FortiFlora® should be fed once a day for 30 days, even if the problem appears to be resolved.
Benefits are many, including:
- Reduced levels of potentially pathogenic bacteria in healthy dogs
- Increased levels of beneficial bacteria in puppies
- Improved faecal consistency in cats with chronic diarrhoea
- Reduction of natural occurring diarrhoea in kittens
- Improved immune function in young dogs at both mucosal and systemic levels
Find out more about FortiFlora® »
Reg. trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vevey, Switzerland;
except SF68® owned by Cerbios-Pharma S.A, Barbengo, Switzerland
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PURINA VETERINARY DIETS® launches Feline EN™
A clinically proven solution for all feline diarrhoea cases
With the launch of Feline EN™, we’re delighted to announce a breakthrough in the treatment of gastrointestinal conditions in cats and kittens.
A clinical proven efficacy:
Cats diagnosed with severe and chronic diarrhoea - and unresponsive to other diets and standard treatments - were fed with Feline EN™ in a cross-over study. In some cases, the cats had suffered diarrhoea for several years: yet after less than 4 weeks of being fed Feline EN™ these cats showed, for the first time, a significant improvement in their faecal consistency scores.
A formulation to support the compromise gut:
Feline EN™ contains the latest science and knowledge regarding the nutritional support of feline GI cases.
- A limited number of protein sources significantly reduces the antigenic load. With GI symptoms being present in 10-15% of feline food allergy cases and 35-50% of Inflammatory Bowel Disease cases in cats likely to be food related, total clinical resolution of some cases will result purely by feeding new Feline EN™ if the offending dietary allergen is avoided.
- Pure inulin, a prebiotic proven to stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria and improve intestinal microflora balance also nutritionally supports the colonocytes through being fermentable by colonic bacteria to produce short chain fatty acids.
- High energy levels help promote weight gain during GI convalescence and ensures exceptional palatability. Until recently no data was available to support dietary fat recommendations for cats with chronic, non specific diarrhoea. However, Nestlé Purina has demonstrated in a double-blind clinical trial with cats with chronic diarrhoea comparing the effects of low fat (24% of calories) versus high fat (45% of calories) that dietary fat content does not affect the outcome. This finding is very important since the digestibility of the diet is a critical factor and increasing the fat level reduces the dependency on carbohydrate calories, thus increasing overall diet digestibility.
Feline EN™ for kittens too
As diarrhoea is second only to respiratory disease in treating kittens, Feline EN™ has been formulated to provide a nutritional solution for kittens with diarrhoea too.
Now, Feline EN™ offers you, the vet a clinical diet formulated to nutritionally manage all feline GI cases - adults and kittens – with proven efficacy even in the most challenging clinical trial!
PURINA VETERINARY DIETS® is currently the only veterinary diet range to provide a full complement of products to support feline GI problems. As well as Feline EN™, the range includes Feline HA™ a hydrolysed diet for diagnosis and management of true food allergies and severe IBD cases and FortiFlora™, a probiotic supplement proven to promote intestinal health and balance in cats.
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