Leadership Innovations
Groundbreaking discoveries in canine nutrition help us to develop innovative new products and make important advances in dog health and wellbeing. Our research programmes and nutritional strategies are designed to find ways to improve the quality of life for pets.
At Nestlé Purina PetCare, research in pet food nutrition has led to many discoveries. Scientists working in various disciplines have achieved breakthroughs that have become pillars of research that help define and shape the global Nestlé Purina PetCare brands.
Nestlé Purina scientists conduct studies to determine nutrient or nutrient combinations that will help advance the lives of older pets.
Addressing adverse food reactions in dogs, Nestlé Purina introduced a patented hypoallergenic soya protein diet. Adverse food reactions occur when protein antigens infiltrate a dog’s gut, causing an immune-based response. Using a molecular modification process, Nestlé Purina hydrolysed and purified soya protein, thus creating a highly concentrated, quality protein of reduced molecular weight. Since the hydrolysed soya protein has a reduced molecular weight, it is able to move through the gut without the dog’s immune system recognising it, thus minimising allergic response.
Nestlé Purina scientists conduct studies to determine the optimal nutrition needed for the growth of puppies as well as food preferences and feeding behaviours.
Nestlé Purina scientists study the effects of nutrition on various components of the immune system. Through cell culture models of osteoarthritis, and confirmation in clinical patients, our scientists have determined the optimal amount of omega-3 fatty acids beneficial for canine osteoarthritis patients.
Nestlé Purina scientists have made many important discoveries about how nutrition can benefit a pet’s gastrointestinal health. For example:
Nestlé Purina scientists proved the importance of maintaining dogs in a lean body condition when they completed the first ever Canine Lifespan Diet Restriction study. For the Labrador retrievers in the study that were maintained in lean body condition, median life span was extended by 15 percent – or nearly two years. Additionally, the age when 50 percent of the dogs required treatment for a chronic health condition improved to 12 years among the lean body condition dogs, compared to 9.9 years for the control group. This breakthrough study proved that dogs maintained in lean body condition can live longer, healthier lives.
Nestlé Purina scientists use molecular and functional genetics to help them understand the “why” behind dog health. Our goal is to impact the processes through nutrition.
Nestlé Purina scientists conduct many studies into weight management, particularly those that produce key insights into the importance of maintaining a lean body condition in dogs throughout their lives.
