Abstract: The invention encompasses pet food compositions and methods for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases or disorders in companion animals, for example, for the treatment or obesity, including administering a pet food composition including pyruvic acid or a salt thereof to a companion animal, or lipoic acid or salt thereof and pyruvic acid or a salt thereof to a companion animal. The invention encompasses pet food compositions and methods for managing weight including administering a pet food composition including pyruvic acid or a salt thereof, or lipoic acid or a salt thereof and pyruvic acid or a salt thereof to a companion animal to a companion animal.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for improving animal skin health and/or pelage quality that utilize one or more omega-6 fatty acids and one or more omega-3 fatty acids at a total omega-6 to total omega-3 fatty acid ratio of from about 1 to less than 5.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for increasing lean muscle mass and/or reducing fat gain in growing animals by feeding the animals a composition having a total lysine to metabolizable energy ratio of from about 2.5 to about 6 g/Mcal and comprising (a) arginine in a total arginine to total lysine ratio of from about 1.1 to about 1.6; (b) isoleucine in a total isoleucine to total lysine ratio of from about 0.8 to about 1.3; (c) leucine in a total leucine to total lysine ratio of from about 1.8 to about 3.0; (d) valine in a total valine to total lysine ratio of from about 0.8 to about 1.4; and (e) methionine and cystine in a total methionine plus cystine to total lysine ratio of from about 0.8 to about 1.7.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for improving stool quality of a puppy by adjusting the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions consumed by the puppy.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for improving stool quality of a puppy by adjusting the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions consumed by the puppy.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for improving stool quality of a puppy by adjusting the balance of metabolizable cations to metabolizable anions consumed by the puppy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for enhancing the quality of life of a senior or super senior animal by feeding the animal a composition comprising at least one omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid and various combinations of amino acids, minerals, and antioxidants in amounts effective to enhance alertness, improve vitality, protect cartilage, maintain muscle mass, enhance digestibility, and improve skin and pelage quality. Beneficial changes in expression of genes associated with several biological pathways may be induced in an animal by feeding it said composition and are consistent with an enhancement in the quality of life of said animal.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for treatment of abnormal conditions in a subject, wherein the abnormal condition affects the musculoskeletal joints of the subject.

Abstract: The invention encompasses compositions and methods for treating disorders and diseases associated with overweight. The application also encompasses genes differentially expressed in animals and particularly to genes differentially expressed in overweight animals compared to lean animals.

Abstract: Compositions for preventing or treating kidney disease comprising one or more food ingredients containing relatively low amounts of protein, sodium, and potassium, typically protein in amounts of from about 5% to about 40%, sodium in amounts of from about 0.01% to about 1%, and potassium in amounts of from about 0.01% to about 1%, and methods comprising administering such compositions to patients susceptible to or suffering from kidney disease for the purpose of preventing or treating kidney disease.

Abstract: The present invention provides animal food compositions comprising high quality proteins and highly digestible carbohydrates which result in reduced stool production and stool odor upon ingestion by an animal, and methods for use.

Abstract: Compositions and methods to promote bone development, enhance neurologic development, enhance cognitive and motor skills, promote a healthy body composition, and/or reduce the fat of a growing animal are disclosed.

Abstract: Compositions and methods useful to enhance the development of the immune system of a growing animal are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions for preventing or treating inflammatory disease comprising one or more omega-3 fatty acids, one or more sulfur containing amino acids, and manganese and methods for preventing and treating inflammatory disease comprising administering such compositions to an animal susceptible to or suffering from inflammatory disease. In a preferred embodiment, the composition is admixed with one or more food ingredients to produce a food composition useful for preventing or treating inflammatory disease.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for predicting oxalate and struvite stone formation in an animal by determining the amount of selected nutrients in a food for consumption by the animal, the amount of selected urine metabolites, and/or the urine pH for the animal and predicting oxalate and/or struvite stone formation using a formula that equates the amount of such nutrients, metabolites, or urine pH to the likelihood that an animal will form oxalate and/or struvite stones.

Abstract: Compositions and methods useful to promote bone development in a growing animal are disclosed.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for regulating gene expression in a growing animal are disclosed.

Abstract: Compositions and methods useful to enhance the development of the immune system of a growing animal are disclosed.

Abstract: Compositions are provided comprising a balance between lysine and essential amino acids and metabolizable energy. The compositions are useful in methods to prevent or treat obesity in an animal without concomitant loss of lean muscle mass. The compositions may also be used in methods to preserve or to cause a gain in lean muscle mass in an animal in need thereof.

Abstract: Compositions and methods useful to enhance neurologic development of a growing animal are disclosed.