Nutritional and Functional Properties of Colostrum in Puppies and Kittens

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The post-natal period is a crucial time for all animal species. During the course of their first two weeks of life, puppies and kittens face several risks to their health due to their scarce energy storage and weak immune system. Colostrum is the first production of the mammary glands that plays a pivotal role for puppies and kittens. Colostrum is an important source of immunoglobulins and key nutrients such as lipids and carbohydrates, which are fundamental for the health of newborns. Puppies and kittens must ingest a sufficient amount of colostrum within a few hours of birth to ensure their survival. On the other hand, there are some particular compounds that are not strictly essential, but their presence may play an important role in nutrition and health. As there are no recent studies on companion animals, we have reported published articles describing animal studies in different species to review the nutrition of newborn mammals, with particular emphasis on companion animals. ABSTRACT: The present review aims toward a better understanding of the nutrition of newborn puppies and kittens. The post-natal period is very sensitive in dogs and cats, as in other animal species. During the first two weeks of life, puppies and kittens are at high risk of dehydration, hypothermia, and hypoglycemia, as well as infectious diseases as they start to acquire the physiological functions of the adult. Neonatal hepatic glycogen storage is low, and newborns depend on colostrum intake to survive. Colostrum provides immunoglobulins and other important substances such as lipids and carbohydrates. Immunoglobulins are central to the immunological link that occurs when the mother transfers passive immunity. The mechanism of transfer varies among mammalian species, but in this review, we focused our attention on dogs and cats. Furthermore, there are components of colostrum which, although their presence is not absolutely necessary, play an important role in nutrition. These components have received considerable interest because of their presumed safety and potential nutritional and therapeutic effects both in humans and animals; however, unfortunately, there are few recent studies in companion animals. Here, we have gathered the published articles that describe studies involving different species of animals, emphasizing companion animals. In particular, the purpose of this narrative of the nutritional and functional proprieties of queens’ and bitches’ colostrum.