The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional quality of three “Premium” commercial foods for puppies manufactured and marketed in Ecuador, as well as to determine the sensitivity of the near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technique for the assessment of the macronutrients of these foods. The nutritional characteristics of three brands of food were analysed, taking samples from four batches per brand. The macronutrients (protein, fat, fibre, starch, ash and moisture) were determined using the NIRS technique, a test that was duplicated in two laboratories with different equipment. In addition, the amino acid profile was determined by liquid chromatography (HPLC). In the proximal analysis, the three foods meet the minimum macronutrient requirements to guarantee the development and health of the puppies, although one of them showed better nutritional composition. The NIRS techniq...

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Ehrlichia spp, Anaplasma spp, Dirofilaria immitis and the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi in canines from the city of Guayaquil. Blood samples were taken from 220 dogs and analysed using the ELISA technique (Snap 4Dx Plus, Idexx®). In 120 of these dogs the presence of ectoparasites was determined and their blood samples were also analysed by smears to compare the results with those obtained by ELISA. The results were analysed using Chisquare and Fisher’s exact test to determine the risk association and the influence of risk factors (age, sex, and area) based on the Odds Ratio. The Kappa test was performed to determine the agreement between the tests used. The prevalence of Erhlichia spp was 75.4% (166/220), Anaplasma spp 22.8% (49/220), D. immitis 2.3% (5/220) and null for B. burgdorferi. Coinfection of Erhlichia spp and Anapla...

Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina. Escuela de Posgrado. Doctorado en Ciencia Animal