Vetplus launches innovative supplement to boost brain health in cats and dogs

We are happy to announce the launch of a pioneering nutritional supplement to support animals with conditions such as idiopathic epilepsy, and cognitive dysfunction.

APRYLIC^® is a highly purified Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) supplement that can now be used as part of a multimodal approach, to support brain health in dogs and cats.

We have developed the product using insights from the latest research around MCTs and their benefit for animals with particular neurological conditions.

Originally announced at the 2023 BSAVA Congress, the supplement, which can be added to food, is now in stock and available from wholesalers.

Our technical advisor Jackie Marshall, who worked with the company’s Research and Development team on the new launch, explains Glucose is the primary and preferred energy source used by the brain but in epilepsy and cognitive dysfunction, glucose metabolism in  the brain can become impaired.

In these conditions, therefore, the brain can benefit from an alternative energy source. This is where MCTs come in, as part of a multimodal approach.

MCTs are a type of fat, comprised of three medium chain length, saturated fatty acids attached to a glycerol backbone. When absorbed into the body, they are converted to ketones by the liver and these can act as an alternative energy source to glucose in the brain².

In dogs with epilepsy, MCTs have been shown to reduce seizure frequency^1,3. They can also significantly improve spatial working memory, problem-solving and owner-reported trainability in epileptic patients⁶.

In addition, supplementation with an MCT-rich diet in epileptic dogs has been shown to improve ADHD-related behaviours and stranger-directed fear⁴. There is also published research showing that MCTs can improve the clinical signs of cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) in dogs⁵.

Jackie added: We’ve been working on the development of an MCT supplement for some time as we believe it can have a significant impact when used in clinical practice. We are excited to launch APRYLIC® to help vets support brain health in their clients’ dogs and cats.

For more information on APRYLIC^®, contact your VetPlus representative or visit https://www.vetplus.co.uk/products/aprylic/

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References:

1. Han, F. Y., Conboy‐Schmidt, L., Rybachuk, G., Volk, H. A., Zanghi, B., Pan, Y., & Borges, K. (2021). Dietary medium chain triglycerides for management of epilepsy: New data from human, dog, and rodent studies. Epilepsia, 62(8), 1790-1806.
2. Molina, J., Jean‐Philippe, C., Conboy, L., Añor, S.,de la Fuente, C., Wrzosek, M. A., … & Volk, H. A. (2020). Efficacy of medium chain triglyceride oil dietary supplementation in reducing seizure frequency in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy without cluster seizures: a non‐blinded, prospective clinical trial. Veterinary Record, 187(9), 356-356.
3. Law TH, Davies ESS, Pan Y, Zanghi B, Want E, Volk HA. A randomised trial of a medium-chain TAG diet as treatment for dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. Br J Nutr. 2015;114:1438–47
4. Packer, R. M., Law, T. H., Davies, E., Zanghi, B., Pan, Y., & Volk, H. A. (2016). Effects of a ketogenic diet on ADHD-like behavior in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior, 55, 62-68.
5. Pan, Y., Landsberg, G., Mougeot, I., Kelly, S., Xu, H., Bhatnagar, S., … & Milgram, N. W. (2018). Efficacy of a therapeutic diet on dogs with signs of cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS): a prospective double blinded placebo controlled clinical study. Frontiers in nutrition, 5, 127.
6. Berk, B. A., Packer, R. M. A., Law, T. H., Wessmann, A., Bathen-Nöthen, A., Jokinen, T. S., … & Volk, H. A. (2021). Medium-chain triglycerides dietary supplement improves cognitive abilities in canine epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior, 114, 107608.