Animal plasma is a little-known and infrequently talked about ingredient that has been used in pet food products for years. But now it’s time for plasma to take the spotlight, especially given its amazing nutritional value. Animal plasma for dogs and cats could have a number of benefits for your pets, and you may have seen or heard about new animal plasma products such as treats and supplements that have you wondering “why plasma?”
So, let’s have a closer look at plasma and why it could be a great additional ingredient to your pet’s diet.
What is animal plasma?
Plasma is a product that we obtain from blood. Blood is made up of several components, which can be separated from one another for various reasons - blood testing, transfusions, or obtaining plasma for nutrition. When blood is separated, we get blood cells (red and white blood cells and platelets) and a clear fluid – the plasma. This plasma is extremely nutrient-rich, as it contains a large amount of protein-rich compounds.
Plasma is usually produced as a by-product of the processing of beef and pork for human consumption. This means that using plasma in pet food is actually a great way of reducing waste products from meat production, and it could be seen as a sustainable ingredient. The blood is collected and has anti-coagulants added to it before being centrifuged to separate the plasma from the other blood cells and components. The plasma is then spray-dried into a powder. In this form, plasma keeps its nutritional qualities, and it can be used in treats and dog food.
Spray-dried animal plasma is an amazing source of functional proteins as it contains so many biologically active compounds. Predominantly, plasma is a great source of amino acids - the building blocks for proteins. It also contains active immunoglobulins. When compared to other protein sources and ingredients, spray-dried animal plasma has a higher value of protein as it has a far superior amino acid profile, consisting of lysine, tryptophan, threonine, and methionine among others. This makes spray dried animal plasma a bioavailable and extremely valuable source of nutrients in pet food.
What does animal plasma for dogs and cats do?
One of the main reasons animal plasma has been used in pet foods for some time is that it can act as a useful and important binder or emulsifier in wet pet food. Spray dried animal plasma improves the food's water retention and texture, making it more palatable and digestible. Cats especially seem to have a strong preference for foods containing plasma when compared to other wet foods without plasma! When it comes to dried foods, there is still some exploration to do, but it is thought that plasma could improve the characteristics of dried kibble to make it more enjoyable for our pets.
What are the benefits of animal plasma for pets?
When it comes the nutritional value animal plasma adds to pet foods, the main benefits are that it:
- Helps the immune system (immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory)
- Helps the digestive system (it’s a probiotic)
- Is good for the brain (neuroprotective)
Let’s look at those in more detail below.
Immune system effects
The immunoglobulins in plasma remain viable as they move through the body, improving the local gut immune system. In some studies, it has been shown that animal plasma can reduce the overall inflammatory response of the body and may enhance the body’s immune response. In pigs and mice, spray-dried animal plasma has been shown to improve respiratory immune function and reduce the effects of stressful events like travel and weaning (source). It’s not clear if these effects would be the same in dogs and cats, but further studies are being undertaken.
Digestive system effects
Spray-dried animal plasma can have great benefits for the digestive system due to its ability to act as a prebiotic and influence immunity within the gut. In turn this helps to reduce inflammation in the gut and promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria. It’s thought that plasma could have positive effects on the symptoms of IBD in dogs and cats - although this is yet to be studied.
Neuroprotective
As our pets age, we start to see the effects of them slowing down, and eventually we notice that, as with humans, their cognitive function starts to decline. According to one study, cognitive function may actually improve when animal plasma products are used in the diet. This is thought to be due to reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress to cells, protecting nerve cells from degeneration.
So, animal plasma products could be a really great way to boost your pet’s health.
FAQs about animal plasma for dogs and cats
Is animal plasma good for dogs and cats?
Animal plasma is a healthy addition to pet foods with a range of potential health benefits including gut health, immunity, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties.
Why is animal plasma in cat and dog food?
Animal plasma is in cat and dog food not only to improve texture, palatability and digestibility, but also for its potential nutritional benefits including improved cognition, gut health as a prebiotic, and improved immune function.
How do I give my dog or cat animal plasma?
Animal plasma may be used as an ingredient in some pet foods. However, the most reliable way to give animal plasma to your pet is as a treat, as this allows you to ensure they’re getting the benefits without needing to change their diet.
Conclusion
Animal plasma has a unique nutritional value, making it a great ingredient in many types of pet food products including wet and dry foods and healthy treats. With its bioactive amino acid components, animal plasma for dogs has amazing benefits to the digestive system, brain, and immune system. It has long been used as a binder in wet pet foods and its benefits in this way to improve palatability and digestibility are well-recognized. It’s also good for the planet - animal plasma can be considered sustainable as it makes valuable use of a waste product from human meat processing.
It’s important to remember that whilst there are well-demonstrated benefits of animal plasma for dogs and cats, there are still studies and research needed to further evaluate things such as doses, response, and overall health benefits.
Buy DotDotPet's Multifit plasma based healthy dog & cat treats here
Written by Dr Holly Anne Hill MRCVS
After graduating from the University of Nottingham, Dr Holly Anne Hills MRCVS spent two years working as a farm animal vet. She then spent some time travelling and volunteering in India, working at neutering clinics and with injured street dogs. Holly now works in small animal practice, and balances this with writing, volunteering with the comms team at Vet Sustain, and she is also a marine mammal medic! Her full bio can be found here.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10252101/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377840116301316
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0377840105001136
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09540105.2020.1786669#d1e889
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