− | In otherwise healthy, non-reproductive adult dogs, there are no clinical consequences of feeding a starch-free diet. Reproductive female dogs fed completely carbohydrate-free diet without adequate protein intake during late gestation can become hypoglycaemic and [[Ketosis|ketotic]], and experience an increase in foetal mortality and puppy death after whelping, though no adverse effect on growth of nursing puppies was seen<ref>Romsos DR, et al. Influence of low carbohydrate diet on performance of pregnant and lactating dogs. J Nutr 1981;111:678-689.</ref>. Small and toy breed puppies, are prone to developing hypoglycaemia, especially during times of physiological stress and when fed lower [[Carbohydrate Overview - Nutrition|carbohydrate]] or poorly digestible [[Digestibility of Carbohydrates|carbohydrate diets]]<ref>Vroom MW and Slappendel RJ. Transient juvenile hypoglycaemia in a Yorkshire terrier and in a Chihuahua. Vet Q 1987;9:172-176.</ref>. | + | In otherwise healthy, non-reproductive adult dogs, there are no clinical consequences of feeding a starch-free diet. Reproductive female dogs fed completely carbohydrate-free diet without adequate protein intake during late gestation can become hypoglycaemic and [[Ketosis|ketotic]], and experience an increase in foetal mortality and puppy death after whelping, though no adverse effect on growth of nursing puppies was seen<ref>Romsos DR, et al. Influence of low carbohydrate diet on performance of pregnant and lactating dogs. J Nutr 1981;111:678-689.</ref>. Small and toy breed puppies, are prone to developing hypoglycaemia, especially during times of physiological stress and when fed lower [[Carbohydrates Overview - Nutrition|carbohydrate]] or poorly digestible [[Digestibility of Carbohydrates|carbohydrate diets]]<ref>Vroom MW and Slappendel RJ. Transient juvenile hypoglycaemia in a Yorkshire terrier and in a Chihuahua. Vet Q 1987;9:172-176.</ref>. |
| There are no clinical signs of feeding a carbohydrate-free diet to cats at any life-stage. Adult cats and growing kittens are able to maintain blood glucose concentration through hepatic gluconeogenesis<ref>Morris JG, et al. Carbohydrate digestion in the domestic cat (Felis catus). Br J Nutr 1977;37:365-373.</ref>. | | There are no clinical signs of feeding a carbohydrate-free diet to cats at any life-stage. Adult cats and growing kittens are able to maintain blood glucose concentration through hepatic gluconeogenesis<ref>Morris JG, et al. Carbohydrate digestion in the domestic cat (Felis catus). Br J Nutr 1977;37:365-373.</ref>. |