Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - Department of Nutrition

Since medicinal herbs have been used widely nowadays to prevent and/or control many metabolic, nutritional and health-related diseases in both humans and animals. In this thesis, a series of experimental feeding trials were conducted to evaluate the impact of dietary fortification of rosemary (Rosmarinusofficinalis and /or basil (Ocimumbasilicum) leaves powder as a promising clinico-nutritional management tool to prevent and/or control some metabolic and nutritional problems that are commonly occurs in dogs in order to offer results obtained to dog food manufacturers as reference and also as a typical model for human nutritionists. It is worth to say that all feeding trials in this study were carried out at a private Rottweiler dog farm located in Al-Obour city, Cairo, Egypt.The study protocol followed the guidelines of the International Animal Care Institute Committee of Cairo University (IACUC) and approved with protocol number of CU II F 18 18. Dogs utilized throughout the different trials were housed in individual kennels; (1 {u00D7} 1.2 m) and had access to an outside kennel (10 {u00D7} 20 m) for exercise and socialization with each other{u2019}s for 1 hour daily. Kennels were cleaned twice daily. Dogs had access to fresh water ad-libitum throughout the experiment.All animals were showered once weekly with Betadine® shampoo and Cytéal® antiseptic foaming solution. All basal diets used in the trials were locally processed in extruded form, iso-nitrogenous, equi-caloric, of the same fiber content and formulated based on energy distribution recommendation of American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Each dog in different trials was fed separately and the appropriate amount of food was calculated and introduced to each dog according to its body weight, growth energy requirements and the energy density of the diets

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