Cell-based screening and simulated digestion that shortlist actives and recipes in the lab — so only the most promising go forward to feeding studies.
Animal studies are slow, costly and should be used only when they are needed. Many questions — which active to choose, what dose range to test, how much of an active is released during digestion — can be narrowed in the lab first.
Our cell culture facility, flow cytometer, plate reader and simulated-digestion systems screen actives for gut-barrier, immune and antioxidant effects and compare recipes before animal work. It is a 3Rs approach that saves time and focuses studies on what can work.
Start your project with Guires PNLRun in our in-house bioscience lab, with partner laboratories for work outside our scope.
Cell models for barrier integrity and inflammation markers.
Immune-cell markers by flow cytometry.
Assays for antioxidant capacity of actives and blends.
Ranges that guide doses for later feeding studies.
Dog and cat digestion models for protein digestibility and active release.
Side-by-side screening of alternative suppliers or forms.
In vitro results guide decisions but do not replace evidence in the target species.
Models are chosen to reflect dog or cat physiology where possible.
Lab concentrations must be translated carefully into feeding doses.
Screening data support development, not on-pack health claims on their own.
Actives, endpoints and decision.
Cell or digestion model chosen.
Dose ranges and controls.
Statistics and ranking.
Best candidates selected.
Feeding study with partner panels.
Peer-reviewed findings that shape how we design and interpret this work.
In-home digestibility testing needed 9–43 dogs with one day of adaptation and one day of collection; titanium dioxide markers agreed closely with total collection.
We consider marker-based and in vitro methods as 3Rs alternatives where they answer the question.
A 2022 meta-analysis of 72 trials found clear evidence for omega-3s in canine and feline osteoarthritis, but “a very marked non-effect” for chondroitin–glucosamine.
Evidence reviews come first, so studies target ingredients and doses that can work.
Forty dogs fed an antioxidant blend for 16 weeks showed less DNA damage by week 8 and higher vaccine-specific antibodies.
Antioxidant blends are verified in the finished product, because heat and oxygen destroy them.
Each application has its own page with the evidence, the actives and the claim boundaries we work within.
Nutrition that helps the immune system work as it should.
Firm stools, comfortable digestion and a balanced gut microbiome.
Keeping active and ageing pets moving comfortably.
Helping pets stay healthy for longer.
Botanicals, biotics, longevity actives and fatty acids are screened before they are formulated at evidence-based doses.
Regulation updates, the latest research, recalls and market trends that shape functional actives and efficacy — written by our formulation, testing and regulatory teams.
Not on their own. They guide development; claims need evidence in the target species.
Models are chosen per question; we discuss the model and its limits before the study starts.
It reduces and focuses them, in line with the 3Rs.
Tell us your product, your question and your market — our scientists will come back with a study design and next steps.
Every Guires PNL product is formulated to comply with the FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines and the AAFCO Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles. Neither body issues certificates to manufacturers, so compliance is verified independently against their published standards — and every product comes with a complete documentation package for regulatory submissions in the EU, US, Australia and Asian markets.
How we verify compliance →