Canine & Feline Nutrition

Question 1

A nutrient?

Answer 1

A nutrient?

.Is any food component that helps support life. These are proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and water.

.Essential nutrients = must be present in the diet e.g. water is the most important nutrient.

.Energy - the energy content of food is from the fats, proteins and carbohydrates. All cells need energy and the more active they are the more they use

Question 2

Different foods?

Answer 2

Different foods?

.Compare the metabolisable energy (ME) which is the amount of energy in the food that is available to a pet.

.ME - measured in Kcal/100g of food fed.

Question 3

Water?

Answer 3

Water?

.Has no energy value, so moist food will have less energy density to dry food.

Question 4

Energy amount?

Answer 4

Energy amount?

.Low energy - poor growth & weight loss

.Excess energy - causes growth abnormalities in young and obesity at all ages.

.

Question 5

Protein?

Answer 5

Protein?

.Proteins - molecules made of chains of amino acids. For tissue growth & repair.

.Only 23 amino acids and animals need all of them.

.Essential amino acids - 10 for dogs and 11 for cats. The extra one for cats is taurine only found in meat and without can cause blindness & heart problems.

.Excess protein is used as an energy source but does not give as much energy as fats or carbohydrates.

Question 6

Obesity?

Answer 6

Obesity?

.Is a increase in body weight that is 15% over the optimum weight for the animal’s breed, age & sex.

.Need a very low energy density diet.

.Leads to diabetes, heart disease, joint disease and skin disorders.

Question 7

BER?

Answer 7

BER?

.Basal energy requirement is the energy expended while asleep.

Question 8

Energy expenditure?

Answer 8

Energy expenditure?

.Related to body surface area.

.Small animals have a larger body surface area and have greater heat loss.

Question 9

Digestible food?

Answer 9

Digestible food?

.Poorly digestible food - the energy contents is lower

.Highly digestible food - the energy content is higher

Question 10

Biological value?

Answer 10

Biological value?

.Quality of a protein and this depends on the amount of essential amino acids it contains

Question 11

Fats?

Answer 11

Fats?

.Has more than twice the calorific density of protein or carbohydrates and if too much will be stored as fat and cause obesity in all animals.

.Low percentage of unsaturated fatty acids are solid at room temperature.

Question 12

Oils?

Answer 12

.Oils

.High percentage of saturated fatty acids are liquid at room temperature.

Question 13

Carbohydrates?

Answer 13

Carbohydrates?

.Provide energy and can be converted to body fat

Question 14

Glucose?

Answer 14

Glucose?

.Animals have a metabolic requirement for glucose.

Question 15

Minerals?

Answer 15

Minerals?

.More than 18 are essential for mammals

Question 16

Vitamins?

Answer 16

Vitamins?

.Assist in regulating energy metabolism and are involved in many biochemical reactions.

.Vitamin B complex and C - must be available daily as are lost via urine. If has polyuria give supplement.

.Important ones are - A,B,D,E

Question 17

Puppies food?

Answer 17

Puppies food?

.Need twice as much dietary energy on a per kg basis than adults.

.It should contain at least 22% protein

.Toy breed puppies need feeding little & often

Question 18

Rickets?

Answer 18

Rickets?

.Vitamin D deficiency

Question 19

Feeding during pregnancy?

Answer 19

Feeding during pregnancy?

.Food intake should increase during week 5 and last 3 weeks feed a puppy diet to give more energy but less food intake.

.Use small or medium puppy food not large puppy food.

.In the last 35 days of pregnancy the requirement for calcium & phosphorus increases by 60% because of the puppies forming.

Question 20

Puppy weight?

Answer 20

Puppy weight?

.Should have doubled their birth weight in the first 9 days of life.

.Dogs milk contains more than twice the fat & protein of cow’s milk.

Question 21

Diet for pregnant & lactating dogs?

Answer 21

Diet for pregnant & lactating dogs?

.Complete adult food for the first 6 weeks of pregnancy.

.Complete small or medium puppy food for final 3 weeks of pregnancy and throughout lactation.

.Giant breeds may need complete puppy food for whole pregnancy & lactation.

Question 22

Prebiotics?

Answer 22

Prebiotics?

.Are substances that are able to alter the gastrointestinal flora in a manner to benefit the microorganisms.

Question 23

Probiotics?

Answer 23

Probiotics?

.Are a live microbial feed supplement and improves the gastrointestinal microbial population.

.Are beneficial after gastroenteritis

Question 24

Probiotics?

Answer 24

Probiotics?

.Are a live microbial feed supplement and improves the gastrointestinal microbial population.

.Are beneficial after gastroenteritis

Question 25

Gastritis causes?

Answer 25

Gastritis causes?

.Vomiting

Question 26

Enteritis causes?

Answer 26

Enteritis causes?

.Diarrhoea and sepsis

Question 27

Colitis causes?

Answer 27

Colitis causes?

.Watery diarrhoea with blood and mucus

Question 28

Fibre?

Answer 28

Fibre?

.Increases the rate of passage of stools through the large intestines.

.High fibre diet - for constipation in animals feed high fibre food to move passage of faeces.

.Low fibre diet - for vomiting and diarrhoea feed low fibre diet to slow down passage of food.

Question 29

Malnutrition?

Answer 29

Malnutrition?

.Can result in thinning of fur and loss of skin and coat condition

Question 30

Diabetes mellitus?

Answer 30

Diabetes mellitus?

.The body cannot properly produce or respond to the hormone insulin.

.You need sugar in the form of glucose for energy. Glucose in the blood needs insulin produced by the pancreas to release the glucose from the blood to the cells, so they can absorb the glucose and get energy.

Question 31

Dental disease?

Answer 31

Dental disease?

.Begins with the accumulation of an invisible substance, called pellicle on the surface of the tooth and is formed from proteins found within saliva.

.Halitosis - oral malodour

.Gingivitis - toxins from the bacteria in plaque, aided by the irritation caused by the tartar results in gingivitis. (Sore, red, inflamed gums that bleed) if not treated periodontitis can develop.

.Periodontitis - causes the supporting structure of the tooth (the periodontal ligament) to become damaged and destroyed leading to loosening and finally tooth loss.

Question 32

Feed dogs with cancer?

Answer 32

Feed dogs with cancer?

.High fat & protein diet to keep weight on as the tumour will be using fat and proteins.

Question 33

Renal failure?

Answer 33

Renal failure?

.The kidney is unable to excrete metabolites at normal plasma levels under normal fluid loading or to retain electrolytes when the intake is normal.

Question 34

Tube feeding?

Answer 34

Tube feeding?

.Maximum stomach capacity on dogs is 90ml/kg/feed and cat us 45ml/kg/feed for adults.