Dog & Cat Nutrition

Question 1

what are the 6 basic classes of nutrients?

Answer 1

1. water
2. carbohydrates
3. proteins
4. fats
5. minerals
6. vitamins

Question 2

this will provide twice the energy of proteins or carbs

Answer 2

fat

Question 3

this is the energy needed for a healthy, unfed animal in a resting state in a thermo-neutral environment

Answer 3

basal energy requirement (BER)

Question 4

this is the total energy required for digestion of food in addition to resting in a thermo-neutral environment

Answer 4

resting energy requirement (RER)

Question 5

this is the energy required for an animal with a moderately active home life

Answer 5

maintenance energy requirement (MER)

Question 6

this is the energy required to support the animal’s lifestyle (may be the same as MER but working, pregnant, lactating or growing animals will have increased requirements)

Answer 6

daily energy requirement (DER)

Question 7

what is the equation for RER (kCals) for patients 2-30 kg?

Answer 7

RER = (BW x 30) + 70

Question 8

what is the equation for RER (kCals) for patients <2kg or >30kg?

Answer 8

RER = 70 x BW^0.75

Question 9

MER is usually considered to be this times RER for dogs

Answer 9

1.2-1.6 x RER

Question 10

MER is usually considered to be this times RER for cats

Answer 10

1.2-1.4 x RER

Question 11

these are amino acids that can be synthesized by the body in adequate amounts for maintenance but if there is increased demand the amount that can be synthesized may become inadequate

Answer 11

conditional AA

Question 12

fats and oils are together known as this; they provide energy and also act as carriers for the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E & K)

Answer 12

lipids

Question 13

minerals represented as this content on a food label and comprise the inorganic elements of the diet

Answer 13

ash

Question 14

this is often considered to be of low nutritional value as it comprises complex carbs that are resistant to digestion in the small intestine

Answer 14

fibre

Question 15

feeding behaviour in cats is often influenced by experiences in this many months of life

Answer 15

first 1-6 months

Question 16

these can occur if a novel food is introduced under unpleasant circumstances or is associated with a bad experience

Answer 16

aversions

Question 17

what 4 amino acids are required at a higher level for cats than for dogs

Answer 17

1. methionine & cysteine
2. arginine
3. carnitine
4. taurine

Question 18

what is the dietary requirement of carbohydrates for cats

Answer 18

NO requirement

Question 19

cats typically gain this percent bodyweight during pregnancy by the time of parturition

Answer 19

40%

Question 20

daily energy requirements of cats increase from this at mating to this at parturition

Answer 20

1.6 x RER to 2 x RER

Question 21

kittens will typically gain about this much weight per day

Answer 21

10-15 g

Question 22

why might senior cats have increased nutritional and energy requirements (contrary to the dog)

Answer 22

impaired digestion

Question 23

obesity is classed as being more than this percent over optimal bodyweight

Answer 23

> 20%

Question 24

this population group of cats is at increased risk for diabetes mellitus and is the most likely to be obese

Answer 24

neutered males in middle age (7-11 years)

Question 25

you should lose no more than this percent of weight per weeks

Answer 25

1-2%

Question 26

what are the 3 broad ways to describe the types of pet food available

Answer 26

moisture content complete v. complimentary commercial v. home-cooked

Question 27

wet pet food diets contain this percent of moisture

Answer 27

75-85%

Question 28

what are some advantages (2) and disadvantages (3) of wet pet diets

Answer 28

adv: pasteurized so lower risk of food poisoning bacteria & high palatability disadv: higher cost & weight/space to store & bulky packaging to dispose

Question 28

what are some advantages (2) and disadvantages (3) of wet pet diets

Answer 28

adv: pasteurized so lower risk of food poisoning bacteria & high palatability disadv: higher cost & weight/space to store & bulky packaging to dispose

Question 29

semi-moist pet food diets contain this percent of water

Answer 29

25-40%

Question 30

dry pet food diets contain this percent of water

Answer 30

less than 10%

Question 31

what are some advantages (3) and disadvantages (2) of dry pet diets

Answer 31

adv: easier to store & cheaper & can be fed ad-lib disadv: more carbs so easier to become obese & concentrated urine/bladder problems occur if animal does not drink properly

Question 32

this type of diet has no necessity to add other ingredients, and doing so may render them unbalanced

Answer 32

complete

Question 33

these diets are designed to be fed alongside another component

Answer 33

complimentary

Question 34

these diets are required to meet nutritional guidelines and therefore should be balanced

Answer 34

commercial diets

Question 35

these diets have an appeal to those who wish much more control over the ingredients and seek an 'additive/preservtive-free' diet

Answer 35

home-cooked

Question 36

moisture only has to be listed on pet food labels if it comprises more than this percent

Answer 36

>14%

Question 37

to compare diets, the percentage of each ingredient must be assessed on the basis of the percentage contribution to this

Answer 37

dry matter

Question 38

this term is used to describe feeding adult animals that are neither pregnant, lactating, engaged in hard work nor growing

Answer 38

maintenance

Question 39

a factor of this is typically used to multiply the calculated RER to obtain MER

Answer 39

1.6 (1.2-1.4 may be more appropriate)

Question 40

a quick approximation of MER can be obtained by assuming this

Answer 40

50-70 kCal per kg BW

Question 41

what is the protein requirement of dry matter for adult dogs

Answer 41

15-30%

Question 42

high protein levels may result in increased levels of this which can cause progression of kidney disease

Answer 42

phosphorous

Question 43

obese prone dogs will benefit from diets with reduced energy density, which is typically obtained by changing these two percentages

Answer 43

reduce fat content to 7-10% and increase fibre to 10%

Question 44

why is it important for overweight dogs to lose weight prior to mating? obesity can result in.. (4)

Answer 44

1. decreased ovulation rate 2. silent oestrus 3. prolonged inter-oestrus intervals 4. anoestrus

Question 45

under-feeding during pregnancy will result in these 4 problems

Answer 45

1. small litter sizes 2. increased still births/embryonic loss 3. decreased birth weight 4. decreased immunity in the puppies

Question 46

what is the formula for estimating MER in a lactating bitch

Answer 46

MER = 2.1 x RER + 25% per puppy

Question 47

fat levels should be increased to this for lactating bitches to ensure adequate fat levels in the milk

Answer 47

>20%

Question 48

puppies will typically gain average of this percent BW per day for the first 4 weeks of life

Answer 48

5%

Question 49

from weaning to 50% of adult BW, this is the MER equation that should be used for puppies

Answer 49

3 x RER

Question 50

at 50-80% of adult BW, this is the MER equation that should used for puppies

Answer 50

2.5 x RER

Question 51

when greater than 80% of adult BW, this is the MER equation that should be used for puppies

Answer 51

1.8-2 x RER