Food Labels

Question 1

Where does energy come from?

Answer 1

Chemical bonds from Fat, Carbohydrates, and proteins

Question 2

What are the Atwater factors? What are the modified Atwater factors?

Answer 2

• Atwater Factors
Protein= 4 kcal/g
Fat= 9 kcal/g
Carbohydrate= 4 kcal/g

• Modified Atwater Factors
Protein= 3.5 kcal/g
Fat=8.5 kcal/g
Carbohydrate= 3.5 kcal/g
( use if dog on commercial dog food)

Question 3

What is the National Research Counsel Minimal Requirement?
What is the National Research Counsel Adequate Intake?

Answer 3

• NRC Minimal requirement-
  minimal concentration or
  amount of bioavailable
  nutrient that will support a
  defined physiological state
  • NRC Adequate intake - the
  concentration in the diet or
  amount required by the
  animal of a nutrient that is
  presumed to sustain any
  given life stage when no
  minimal requirement has
  been demonstrated

Question 4

What is the National Research Counsel recommended allowance?
What is the National Research Counsel safe upper limit?

Answer 4

• NRC Recommended
  allowance- the amount of a
  nutrient in a diet formulated
  to support a given physiological state, based on
  the minimal requirement and
  where applicable includes a
  bioavailability factor
  • NRC Safe Upper Limit -
  maximal amount of a
  nutrient that has not been
  associated with adverse
  effects

Question 5

What can you tell by the product name in terms of quantity of ingredients?

Answer 5

• The “95%” rule: applies to products consisting primarily of very few
ingredients. Simple names, such as “Beef for Dogs” or “Tuna Cat Food”.
• The “25%” rule : If the named ingredients comprise at least 25% of the product but less than 95%, the name must include a qualifying
descriptive term, such as “Dinner”.
• At least 95% of the product must be the named ingredient (aside of water for
processing)
• “Chicken ‘n Liver Dog Food,” the two named ingredients together must comprise 95%

• The “3%” or “with“: The named ingredient (‘with cheese’) is required at least 3% of the product
  • Flavor: a specific percentage is not required, but a product
  must contain an amount sufficient to be able to be detected

Question 6

What are AAFCO protocols?

Answer 6

• Each life stage has its own protocol. Life stages are the same for both dogs and cats
and are defined as:
• Adult Maintenance
• Growth
• Gestation/ Lactation
• All Life Stages
• A minimum of eight healthy adult dogs at least one year of age and of optimal body weight
• Test is 26 weeks at least
• BW, food intake, Hemoglobin, packed cell volume, serum alkaline phosphatase and
serum albumin shall be measured and recorded at the end of the test

Question 7

How do you choose pet food?

Answer 7

• Who formulates the diet?
• Can you provide a complete analysis?
• What quality control is done?
• What is the caloric content?
• What research was done to
develop this product?

Question 8

What is the definition of these terms?

• As Fed
• Dry Matter
• Crude Protein
• Crude fat

Answer 8

• As Fed- percentage of
  nutrients including water
  • Dry Matter- percentage of
  nutrients without water
  • Crude protein- chemical
  analysis of the food which
  measures the approximate
  amount of protein in food by
  measuring the nitrogen
  content
  • Crude Fat- based on the
  solubility of lipids in non-
  polar organic solvents (ether
  extraction or acid hydrolysis)

Question 9

Which AAFCO statement is the “ loophole”?

1. “X is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog (or cat) Food Nutrient Profiles for Y.
2. “Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that X provides complete and balanced nutrition for Y.”
3. “X provides complete and balanced nutrition for Y and is comparable to a product which has been substantiated using AAFCO feeding tests”

Answer 9

Statement 3
- This particular product has not undergone a feeding trial. Gives company leeway of what is comparable.

Question 10

How long is a food trial?

Answer 10

26 weeks

Question 11

What are types of analyses on pet food?

Answer 11

• Guaranteed analysis:
• Min is provided for crude protein, fat (more expensive, more important)
• Max is provided for fiber, moisture and sometimes ash (dont provide energy)
• Carbohydrate content is then calculated by subtracting these 5 measured nutrients from 100%
• Typical analysis:
• Actual average nutrient content over multiple analyses
• Averages are reported for crude protein, crude fat, moisture, fiber, ash
• Dry matter:
• similar to typical analysis- but without the moisture content

Question 12

What is crude fiber analysis?

Answer 12

• Crude fiber is analysis of a portion of the insoluble fiber
  • Does not represent all the fiber in the food

Question 13

How do we compare foods according to the labels?

Answer 13

• Products differ in labeling
  • Ash and fiber don’t provide calories
  • Animals eat primarily to meet energy req

Question 14

What is the potential future for pet food labels?

Answer 14

• The Guaranteed analysis box may be replaced with a ‘Pet Nutrition Information’ box
  • This will have some similarities to the human food labels
  • Total dietary fiber will be reported as well as total carbohydrate
  • Values will be ‘typical’ instead of maximum and minimum

Question 15

What is important to note about back of the bag feeding guidelines?

Answer 15

• May over estimate
what should be fed
• Can be used as a quick
guide to determine if
nutrients will be met if
restricting diet for
weight management
- ASCESS INDIVIDUAL PATIENTS NEEDS TO MAKE ADEQUATE RECOMMENDATIONS

Question 16

What is the issue with measuring via cup for pet food? What is the best recommendation?

Answer 16

• Inaccuracy was noted in the amount of food measured out (ranging from an 18% under‐estimate to an 80% over‐estimate)
- USE A FOOD SCALE

Question 17

When will adult maintenance diets not be ideal for patients?

Answer 17

• Kidney
• Pancreatitis
• Gastrointestinal
• Adverse reaction to food
• Critical patient

Question 18

What is a veterinary therapeutic diet? What is important to note about these diets?

Answer 18

• Veterinary therapeutic diets may have an indication to be fed intermittently as they may be technically not complete and balanced
  • Veterinary diets have specific indications and are typically named so that most owners would not immediately know what the indication is
  • These diets require a prescription
  • There are diets for multiple indications
  • Each company would have nutritional information in a product guide that would provide caloric density, caloric distribution (pro/fat/CHO),
  and nutrient (g) /1000 kcal

Question 19

What are toxic foods for companion animals? Why is each one considered toxic?

Answer 19

• Avocado: toxic for birds( can cause respiratory signs in birds) (not dogs/ cats ( can be given but pit can cause obstruction)
• Chocolate: Contains theobromine which dogs/cats). is an alkaloid that can cause a variety of clinical signs. Toxic doses of theobromine are as low as 20 mg/kg. You can see GI signs, cardiac, and neurologic signs.
• More pure the chocolate - More toxic
• Grapes / Rasins: Can cause kidney injury in dogs and cats. Toxin is unknown. Appears safe in birds/ reptiles in moderation.
• Macadamia Nuts: Can cause weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors, and hyperthermia in dogs. Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and can last 12- 48 hours.
• Allium species: ( garlic, onion, leek, chives) cause gastroenteritis and Heinz body anemia ( oxidative damage leading to hemolytic anemia)
• Xylitol: Common sweetener in sugar free foods. Can cause insulin increase (hypoglycemia from increased insulin) and liver failure in dogs. Xylitol is metabolized by the liver and intermediates are phosphorylated and deplete ATP from hepatocytes. Can also cause oxidative damage.
• Kabocha squash - can cause GI signs in dogs ( other pumpkins/ squash are fine)
• Raw dough- not toxic but can cause GI obstruction
• High fat foods: Not exactly toxic but can cause severe GI signs and pancreatitis in some dogs.

Question 20

What is important about theobromine toxicity? What are initial clinical signs? What are progressive clinical signs? What is the treatment?

Answer 20

Theobromine is a methylxanthine found in chocolate and coffee.
Initial clinical signs: polydipsia, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distention, restlessness
Progressive signs: Hyperactivity, polyuria, ataxia, rigidity, tremors, and seizures. Tachycardia, VPC’s, tachypnea, cyanosis, hypertension, hyperthermia, bradycardia, hypotension, or coma.
Treatment: Symptomatic supportive care, anti seizure medication, activated charcoal when stable.
Extra info: NOT NEEDED FOR EXAM
** Can increase intracellular calcium levels. Theobromine and caffeine competitively inhibit cellular adenosine receptors, which stimulate CNS stimulation, diuresis, and tachycardia.
Reported to have severe signs at 100-200 mg/kg but can cause severe signs/ death at lower doses.***

Question 21

What are the clinical signs of heinz body anemia? What else can you see with heinz body anemia?

Answer 21

Clinical signs: Jaundice, dyspnea, tachycardia, hematuria, fatigue and hypotension.
What will you see?
- Excessive formation of Heinz bodies, and attachment to membranes increases their rigidity and renders them susceptible to fragmentation in the spleen.
- They are the result of ROS which can cause intravascular lysis of RBCs leading to hemoglobinemia and hemoglobinuria.
- Methemoglobinemia ( brown plasma) can occur in animals from oxidant induced injury of iron in hemoglobin (Fe2+ -> Fe3+ producing methemoglobin)
- Cats more susceptible than dogs, but its still highly unrecommended overall. No benefit of garlic.