Lecture 1 - Intro To Veterinary Nutrition Flashcards
A substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and life maintenance
Nutrient
A nutrient that an animal cannot synthesize in sufficient qualities that should be provided with the normal diet
Essential nutrient
A diet that provides all needed nutrients in sufficient amounts and not in excess of known safety limits
Balanced diet
Evaluation of the adiposity (fat tissue content) in an animal
Body condition
A subjective but validated system used to rate body condition; helps to determine and monitor changes
Body condition score
How much did the pet food industry profit globally in 2020?
$92.66 billion
True or False: Veterinarians should have at least some knowledge about nutrition
True
Some FYI reasons…
- Vet clinics often sell specialized pet foods
- Some vets pursue careers related to pet food
- Nutrition management is especially important to some patients
- It can help solidify client compliance and loyalty
True or False: The energy intake to energy expenditure ratio has no influence on body mass or its fluctuations
False; these factors are STRONGLY correlated!
Remember…
BM MAINTENANCE: energy intake = expenditure
BM INCREASE: energy intake > expenditure
BM DECREASE: energy intake < expenditure
What is the equation used to calculate metabolic body-weight?
BW(kg)^0.75
True or False: A larger animal requires MORE nutrition per its weight when compared with a smaller animal
False; a larger animal actually requires LESS nutrition per its weight than a smaller animal!
(More so has to do with amount of metabolically active tissue rather than weight itself)
Which species has the HIGHER metabolic rate:
Homeothermic or poikilothermic?
Homeothermic
A state of poor diet or poor nutrition; overarching term that describes any form of nutritional deficiency
Malnutrition
Overall energy and protein malnutrition
Marasmus
Protein malnutrition (where energy is still sufficient)
Kwashiorkor
(Often seen in third-world countries)
The totality of microorganisms that reside in the GI tract
Gastrointestinal microbiome
What are some of the microbiota present in the GI microbiome?
Bacteria, protozoa, fungal organisms, viruses
What are the functions of the microbiota in the GI microbiome?
Digest nutrients and prevent their absorption, or synthesize nutrients (such as vitamin K)
Beneficial microbial species that can be provided to an organism to support their health
Probiotics
Compounds such as soluble fibers that support a normal microbiome
Prebiotics
The totality of metabolites in a certain biological environment
Metabolome
True or False: Nutritional requirements are not static and change with aging, reproduction, and activity
True
When are nutritional requirements highest in animals?
During lactation and growth
True or False: Nutrition for performance is the same as nutrition for maintenance
False; the nutrition requirements are different
True or False: An animal’s nutrition requirements will change once they are neutered
True
An indication of the energy status of an individual or a group/herd; rated on a point scale from “1 to 5” or “1 to 9”, depending on the species
Body Condition Score (BCS)
What numerical values are assigned to each of these body conditions (on the 5 point scale):
Under-conditioned, ideal, and over-conditioned?
Under-conditioned = 1 or 2
Ideal = 3
Over-conditioned = 4 or 5
What does a higher number indicate on any BCS scale?
More soft tissue coverage on bone (not necessarily a good thing if in excess!)
What numerical value(s) signify an ideal BCS in dogs and cats on the 9-point scale?
4 or 5 for dogs, and 5 for cats
One point on the 9-point BCS scale is equivalent to a ______% difference in body weight from the ideal
10%
Why is it difficult to assess the average BCS of a flock (especially just based off of visual assessment)?
There is often a range of up to 3 condition scores, so it is best to pick around 25 sheep from the flock for proper assessment then average the scores for the flock BCS
Why is it important for an animal to be relaxed/not tense when determining a BCS?
Tension/crushing makes it impossible to effectively feel the short ribs and get an accurate BCS
What are qualities that correlate to an ideal BCS, in terms of the backbone and short ribs?
Slight elevation to vertebrae, and able to feel each rounded bone but not press between them
Ends of short ribs are rounded and filled with muscle, should not be able to press between them
Which medical conditions correlate with an UNDER-CONDITIONED BCS?
Disease, stress, poor diet, and inadequate food amounts
Which medical conditions correlate with an OVER-CONDITIONED BCS?
Disease (such as Cushing’s or low thyroid function), and excess food or treats
True or False: Keeping track of BCS is important because it provides a quantifiable measure of progress over time, as well as evaluation of different sizes, life stages, and species
True; additionally, no equipment is needed and BCS can be determined with a simple PE!
What are some limitations of BCS
Subjectivity, variability between evaluators, and very few validated systems for measuring BCS
When are morphometric measurements used?
To more accurately assess severely overweight pets (those with >40% excess body-weight)
True or False: Some animals may have an adequate BCS but still suffer from muscle atrophy or sarcopenia
True
Muscle condition scores are used to assess muscle content separate from fat/soft tissue, and muscle atrophy can range from “none” to “severe”
What factors should be assessed when weight loss is noted in an animal?
- Solitary vs part of group/herd
- If in a herd, note what percentage of herd is too thin (age, sex, location)
- Draw a timeline since last known ideal BCS (note any changes, speed of weight loss, and consistent vs fluctuating)
Describes a young (usually) animal that is in poor BCS and smaller size overall
Failure to thrive
In terms of graze, what are some factors that affect feed quality?
Inadequate quantity, overgrazing, drought, insufficient food for physiological state/activity, poor facilities (unclean, poor feeder space)
In terms of extruded, pelleted, or canned food, what are some factors that affect feed quality?
Poor digestibility, poor bioavailability, unbalanced foods
What are some animal related factors that lead to an animal being underweight?
Low social status, illness, lameness, young/timid
What are some physiological demands that can create issues for an animal if intake is not increased to match the increased demand (assuming feed and animal factors are all adequate otherwise)?
Lactation, working/sporting in dogs, sporting in horses
