Nutrition and Health: Feeding for Disease Flashcards
What is feeding for disease
- Feeding for specific illness in companion animals
- Diet has been shown to be very helpful in helping to control specific diseases in dogs and cats.
- In certain circumstances, dietary control is the only modification required to achieve significant clinical improvement.
Renal function and diet
- how does renal failure relate to diet
- If kidney function is compromised, what are the consequences?
- Renal failure is common in older animals and also seen in several medical conditions at any age.
- Control of diet can be very significant when trying to treat or manage a medical condition that involves a degree of renal compromise.
- Nitrogenous waste products from protein are excreted from the kidney.
- Waste products are not excreted efficiently which leads to a build up in the bloodstream which can cause a variety of clinical signs.
renal function and diet
- What are the waste products, where do they come from
- excreted by the kidney are urea and creatinine.
- Urea is the important waste product when considering diet.
- When protein is broken down, ammonia is produced which is very toxic to the animal’ body.
- The body uses the urea cycle to convert ammonia to urea (less toxic) and the urea is excreted by the kidneys.
- If the kidneys are not filtering appropriately urea builds up in the blood stream and leads to clinical signs.
renal function and diet
- clinical signs
- how can we control
- depression
- weight loss;
- inappetence or anorexia;
- vomiting;
- polyuria and polydipsia;
- gingivitis with ulceration;
- pale mucous membranes (non-regenerative anaemia);
- uraemic breath;
- reduction in kidney size and shape
- dehydration
~ involves supportive therapy ~ management
~ anabolic steroids which may improve the animal’s condition but by the time of diagnosis this may not be possible.
~ diet - manage clinical signs
renal problem: Urea and creatinine build up in bloodstream (how to solve with diet)
- Reduce urea build up by -
- Moderately restricting protein content of food.
- Providing high quality protein only.
~ If protein is restricted too far, muscle loss may be exacerbated.
~ If blood urea levels remain high, diet may be further restricted.
Renal problem: protein loss through kidney increases (proteinurea)
problem: appetite decreased significantly
Use high energy density diet using non-protein sources (fat).
give highly palatable diet
Problem: weight loss occurs
Utilise high energy density diet using non-protein sources such as fat
Problem - Phosphorus retention increases
- Restrict phosphorous content of diet.
- Restricted phosphorus content thought to be vital in treatment and prevention of further deterioration.
- Phosphate binders may also be used.
Problem - Blood pressure may rise especially in cats (unless dehydration is present)
moderately restrict sodium content
Problem - Thirst increases as extra water is lost from the kidney - water-soluble vitamins are lost.
Enhance levels of B-complex vitamins.
Problem - Potassium loss via the urine can be significant.
Potassium may be supplemented.
Problem - Calcium levels may rise.
Acidaemia increases bone resorption to provide buffers, and calcium comes with it.
Use non-acidifying diet.
Obesity
- about
- calories ingested more than calories expended
- weightloss more dependant on profferional /owner interaction than on the diet chosen
- owner compliance can be low
some aspects of using obesity diets
- benefits
- Diets can offer the following benefits
~ Reduced calorie density of diet (fat and CHO).
~ Increased water or fibre to prevent hunger.
~ Increased protein.
Don’t forget that purely decreasing the quantity of a normal diet will reduce not just the energy but also the essential nutrients.
some aspects of using obesity diets - realistic % body loss a week - difference between dogs and cats - drugs available -
- Realistic weight loss is 1% of bodyweight per week.
- Palatability is a problem (or an advantage!)
- Can be ruthless with dogs, but overweight cats must not be starved for more than 2 days.
- Drugs are available such as Slentrol and Yarvitan? Issues?
- home-cooked varied diet where the owner has previously fed a home- made diet as they are unlikely to comply with a prescription diet.
- All owners should be treated as an individual- one plan will not suit everyone!
(compare obesity to normal diets, nutrition)
Hepatic disease
- about
- what it can cause
- When an animal is suffering from liver disease the metabolic reactions that occur in the liver are not fully efficient and so compromise of detoxification processes can lead to a build up of toxins.
- reduced ability to convert ammonia to urea leading to “hepatic encephalopathy”
- Reduced protein production can lead to oedema of tissues and ascites
- Gluconeogenesis may be impaired
- Hepatic lipidosis is a specific condition, severely affecting liver function
hepatic problem: ammonia to urea conversion is compromised
Provide a restricted but very high biologic value protein content in diet.
Provide soluble fibre in diet to trap ammonia, preventing its reabsorption from the gut.
hepatic problem: Reduced protein production can lead to oedema of tissues and ascites
Lower sodium content of diet to limit water retention.
hepatic problem: Gluconeogenesis may be impaired
Provide most of animal’s energy requirement with highly usable fatty acids and carbohydrate
hepatic problem: Vitamin K production reduced potentially leading to bleeding disorders
supplement diet with vit K
liver disease problem: Hepatic lipidosis can occur severely affecting liver function.
Provide L-carnitine to aid fat metabolism.
liver disease problem:In some breeds copper accumulation in the liver due to a genetic defect is the cause of the disease
Lower copper content of the diet.
Antioxidants added to diet to protect liver cell membranes (marketed as nutraceuticals).
Diabetes mellitus
- can it be cured
- cats type of diabetes
- how diets help
- can benefit and be cured with dietary control
- Most cats thought to suffer from Type II diabetes and so can potentially be cured, sometimes with dietary control alone.
- Obesity is a major contributor and so control of weight is important.
- Animals may be stabilised on their own food, but prescription diets do offer advantages
what are we aiming for when we control diabetes mellitus
- A slow, controlled release of sugar into the bloodstream.
- The peak blood glucose to match the peak insulin action.
- To never have glucose levels so high that they contribute to further deterioration in insulin production and effect.
- Often we also need to promote further weight loss
What are diabetes diets composed with and when and how much to feed
- Low calorie to encourage weight loss.
- Using complex carbohydrates to slow release of sugar into the bloodstream.
- Increased in fibre
~ satisfy appetite
~ reduce calorie density
~ slow release of sugar into the bloodstream. - Low carbohydrate and high protein encourages gluconeogenesis = provides a more reliable stream of blood glucose.
- Fat metabolism is encouraged and weight loss will occur.
- Fed as 1/3 am at breakfast and 2/3 at peak insulin activity for once a day insulin dosing.
- Fed as ½ am at breakfast and ½ 12 hrs later for twice daily insulin dosing.
