Nutritional Imbalances in Companion Animals

Question 1

Incidence of obesity in adult dogs

Answer 1

24-34%

Question 2

incidence of obesity in cats

Answer 2

less prevalent than in dogs, about 19% but increasing now between 25% and 40%

Question 3

Define obesity

Answer 3

an excess of body fat sufficient to result in impairement of health or body function. in people this is generally recognised as 20-25% above ideal body weight

Question 4

What body system problem is obesity in dogs linked to?

Answer 4

MSK system. Severely obese dogs may be at greater risk for anaesthetic and surgical complications, heart or exercise intolerance, and complications from cardiovascular and other disease

Question 5

Problems that obese fat cats have…3

Answer 5

increased risk of MSK problems, DM and hepatic lipidosis

Question 6

Fundamental cause of all obesity cases = ?

Answer 6

imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure that results in persistent energy surplus

Question 7

Factors that contribute to obesity

Answer 7

ENDOGENOUS or EXOGENOUS
ENDOGENOUS - age, sex, reproductive status, presence of hormonal abnormalities, genetic predisposition
EXOGENOUS - activity level, external influences on food intake, diet composition and palatability, evironment and lifestyle

Question 8

Dog breeds at an increased risk of obesity =?

Answer 8

labrador retrievers
shetland sheepdogs
golden retrievers
cocker spaniels
dachshunds
miniature schnauzers
springer spaniels
chihuahahs
basset hounds
pugs
(not data for cat breed predilections)

Question 9

Do intact or neuterd animals tend to weigh less?

Answer 9

Intact adult pets (probably a combination of physiological and environmental factors)

Question 10

When does an pet dog/cats growth rate and energy needs start to decline

Answer 10

between 6 months and 1 year (often around the time they are encouraged to be neutered). If owners are not aware of this change and continue to feed their pet the same amount of food, excess weight gain will result.

Question 11

What are associated with a decreased voluntary physical activity? 2

Answer 11

increasing age and change in sexual status

Question 12

How do the energy needs of an average sized 7 year old dog compare with its needs as a young adult?

Answer 12

total daily energy needs may decrease by as much as 20%

Question 13

What might be the most important factor influencing obesity in companion animals?

Answer 13

highly palatable diets (also the feeding of table scraps, particularly in toy breeds)

Question 14

What does feeding frequency affect?

Answer 14

both food intake (increased number of meals per day increases the energy loss to meal-induced thermogenesis) and metabolic efficiency

Question 15

How can obesity be diagnosed?

Answer 15

BCS most suitable in practice. Also deuterium oxide dilution, bioelectrical impedance, ultrasound and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).

Question 16

What can BCS be rated out of? 4

Answer 16

3, 5, 6 or 9 points (at RVC we use the 9 point system)

Question 17

How can you recognise animals that are becoming obese sooner?

Answer 17

by recording both body weight and BCS

Question 18

3 steps to effectively managing obese patients

Answer 18

1. ) recognition of obesity and establishing client communication
2. ) development of a program that meets the needs of the pet and owner
3. ) communication and follow-up with the client

Question 19

What are the 3 components that should be included in any weight loss programme?

Answer 19

dietary modification
exercise regime
behaviour modification

Question 20

What does the success of a weight loss programme hinge on?

Answer 20

excellent client compliance (this begins with good client education)

Question 21

How do you assess obesity (to show client)?

Answer 21

using palpation and visual clues, illustrations, educate about health risks associated with obesity. Make the client respinsible!

Question 22

Aspects of client behaviour to change? 3

Answer 22

measuring and monitoring food intake - keep a log
monitoring body weight
increasing pet’s daily exercise
everyone in the household!

Question 23

What should be considered when formulating a weight loss programme? 3

Answer 23

which diet and how much to feed
inclusion or exclusion of treats
exercise

Question 24

Why shouldn’t the new diet severely restrict diet? 2

Answer 24

to ensure pet isn’t chronically hungry and that the owner feels guitly about enforcing the diet (loss of compliance)

Question 25

What are most calculations based on?

Answer 25

pet's estimated body weight although some are based on the current weight of the obese animal

Question 26

Define MER

Answer 26

Maintenance Energy Requirements

Question 27

Define RER

Answer 27

Resting energy requirements

Question 28

When might it be better to use RER rather than MER for calculating a diet?

Answer 28

RER for overweight animals

Question 29

What is the equation for canine MER?

Answer 29

132(BWkg) ^0.75

Question 30

What is the equation for FELINE MER?

Answer 30

70(BWkg) OR 100+44(BWkg)

Question 31

What is the equation for CANINE AND FELINE RER?

Answer 31

70(BWkg) ^0.75 OR 30(BWkg)+70

Question 32

What is often used as the initial calculated estimate of caloric restriction that should produce appropriate weight loss? (cats and dogs)

Answer 32

60% optimal weight MER for dogs and 75% optimal weight MER for cats

Question 33

How do weight loss programs tend to start?

Answer 33

by feeding simply RER based on current body weight

Question 34

What should you double check when calculating a new diet?

Answer 34

that the number of calories to be consumed to cause weight loss are less than the total number of calories the pet is currently eating (it isn't uncommon for the most severe caloric restriction to indicate than an animal will lose weight by consuming more calories than it is currently eating! In these instances it may be necessary to restrict caloric intake to an amount markedly less than calculated) DON'T OVERLOOK THIS!

Question 35

What is an unhealthy amount of body weight to loose? Why?

Answer 35

loss of more than 2% a week because a greater proportion of lead body tissue loss often occurs

Question 36

How long may it take to achieve an ideal body weight in severely obese dogs and cats?

Answer 36

8 to 12 months

Question 37

What effect does rate of body loss have on ability to maintain new ideal weight?

Answer 37

one study suggests that a slower rate of weight loss results in a better chance that the animal will maintain the reduced weight long term

Question 38

What is the benefit of low calorie high fibre foods formulated for weight loss?

Answer 38

typically contain nutrient levels adjusted for the anticipated calorie restriction thu sby using these diets, patients can receive normal levels of most other nutrients, while decreasing fat and calories. fibre may provide a satiety effect

Question 39

What does an increased protein:calorie ratio do?

Answer 39

allows animals to maintain their protein intake which helps facilitate fat loss whilst minimising loss of lean body mass

Question 40

Should you eliminate treats entirely?

Answer 40

No - these form an important part of the human-animal bond so this may loose you client trust. treats should be limited to 10% of the animal's daily caloric intake (low fat commercial treats or apples, raw carrots)

Question 41

Why encourage exercise?

Answer 41

``` can increase calorie expenditure help maintain lean body mass stimulate basal energy metabolism interaction between pet/owner substitute for treats increase exercise for client too ```

Question 42

How soon should a vet do a telephone follow up after initiating a weight loss programme?

Answer 42

1-2 weeks to emphasise to client its importance and to clear up any difficulties

Question 43

How often should you adjust the pet's feeding requirement?

Answer 43

on a monthly basis

Question 44

List 3 canine osteoarticular disorders that are affected by weight.

Answer 44

hip dysplasia elbow dysplasia osteochondrosis

Question 45

What is the result of overnutrition in growing puppies?

Answer 45

Causes more rapid growth and leads to overload of the juvenile skeleton and its support system --> leads to the development of osteochondrosis, hip dysplasia and fragmentation and fissures of the coronoid process. interestingly protein content doesn't seem to contribute to the development of these disorders

Question 46

What is nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism?

Answer 46

Growing young animals have a high requirement for calcium. Animals fed diets deficient in calcium or vitamin D or that have excessive phosphorous (such as all meat diets) reuslt in increased PTH levels as a compensatory mechanism to restore Ca/P balance.

Question 47

Clinical signs of nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism

Answer 47

usually referable to the skeletal system with developmental abnormalities in young growing cats and dogs severe osteopaenia and hypocalcaemia (as pathologic fractures, mm twitching and seizures)

Question 48

When might PTH levels be quite elevated?

Answer 48

low to normal serum calcium low to normal serum phosphorus slightly increased calcitriol low 25 (OH) vitamin D levels

Question 49

Define BARF diets

Answer 49

bones and raw food, or biologically appropriate raw food

Question 50

Define panosteitis

Answer 50

a bone condition of dogs characterised by bone proliferation and remodelling. often painful. lameness most common sign. self-limiting. cause unknown. may be a clinical consequence of excess energy or excess calcium.

Question 51

Risks of excess calcium 4

Answer 51

osteochondrosis panosteitis radius curvus syndrome wobbler syndrome (young dogs)

Question 52

Risk of excess vitamin D 2

Answer 52

osteochondrosis | radius curvus synrome

Question 53

Risk of excess Ca and P 2

Answer 53

osteochondrosis | radius curvus syndrome

Question 54

Define osteochondrosis

Answer 54

a focal disturbance of endochondral ossification. oesteochondritis is a form of this

Question 55

Risks of Ca deficiency 2

Answer 55

hyperparathyroidism | pathological fractures

Question 56

Risk of vitamin D deficiency 3

Answer 56

rickets bowed legs pathological fractures

Question 57

Risk of protein deficiency in growing dogs

Answer 57

DCM - dilated cardiomyopathy (e.g. severe protein restriction in dalmation pups for fear of urolithiasis)

Question 58

Risk of taurine deficiency in cats 2

Answer 58

DCM - dilated cardiomyopathy | retinal degneration

Question 59

When would a cat get taurine deficiency?

Answer 59

unbalanced diets - unsupplemented vegetarian diets

Question 60

Risk of thiamine deficinecy = ? When?

Answer 60

neurological signs (e.g. feeding raw fish to cats)