Role of the vet in the pet food industry - nutritional advice for dogs and cats

Question 1

What is BARF composed of?

Answer 1

70% muscle meat
10% raw edible bone
7% vegetables
5% liver
5% other secreting organ
2% seeds/nuts
1% fruit

Question 2

BARF?

Answer 2

Biologically appropriate raw food

Question 3

raw food puppies?

Answer 3

be on complete feed until 12 months - at least

Question 4

antibiotic resistance in dogs - diet?

Answer 4

more likely to have antibiotic resistance in dogs that are fed raw food - however not enough research

Question 5

what do the digestive systems of dogs and cats directly effect?

Answer 5

feeding behaviour and differences in nutritional requirements

Question 6

dogs - diet?

Answer 6

anatomically carnivores and physiologically omnivores

Question 7

pancreatic amylase in dogs compared to cats?

Answer 7

3 times higher in dogs

Question 8

do dogs or cats adapt better to high levels of dietary starch better?

Answer 8

dogs do

Question 9

how many carbs can dogs consume?

Answer 9

10g/kgBW - without side effects

Question 10

how many carbs can cats consume?

Answer 10

up to 4g/kgBW

Question 11

what vitamin can cats not make?

Answer 11

vitamin A

Question 12

why can cats not make vitamin A?

Answer 12

they don’t have β-carotenase

Question 13

how do cats obtain vitamin A then?

Answer 13

need dietary preformed Vit A
which is only found in meat products
obligate carnivore

Question 14

vitamin D and dogs?

Question 15

what can cats not synthesise from sulphur containing amino acids where dogs can?

Answer 15

taurine

Question 16

what is taurine?

Answer 16

amino-sulphonic acid

Question 17

what can cats not do in the absence of taurine?

Answer 17

they cannot derive bile salts - as taurine is needed as intermediary steps in the formation of bile

Question 18

cheap cat foods - which ones will lack in taurine?

Answer 18

low energy feeds
mainly cereals - poor quality protein

Question 19

what type of diet is a poor quality diet for dogs?

Answer 19

reduced sulphur amino acid bioavailability in dietary ingredients that are heat processed e.g. rendered meat meal

Question 20

what essential fatty acids can cats not make?

Answer 20

they cannot make their own arachidonic acid even in the presence of adequate linoleic acid

Question 21

what enzyme do the cats not have which converts linoleic to Arachidonic?

Answer 21

no delta-6-deuturase enzyme

Question 22

how much arachidonic acid per kg in diet?

Answer 22

0.2g AA/kg

Question 23

AA - slide 11

Question 24

slide 12

Question 25

slide 13

Question 26

what is fibre?

Answer 26

a carbohydrate

Question 27

what types of fibre should a balanced canine diet include?

Answer 27

both types - soluble and insoluble

Question 28

what are the common sources of fibre in dog food?

Answer 28

soya grain hulls, grains, beet pulp and chicory

Question 29

anal sac issue?

Answer 29

not enough fibre

Question 30

point of insoluble dietary fibre?

Answer 30

plays critical role in maintaining GIT health
IT IS NOT fermentable nor digestible (cellulose)

Question 31

what does insoluble dietary fibre do?

Answer 31

it provides bulk and helps waste products move through the large intestine to be excreted
stimulates gut motility

Question 32

slide 16

Question 33

slide 17

Question 34

what is arginine a source of?

Answer 34

nitric oxide
it removed urea and effects blood flow

Question 35

what does taurine do?

Answer 35

it lowers blood pressure, calms the sympathetic nervous system
reduced incidence of congestive heart failure

Question 36

slide 18

Question 37

obesity?

Answer 37

chronic inflammatory disease