Small Animal Nutrition Flashcards
Factors which should be considered when looking at content/features of diet of animal
- Nutrient content of diet
- Energy content of diet
- Digestibility of diet
- Species eating diet
- Palatability of diet
- Freedom from toxins, micro- organisms
Nutrient requirements in diet for animal
Macronutrients—> protein, fat, carbs, amino acids
Micronutrients—> vits & minerals
Proteins
-required for…
-production of…
-consists of…
• Required for tissue building, growth and repair
• Production of hormones, enzymes, blood cells etc.
• Protein consists of chains of amino acids
How many amino. Acids are there?
21
Quality of protein in diet depends on…
number and amount of essential amino acids it contains
How many essential amino acids are found in dogs?
How many in cats?
10
11
Which extra essential amino acid do cats need
Taurine
Taurine
essential amino acid for cats as cats have limited ability to make it from cysteine as other species doo
• It is only found in animal tissue
• It is deficient in cows milk, vegetable based diets and dog food
Which species is an obligate carnivore?
Cats
What does deficiency of taurine in cats cause?
Feline central retinal degeneration
-eye disease
feline dilated cardiomyopathy (thin heart muscle that couldn’t contract properly)
-heart disease
Poor reproduction and growth
he quality of a protein is referred to as its…
Biological value
The quality of a protein is referred to as its…
Biological value (BV)
If protein has high BV this means…
Contains all the essential amino acids which match animals requirements
Can be absorbed & retained by animal
Apart from difference in essential a.a requirements, what is the other difference between cats and dogs i their protein diet?
Adult cats require 2x dietary protein compared to dogs
Why do adult cats require a lot more protein than dogs?
Transaminase and deaminase enzymes in liver convert a.a. to glucose to provide energy source
Enzymes constantly active and therefore if low protein diet, deficiency occurs
What amino acid is required to convert glycogenic amino acids to glucose in cats?
Serine
Serine
-essential a.a or not?
-found in…
-not an essential a.a but required in large amount
-high quantities in meat, milk and eggs
What is amino acid arginine used for in cats?
-found in what food
-Conversion of ammonia to ureato get rid of nitrogen waste
-meat
Why should we be careful not to give excess dietary protein in cats?
• Protein cannot be stored
• Control of dietary protein may be prudent in the older dog and cat
Dietary fat consists mainly of
Triglycerides
Triglycerides are composed of…
1 molecule of glycerol and 3 molecules of fatty acids
Fat is required for…
-energy source
-absorption of fat soluble vitamins
-source of essential fatty acids
-help with palatability
How many Essential fatty acids in dogs
-name them
How many essential fatty acids in cats?
-name them
In dogs; 2- alpha linolenic acid, linoleic acid
In cats; 3- alpha linolenic acid, linoleic acid and arachidonic acid
Arachidonic acid is only found in
Animal fat
Inadequate fat intake result in:
poor growth
weight loss
poor reproductive performance
poor physical performance
poor skin and coat condition
What are the 3 main groups of carbohydrates:
Examples of each
MONOSACCHARIDES : glucose, fructose
DISACCHARIDES : sucrose, lactose
POLYSACCHARIDES : starch, glycogen, fibre
Carbohydrates provide :
Energy
Heat when metabolised
Storage of energy in form of glycogen or fat Bulk in the form of fibre
Sources of carbs
wheat, rice, barley, oats and potatoes.
Feline carbohydrate requirements
Cats have adequate glucose with low carb and high protein diets
Cats have few glucokinase enzymes which limits ability to metabolise large amounts of simple carbohydrates
what is fibre
-resists what
-fermented by…
-composed of…
-regulates…
-production of…
Fibre is non-digestible carbohydrate
Resists enzymatic digestion in SI
Usually fermented by microbes in colon
Composed of plant materials
Provides bulk to faeces
Regulates bowel function
Production of short chain fatty acids
Therapeutic use in fibre-responsive diseases
what are the fibre classifications?
solubility, fermentability, chemical structure
insolube fibre sources include…
solube fibres include…
Insoluble fibre sources include cellulose, lignin
Soluble fibre sources include soy, pectin, guar, beet pulp
name some non energy producing nutrients
vits
minerals
water
minerals are reffered to as what on pet food labels?
ash
minerals required for…
skeletal structure
fluid balance
nerve and muscle function
acid/base balance
Absorption of different minerals is often linked
calcium is required for…
skeletal and dental formation
examples of calcium
Calcitonin, PTH and 1,25 dihydroxycholecalciferol
calcium excess occurs due to…
calcium excess may result in what
-supplementation of growth diets
overfeeding
-OCD, hip dysplasia and other skeletal abnormalities
calcium:____________ ratio is important
calcium:phosphorus
excess phosphorus causes what 2 imporant conditions?
Nutritional secondary hyper-parathyroidism
Renal secondary hyper-parathyroidism
what does nutritional hyper-parathyroidism cause?
causes skeletal deformity in growing animals
what does renal secondary hyper-parathyroidism cause?
causes worsening renal dx
Renal secondary hyperparathyroidism can occur in what disease
kidney disease
kidney/renal disease causes what?
hyper-phosphataemia
Renal Secondary Hyperparathyroidism is also known as…
rubber jaw (often affects mandible)
sodium needed for what
regulation of body fluid balance
Excess sodium intake may cause :
hypertension
heart and kidney problems
excess fluid loos caused by excess sodium may cause what
vomiting
diarrhoea
magnesium component of…
iron component of…
copper role
zinc role
Magnesium: component of bone, enzymes and intracellular fluids
Iron: component of haemoglobin and myoglobin for oxygen carrying
Copper: for formation of RBC and normal pigmentation of skin and hair
Zinc: constituent or activator of >200 enzymes
name the fat soluble vitamins
name the water soluble vitamins
Fat Soluble: A,D,E,K
Water Soluble: B,C
name the antioxidant vitamins
Vit E- intracellular
Vit C- extracellular
name the 5 characteristics which substances must have to be classified as vitamins
- It must be an organic
compound different from fat, protein and carbohydrate - It must be a component of
the diet - It must be essential in minute amounts for normal
physiological function - Its absence must cause a
deficiency syndrome - It must not be synthesised in quantities sufficient to support normal physiological function.
dogs can convert what substance to Vitamin A?
vit A
why do cats need pre-formed vit A compred to dogs who dont
cats lack b-carotene dioxygenase which dogs have
Vit A is required for?
- normal vision
- healthy coat
- healthy skin
- healthy mucous membranes
- healthy teeth
cats susceptibleto vit A toxicity through…
fresh liver based diet
Nicotinic acid (Vit B3) in cats is used for what?
-Used for hydrogen transfer NAD,NADP
which vitamin do dogs and cats not require a dietary source for?
vit C
cats evolved on ______ protein & _____ carb diet
-high
-low
chemical oxidants prevent…
dietary oxidants prevent…
-fat going rancid
-prevent disease and combat aging
how do dietary antioxidants prevent disease?
by preventing cellular damage by free radicals
damage caused by free radicals can lead to…
impaired immune system & may be involved in accelerated aging, cancer and heart disease
what are free radicals?
unstable oxygen radicals with an unpaired electron
characteristics of free radicals
-what do they lead to
highly reactive
damage membranes, DNA, proteins
-ageing and disease
immune system produces highly potent substances like cytokines and oxidant molecules such as h2o2, free radicals etc., for what reason?
to destroy invading organisms and restore damaged tissue, support bodys natural defences
Excessive or inappropriate production of highly potenet substances like oxidants and cytokines can cause what and may be associated with:
-cause damage to healthy tissue
-associeted with;
-Mortality and morbidity after infection, trauma, allergic responses, cancer and other inflammatory disease.
-aging and senile changes.
examples of antioxidants
Vit E, Vit C, Co, Se
what are prebiotics and what is their role
example
-substance used as food source by bacteria
-Selectively promote growth of beneficial bacteria…….at the expense of pathogenic bacteria
-Fibre sources such as FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides)
Pet food manufacturers produce products in line with what industry guidline
European Pet Food Industry Federation) Nutrition Guidelines
2 types of manufactured pet food and what both mean
Complete:
nutritionally adequate fed alone
Complementary:
do not meet nutritional requirements alone - intended as mixer or snack
what is the moisture content of these diets;
-wet diet
-moist diet
-dried diet
wet; 60-87%
moist; 15-35%
dried; 3-12%
features of a moist diet
Low calorie density and high packaging costs = highest daily feeding cost.
>50% dog foods and 90% cat foods
Compared with dried foods:
higher palatability and digestibility
lower energy density
higher animal protein, phosphorus + fat, lower CHO (depends on quality
features of a semi moist diet
Moisture 15-35%
Sachets, chunks, burgers, chew sticks
Niche market
Nutrient profile:
usually higher animal protein than dried diets
high digestibility 80-85% high disaccharide content
Moisture 15-35%
Sachets, chunks, burgers, chew sticks
Niche market
Nutrient profile:
usually higher animal protein than dried diets
high digestibility 80-85%
high disaccharide content
Highest caloric density “as fed”
less moisture than moist diets
fewer air spaces than extruded dried diets
Very palatable: problem if fed ad lib
Shelf life several months
features of a dry diet;
Moisture 3-12%
Extrusion cooked expanded particles, baked biscuits, flaked, cooked cereals
Nearly 50% dog foods, 10% cat foods
Usually cheaper than canned + more energy dense
Lower in protein, fat and minerals on DM basis
Poorly palatable only some cats prefer dried food increased by spraying on “digest”
Ingredients:
varies with quality: most use meat meals
cereal important energy source
lower fibre + fat than tinned - less faeces
mixer biscuits: almost all cereal
reduced EFAs esp if badly stored - quality products add extra by using rich source
Digestibility less than canned: esp cats
Long shelf life if cool, dry and dark
ingredients used in cat & dog food
Meat
Fish
Dairy products
Eggs
Cereals
Fats and oils
Vegetables
what are additives
substances added to food to generate visual appeal, prolonged nutritional quality, palatability and a long shelf life
name some of the most important additives
vits and minerals
Antioxidant preservatives
Antimicrobial preservatives
Colouring agents
% nutrient on dry matter basis (DMB) =
-what is it?
%nutrient as fed / %dry matter x 100
-the nutrient content of the food removing the moisture factor
(example on poweproint)
what does term parnuts mean
term for foodstuffs for particular nutritional uses. These have a special composition or manufacturing process that distinguishes them from foodstuffs for normal consumption, are suitable for their claimed nutritional purposes, and are marketed to indicate such suitability.
FDA definition of natural pet food:
“all ingredients and components of ingredients other than the vitamins or minerals of a natural pet food must not be chemically synthesised”
what are the pros and cons of a home-prepared diet?
pros; c
an be customised to patient
digestible
cons; Need to formulate carefully and add supplements
Need to know species and lifestage requirements for a healthy pet
Danger of nutrient imbalances
Costly
^ incidence of obesity
why must pet food be raw?
cooking destroys anti-ageing factors
-anti-oxidants e.g. vitamins
-enzymes in meat aid its digestion
cooked food causes tooth decay
cooked food shortens dogs’ lives
“causes cancer, kidney disease, heart disease, arthritis and pancreatic diseases
describe the 3 raw homemade diets for dogs
Bones and raw food diet (BARF) – consisting of 60% raw, meaty bones with the rest being made up of a wide variety of food. Based on the type and quantity of foods a wild dog would eat. Eg. Lots of green veg, offal (liver, kids), meat eggs milk, brewers yeast, yoghurt, small amount of grains and legumes. The diet is expected to be balanced overall but each meal is not balanced. Eg Dr Bilinghurst recommends feeding several meals each of which consist entirely of green leafy veg, starchy foods, grains and legumes, meat, offal, milk etc during a period of 2-3 weeks.
The ultimate diet – described by Kymathy Schultze in 1998 – recommends a food pyramid with the largest portion of the diet consisting of raw meat (muscle tissue and organs) plus raw eggs. Raw bones make up the second largest section of the diet followed by raw veg. An extras category is fed in the smallest quantities and is used to make up for the depletion of our soils that contributes to the lowernutrent content of our foods. This included kelp and alfalfa, essential fatty acids and Vit C.
A raw homemade diet recommended by wendy Volhard. Cereal is fed in the morning consisting of grains molasses, oil, egg, yoghurt and vits. The evening meal consists of raw beef, fresh and dry greens and herbs, wheat bran, wheat germ, bone meal, brewers yeast, kelp, apple cidervinegar, cod liver oil and vit C. Other foods are recommended on a rotating basis eg. Fruit is given 3 times/week, and removal of all food ios recommended forone half day every week.
dogs have become domesticated by…
eating human food
should owners feed their dogs like wolves? why or why not?
Dogs possess genes for digesting starches, unlike wolves
Dogs have become domesticated by eating human food
36 regions of genome that set dogs apart from wolves
10 of these help dogs digest starches and breakdown fat
name an insect which is used in insect based foods
black soldier fly
describe the vegetarian diet
-foods like what
-requires more…
-risk of what
Soybean, wheat gluten, rice protein
Lower BV and digestibility - require more processing
Risk of aa and vit deficiencies
Palatable
a diet is balanced when…
A diet is balanced when an animal has consumed the amount of diet needed to meet its energy requirements and the needs of all other nutrients have also been met
energy is supplied by…
measured in…
carbohydrates, fats and proteins
kilocalories
Calorie meaning
the amount of heat required to raise the temperature
of 1g of water from 14.5°C to 15.5°C
net energy is calculated as…
the gross energy of the food minus the energy excreted in the faeces and urine
The amount of metabolisable energy available is dependent on…
the more digestible the food is…
digestibilty of the food
the less energy will be lost in faeces and the more will be avaliable to pet
The total amount of potential energy in the food is called
gross energy
the process of calculating energy requierment i.e how uch to feed animal
done by figuring out;
How much energy food contains based on metabolisable energy
How many kcal the pet needs
how many kcal/g do each of these make up
-proetin
-fat
-carbs
- 3.5
- 8.5
- 3.5
total kcal=
3.5 x protein + 8.5 x fat + 3.5 x CHO
Resting Energy Requirement (RER) is defined as…
energy required by a normal fed animal at rest in a thermoneutral environment
RER is calculated using…
30 x BW in kg + 70
Amount of energy used by moderately active adult animal in thermoneutral conditions
-in cat
-in dog
Dog: MER = 1.6 x RER
Cat: MER = 1-2 x RER
specific diet requirements/differences for;
-older dogs
-older cats
-active dogs
-pregnant animals
-animals kept in cold/hot
-sick animals
Older dogs need fewer calories
Older cats may need more
Active dogs need more calories but not more protein.
Pregnant and lactating animals need up to 4 x the number of calories.
Animals kept in the cold or hot need differing calories.
Sick animals need more calories depending on the illness.
maintenance energy requirement in dogs and cats
DOGS
Maintenance energy requirement = 95 x bodyweight^0.75
CATS
Maintenance energy requirement = 77.6 x bodyweight^0.711
inadequate energy intake can lead to:
poor growth
weight loss
lactation failure
delayed recovery
Poor immune system function
consequences of obesity
Predisposition to other diseases
Decreased quality of life
Effect on lifespan
Decreased physical activity
ways to prevent obesity
Discussion of proper feeding and BCS with owners
Quantify and measure food for pets
Achieve ideal BCS
Discussion at time of spay/neutering
Lifelong weight management and obesity prevention
Yearly wellness visits, noting BCS and BW
