(T2) Lecture 6a - Life cycle nutrition of dogs Flashcards
What are the 3 critical phases during the first 12 months of a dog’s life?
- Nursing phase
- Weaning period
- Post-weaning period
Why are large-breed puppies more susceptible to malnutrition at birth?
- much larger mature BW
- born more premature
Why does birth weight highly correlated to mortality (hypoglycemia, sepsis)?
- Lower the BW the greater the chance of animals becoming sick and dying
- Hypoglycemia = low blood glucose = didn’t get enough nutrients from colostrum = gut wall enterocytes aren’t properly fused and bacteria passes through causing a local infection (sepsis).
What does daily weighing of nursing puppies indirectly measure?
Evaluation if quality and quantity of milk is adequate
Body temperature in newborn dogs
- Poikilothermic during first 3 weeks of life; aka cannot maintain their own body tmp bc they are very low in body fat so they have a higher thermoneutral zone
- low level of body fat
- need warm enviro
- room for bitch
- bitch may push puppy away or neglect it with low skin temp due to an evolutionary perspective; why spend energy when there is a low change of survival, spend more energy on puppies with a greater chance
What is colostrum?
First, special milk secreted by mammary gland within 24-48 hr after giving birth; concentrated source of energy and selected nutrients
What is colostrum high in?
High DM content
- viscous and sticky (due to high density of nutrients)
- suckling is difficult for weak puppies (bc of above point)
- DM content decreases 12-24 hrs after birth = decrease in protein
What is the composition of colostrum?
- twice as much protein as mature milk
- particularly IgG
- milk is rich in IgA - high levels of Ca, Mg, P, Fe, Zn, and Cu
- decrease within 2-3 days - high vit A
- low lactose level
- laxative effect
- to stimulate gut flow and peristalsis - other factors
- ex. growth factors to stimulate intestine growth
What is an example of milk-borne growth factor?
- IGF-1
- EGF
- both stimulate intestinal growth (needs to become an active organ)
Why is colostrum important for immune fxn in puppies?
- Immature immune system at birth
- Depend on immunoglobins in colostrum (passive transfer)
- Transplacental transfer of immunoglobulins is low
- very important that puppies drink colostrum within 24 hrs
What is a complete food for neonates?
Milk
What does the composition of milk support? What is the composition
NORMAL growth rate of neonates (milk does not maximize growth which is a good thing)
- water, protein fat, lactose, minerals, vitamins
- highly digestible
- compo does not change much during lactation
Why is knowing the nutrient profile of milk important?
- Important when assessing and formulating milk replacers
- Reflects enormous anabolic activity of puppies
Energy requirement
Energy requirement = energy for maintenance + growth
Why do puppies sleep 80% of the time and huddle?
Sleep: less energy required for activity and therefore less needed for maintenance
Huddle: less energy required for maintaining body temp therefore less needed for maintenance
How are protein requirements met during the nursing period?
Protein requirements met with ingestion of adequate amounts of milk
- protein digestibility of milk up to 99% and high N retention; not a lot of excretion = high protein synthesis rate = good for regular growth
- rich in arginine, lysine and branched-chain AA