small animal nutrition

examples of macrominerals and micronutrients

macrominerals: calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium

micronutrients: also known as trace minerals and required at smaller amounts eg selenium and iodine

structural function of amino acids

collagen/elastin- cartilage, tendons and ligaments

contractile proteins- actin and myosin

keratin- skin, hair, nails

blood proteins- haemoglobin, transferrin,albumin

functional role of proteins

enzymes

hormones

antibodies

what are conditionally essential amino acids

can be synthesised but in limited quantities

lipids

• source of energy and essential fatty acids

• fat soluble vitamin absorption

• excess lipids are assimilated and stored as fat

• some required for physiological processes such as certain long chain fatty acids

common feeding practices

• ad lib feeding- free choice.

• easy with dry foods but weight gain

• slower to notice problems if more than one animal

• portion feeding- amount limited

• set amount of food given, calorie control possible, closer appreciation of animal intake

• timed feeding

• ad lib for specific amount of time usually twice daily

• may see bolting and aggression

palatability

• depends on smell, taste, texture and moisture content

• affected by environment, pets health, appetite, behaviour

• food aversion- especially cat

dry food

• moisture percentage

• high or low energy

• digestibility

• cost

• 6-10 moisture

• high energy

• variable palatability

• weight gain for ad lib

• sometimes lower digestibility

• cheap

moist/wet

• 70-80 percent moisture

• increased protein and fat

• lower CHO content

• lower energy contnet

• more expensive

semi moist diet

• 15-30 moisture

• energy content and cost between wet and dry

vegetarian diet

• difficult for cats- taurine, vit a, arachidonic acid largely only found in animal sources

• bioavailability concerns eg synthetic taurine

• increase protein requirements in cats and dogs

• vegetable sources of protein often limited in essential amino

• analysis of commercially available diets and various homemade diets shown inadequacies

taurine deficiency

• retinal cells of eyes will degenerate - feline taurine retinopathy (feline central retinal degeneration) which will lead to blindness if left untreated

• also will cause weakening of the muscle cells of the heart causing dilated cardiomyopathy

• dilated cardiomyopathy can be reversed with dietary supplementation if caught early but will lead to heart failure and death if left for too long

• during pregnancy low taurine will cause small litter sizes, low birth weights or fetal abnormalities

bone and raw meat

• BARF- biologically appropriate raw food

• commercial

• increase time taken to eat, know what is bein eaten, decrease faecal volume

• but pathogens, nutrition inadequacy, nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism due to low calcium content even with bones if poultry in origin, obstpation if whole bones, thyroid toxicosis if thyroid gland given

nutritional secondayry hyperparathyroidism

• diet deficient in calcium esp all meat

• low calcium stimulates PTH release

• osteopenia results

pet fod label

Complete / complementary diet? • Intended species • Feeding guidelines • List of ingredients: by weight & in descending order • Additives • Best before date • Net weight • Company’s name & address

analytical constituent

• usually on an as fed basis

• percent protein, fat, fibre, moisture if mroe than 14 percent and ash

• CHO not listed

what do pet food labels not show

• digestibility

• bioavailability

• quality of components

• energy density but can estimate from percent protein fat and carbs

how to compare diets

• cannot compare on an as fed basis

• need to compare on a dry matter basis

pre weaning growth

bitchs or queens milk or propreitary milk supplement if hand reared

post weaning growth in puppies

frequent meals for adequate food intake

energy dense, highly digestible

post weaning

kittens

ad lib usually okay

maintenance

• 12-24 months usually

• obesity is greatest risk

pregnancy

• in dogs when does the most foetal weight gain occur

• what should be done in late pregnancy

• most foetal weight gain= last 1/3 gestation in dogs

• small frequent meals in late pregnancy- decrease abdominal space

• in queen see linear increase in feed intake as pregnancy proceeds

• ad lib feeding usually okay in queen

lactation- when are the maximum requirements?

energy requirements dependent on litter size

max requirements 4 weeks postpartum

small frequent meals for bitches, ad lib for queens

no vitamin or mineral supplementation if complete and balanced diet fed

activity

• most dogs not that active

• sheep/sled gun dogs are

• highly palatable, energy dense, highly digestible- high fat

geriatric/old age animals

decrease energy demands due to decrease acitivty

palatabel diets if decrease intake