Canine Nutrition Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards for Canine Nutrition lecture.

Dogs

Opportunistic omnivores

Dogs

Can survive on a vegetarian diet, unlike cats.

Frequent diet changes for dogs

Not recommended due to encouraging finicky eating and GI disorders.

Best ways to feed a dog

Regularly assessing weight, using body and muscle condition scoring

Portion Control Feeding Method

Daily portion is fed in a single feeding or divided into several portions offered several times a day

Free Choice (ad libitum) Feeding Method

Animal is allowed to access food 24 hours a day and food supply is replenished as needed

Daily energy requirement for gestating dogs

Increased during pregnancy but avoid dramatic increases.

Feeding Strategy during Pregnancy

Smaller meals, increased frequency

Free feeding during lactation

Advised during this stage as smaller meals will be consumed frequently to reduce absence from the puppies

Veterinary staff

May have to intervene and provide nutritional support to neonatal puppies if the bitch has no milk

Cow's milk for puppies

Not acceptable due to inappropriate protein and lactose levels.

Puppies should gain

2-4 g/kg of anticipated adult weight each day

Avoiding competition for nipple access

Allowing puppy to nurse alone or provide supplemental support.

Weaning begins at approximately

3-4 weeks in large breeds, 4-5 weeks in smaller breeds.

Gruel

Mixing equal portions of food and water together until it looks like cooked oatmeal.

Gruel feeding can be messy because

Puppies will walk through it until they learn to consume it in appropriate amounts.

Gruel feeding should be offered

Offer 3-4x per day during weaning and continue to increase amounts until puppy is maintained on the diet without nursing.

Puppy solid food for up to

7-8 months

Feeding puppy too rich of food

Can cause malformations in bones and joints

Feeding adult dogs

Consider activity level to prevent obesity.

Provides anti-inflammatory properties

Omega 3 and 6

Supplement diet to promote joint health

Glucosamine and chondroitin

Small/medium dogs geriatric age

10 years

Large breed geriatric age

9 years

Giant Breed geriatric age

6 years

Dietary changes for older dogs should be

Based on nutritional assessment, not just age.

Dietary protein for elderly dogs should be of high biologic value

To reduce levels of metabolites excreted through the kidneys and prevent muscle wasting.

Active dogs

They should eat diets that are higher in fat content

Most energy-dense nutrient

Fat

Feeding overweight dogs by

Restricting calories and increasing exercise.