Nutritional Math

Why Nutritional math matters

• Are the patients getting proper nutrients?

  • Eating too much or too little

• Are diets meeting daily energy requirements?

• Chronic COnditions can be controlled through diet

  • Obesity

  • Heart disease

  • Kidney disease

• Nutritional needs can be calculated

As-fed

• Product labels show nutrients on this basis

• Includes moisture

• Nutrients in high moisture foods appear diluted

Dry matter

• This is what is lefts when all moisture is removed

Resting Energy requirement (RER)

The energy necessary to carry out essential body functions at rest

RER equation we USE

Allometric formula

• 70 x (BW in kg)^0.75 = kcal/day

• Pro: Most accurate. Widely accepted. Works for a wide weight range

• Con: Requires a scientific calculator function to raise to 0.75 power

RER Cube Root Formula

70 x x √√ (body weight in kg × body weight in kg × body weight in kg) = kcal/day

• Pro: Can prove more accurate for small animals

• Cons: Not widely used. Scientific calculator functions readily available

RER Linear Formula

(30 x BW in kg) + 70 = kcal/day

• Pros: Simple calculation. No Scientific Calculator necessary

• Cons: Accuracy decreases less than 2.5 kg or more than 30 kg

Daily Energy Requirement (DER)

Energy, including RER, needed to carry out daily activites

DER adjusts RER for…

Life stages:

• Growth

• Gestation/LActation

• Adult Maintenance

Physiologic Condition

Activity level

DER Calculation

RER x Activity Factor

• Life stages with higher energy needs have higher factors

• Puppy factors depend on Average Adult Body Weight

• Large/giant breed dogs need more controlled growth to prevent developmental orthopedic disease

DOD

Developmental Orthopedic Disease

DER factors

• Growth - based on age or adult body weight

• Maintenance - Bases on life stage, disease state, or activity level

AABW

Average Adult Body Weight

Measuring Pet foods

Accuracy and ease of portion determination matters

• Cups

• Weight

Measuring using Cups

• Fluid measuring cup is 8 fl. oz.

• Dry ingredient measuring cup is 8 oz.

  • Volume that can be scooped and leveled

  • Not the same as fl. oz!

• Widely available

  • Sold at pet stores

  • Provided by pet food companies

  • Verify accuracy

Measureing Using weight

More accurate

less common

Measuring by volume

• Use 8 oz. cup, leveled, to measure “cups” indicated in calculations or on food bag

• FOr dry food only

• Can be divided into 1/2, 1/3, or ¼ easily

Measuring by weight

• Use scale to measure grams

• More accurate for smaller portions, where hundredths of a cup matter

Measuring by portion size

• Least accurate

• % of whole

• Easy for canned foods

• Divide into 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, or 1/8 cans easily (maybe 1/5)

Developing a feeding plan

• Owner Education

• Life Stage and Health considerations

• Cost of feeding and owner preferences

Owner Education

• Communication is key

• Monitor BCS/MCS

• Adjust as pet grows

• Adjust for health

• Encourage owners

  • Recognize ideal BCS/MCS

  • Modify feeding

  • Assess labels

  • Ask for help

Life Stages and Health Considerations

• Equations only estimates

• Pet nutritional goals

  • Caloric needs

    • Pancreatitis

    • CHF

    • FLUTD

    • Kidney failure

• Age + Activity

  • Life stages

    • Growth - Puppies/Kittens

      • Portion control

      • Large and giant breeds

      • Free choice vs. portions

    • Adult maintenance

    • Gestation

    • Lactation

Cost of feeding and owner preference

• Help owners compare diets

• Set realistic expectations

• Consider diet costs

• Consider health care costs

• Be respectful of owners opinions

When converting as-fed protein content to dry matter basis, the first step is to:

Subract mositure % from 100%

Which response best demonstrates proper evaluation of a weight loss feeding recommendation?

“The feeding recommendations should consider the patient’s body weight, life stage, body condition, energy needs, and energy density of the food”

A neutered adult cat weighs 5kgs. What is its DER

280kcal/day