4 Nutritional Assessment and Energy Calculations

1. assess the patient

2. assess current and prior diet

3. assess the feeding management

4. (repeat)

Describe the three aspects of a nutritional assessment:

4/9 to 5/9 (but probably more ideally 5)

What is the ideal BCS for dogs?

growing puppies and kittens

In what animals is determining BCS not validated?

1-9

What numbers is the body condition score scale out of?

1. fat covering over ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones on palpation

2. visibility of ribs, lumbar vertebrae, and pelvic bones

3. muscle mass and abdominal tuck

Describe some aspects you look at for BCS:

Each point change (1-9) is estimated as 10% of body weight

SO at ideal BCS of 5 for cats and dogs, there is 0% excess weight meaning the target body weight is whatever the animal is at at that moment

How can you estimate ideal/target body weight using BCS?

The ideal body weight is 5/9. So, a body weight of 7 would be 120% (20%) excess to ideal body weight or 2 points over. This means:

30 kg/1.2 = 25 kg is IDEAL WEIGHT

A dog weighs 30 kg and has a BCS of 7/9. What is the target body weight?

The ideal body weight is 5/9. So, a body weight of 2/9 is 3 points below or 70% of normal weight. This means:

3.5 kg/0.70 = 5 kg is IDEAL WEIGHT

A cat weighs 3.5 kg and has a BCS of 2/9. What is the target body weight?

The ideal body weight is 5/9. So a body weight of 9/9 is 4 points above or 140% (40%) excess of ideal body weight. This means:

50 kg/1.4 = 35.7 kg is IDEAL WEIGHT

A dog weighs 50 kg and has a BCS of 9/9. What is the target body weight?

The ideal body weight is 5/9. So, a body weight of 1/9 is 4 points below or 60% of normal weight. This means:

1.5 kg/0.60 = 2.5 kg is IDEAL WEIGHT

A cat weighs 1.5 kgs and has a BCS of 1/9. What is the target body weight?

0-3

Describe the scale for muscle condition score:

1 BCS = emaciated

9 BCS = morbidly obese

What is 1 BCS? 9?

0/3 MCS = severe muscle loss

3/3 MCS = normal muscle

What is 0 MCS? 3?

Focus on topline: head, dorsal spinous processes, and pelvis instead of limbs. You are often palpating but with the head, you can sometimes visually assess loss of the temporal muscles

Where do you assess for MCS?

Cachexia and sarcopenia

What do you use MCS to identify?

Adult maintenance, pregnant/gestation, lactation, growing, working/performance

Name the different patient lifestages:

1. absolute amount or overall amount of food consumed independent of nutrition level (like 40 g protein per day)

2. diet concentration, dependent on the nutrition values of the food itself (like 20% crude protein)

3. diet concentration on a CALORIC basis (like 80 g crude protein/Mcal)

How is nutrient requirement expressed in dogs and cats? Which is most common?

Water

What is the most important part of the dog/cats diet?

1. open ended then get close ended

2. figure out how current food is measured (what is a cup to the client)

3. how is food offered (bowl, trough, puzzle)

4. competition? (are multiple animals fed together)

5. how often is food offered (1x, 2x per day, etc)

6. WSAVA diet history form

Describe how to take a detailed and complete diet history:

1. is food safe? (appropriate quality from manufacturer)

2. is food nutritious? (complete and balanced)

3. is it appropriate for this pet? (life stage)

How can you create a nutrition/recommended nutrition plan?

Growth and reproduction minimum AND adult maintenance minimum

What are the two categories for AAFCO nutrient profile guidelines?

Association of American Feed Control Officials

Which corporation gives you a nutrient adequacy statement, telling you who the diet is suited for?

Growth and reproduction minimum

Which will have higher nutrition profiles based on dry matter? growth and reproduction minimum or adult maintenance minimum?

WSAVA (world small animal veterinary association)

Which company asks pet food companies if they employ nutritionists, who formulates the diet, what is the quality, will the company provide info if requested?

Basal energy requirement (BER), Resting energy requirement (RER), daily energy requirement (DER)

What are the 3 formulas to describe how a PET'S energy REQUIREMENT is expressed?

Resting energy requirement

This is expressed as kcal metabolized energy per day (ME), being the foundation for lifestage factors (aka cal. needed for pet at rest and digestion)

daily energy requirement

This is expressed as the energy requirements for adult in maintenance, growth, or work (ME)

(aka in their specific life stages and the energy they use)

Gross energy, digestible energy, metabolized energy, net energy

What are the ways to describe how PET FOOD energy is expressed?

Gross energy

This is described as "food energy"

digestible energy

This is described as gross energy minus fecal energy

Metabolized energy

This is described as digestible energy minus urine/gas energy

Net energy

This is described as metabolized energy minus heat increment (heat lost as energy)

Metabolized energy

What is the MAIN METHOD for how the energy content of pet food is expressed?

Lipids

Which type of molecule supplies the highest amount of energy?

RER = Bw (kg)^0.75 x 70

BW^0.75 (represents metabolic rate)

What is the formula for calculating resting energy requirements (expressed as kcal/day)?

Need to change lbs to kg --> 9/2.2 = 4.09 kg

(4.09^0.75) x 70 = 201.3 (ish) kcal/day

Calculate RER for a 9 lb cat with a BCS of 5/9 and normal MCS:

(20^0.75) x 70 = 662 (ish) kcal/day

Calculate RER for a 20 kg dog with a BCS of 5/9 and normal MCS:

RER x lifestage factor

REMEMBER RER = BW in kg^0.75 x 70

How do you calculate DER?

DOGS: 1.4-1.6

CATS: 1.2-1.4

What is the lifestage factor (used for DER calculation) of adult, neutered dogs? Cats?

Must calculate RER first: BW in kg^0.75 x 70

But you get body weight in 60 lbs --> 27.27 kgs

Then you can plug in: (27.27 kg^0.75) x 70 = 835.33 kcal/day

Remember lifestage factor for dogs, neutered: 1.4-1.6 --> avg. 1.5

THEN do DER: 835.33 kcal/day x 1.5 = 1253.0 kcal

CALCULATE THE DER FOR THIS DOG:

golden retriever, 4 y.o. spayed female with a BW 60 lbs and BCS 5/9 whose MCS is normal and is moderately active

kcal/day

What are the units for RER?

kcal

What are the units for DER?

RER FIRST: 25 kg^0.75 x 70 = 782.6 kcal/day

DER SECOND: 782.6 kcal/day x 1.5 = 1173.9 kcal

IF THEY ASK FOR A RANGE, then you will multiple RER by the upper and lower limits of lifestyle factor (so 1.4 and 1.6) --> range of 1096 and 1253 kcal

CALCULATE DER FOR THIS DOG:

adult neutered dog who is 25 kg and a BCS 5/9, normal MCS