Feeding Healthy Cats and Dogs: Neonates and Growth

What determines the nursing period?

Nutrition of the dam

Describe the weaning period

Stressful for dam and pup due to change in food and environment

Describe the postweaning period

2 months until adulthood where skeletal development is critical

What is the most important non-genetic factor for skeletal development?

Nutrition

What is the goal right after birth?

Minimize stress

Ensure adequate colostrum intake

What determines colostrum quality?

Health and vaccination of dam

How much passive immunity is passed through the placenta/

10%

How much IgG is absorb in the first day of life?

Want 3-10mL in puppies and 3-5mL in cats

What is a secondary benefit of colostrum?

Prevents circulatory failure

What is an alternative to colostrum?

Serum SQ

What are the main activities of neonates?

Sleeping and eating

When does eyes open?

10-16 days

When do ears function?

15-17 days

What is the body temp as a neonate develops?

94-99 for 2 weeks

Adult temp by 4-5 weeks

When does the shivering reflex develop?

7 days

How often should you weigh neonates?

Daily for 2 weeks then 3-4 days until weaned

How much weight gain should puppies have?

1-2g/day for every lb of adult weight during first 4-5 weeks

How much weight should kittens gain?

50-100g/week until 5-6 weeks

100g/wk until 20 weeks old

How long does the dams milk support growth in dogs?

4 weeks so start supplemental food at 3-4 weeks

What should you feed neonates?

Thick gruel of puppy/repro diet

Avoid cows milk and housemade formulas

What is the major nutrient source by 5-6 weeks?

Gruel

When should complete weaning occur in dogs?

8 weeks

What can create an orphan?

Death of the dam

Inadequate milk from dam

Rejection by dam

What environment should you keep orphans in?

Temp and humidity controlled
Good ventilation

How can you feed orphans?

Colostrum or SQ serum

Foster mother

Milk replacer

T/F homemade formulas are better than commercial milk replacers?

False

how much should you feed orphans?

Limited by stomach volume

Puppies 10-20 mL

Kittens 3-10 mL

How do you monitor health of newborns?

Steady weight gain

Hydration status

Normal stools

Attitude/behavior

How do you feed orphans?

Bottle feeding. Make a horizontal slit to allow for 1 drop at a time, not a round hole

Hold neonate in horizontal position

What temp do you want milk replacer?

38 C (100F)

When should you NOT feed a neonate milk?

If rectal temp is <35C (hypothermia)

How do you feed a neonate with a stomach tube?

Premeasure and mark tube from nose to last rib

Lubricate tub

Advance to mark

Administer warm formula over 1-2 minutes and palpate abdomen for distension

How long until they can voluntarily urinate/defecate?

3 weeks old so stimulate urogenital reflex before that

What should you do if an orphan has diarrhea?

Reduce feeding volume

Dilute with water

Gradually return to normal caloric value after diarrhea stops

What can lead to fading puppy/kitten syndrome / cardiopulmonary failure?

Hypothermia

Deficient colostrum intake

Immune deficiency

Infection

How do you manage hypothermia?

Slow warming over 1-3 hours to 97-98F

Ambient temp should be 84-93 and humidity at 55-65%

How do you manage dehydration?

Warm fluids SQ 50:50 5% Glu:LRS

IO fluids

How do you manage hypoglycemia?

First fix hypothermia then 1mL/30g BW of 5-10% glucose stomach tube

What is the risk of feeding hypothermic kittens?

Non-functioning GIT can lead to aspiration, diarrhea, dehydration

What is the socialization period?

5-12 weeks

When is the most rapid growth?

first 6 monthsd

When do large breeds reach mature size?

12-18m

When do small/medium breeds and cats reach mature size?

9-12 months

T/F in the growing stage, they have high requirements for energy and nutrients but you want to limit daily intake?

True

What are some key nutritional factors for puppies?

In giant breed dogs, they should have less energy density, fat, calcium, and phosphorus

What happens if you overfeed energy?

Increased fat and juvenile obesity

More rapid growth rate

Increased risk of DOD

What happens if you slightly underfeed energy?

Slows growth

Does not influence the adult size

How do you decide how much to feed growing dogs?

RER = 70 x (BW)^0.75

DER = 1.8-3 x RER

When should you use 3 x RER to find DER?

Weaning to 50% adult BW (4-5 months old)

When should you use 2-2.5 x RER for DER?

50-80% adult BW

When should you use 1.8-2 x RER for DER?

>80% adult BW

How much protein do dogs need in the growth stage?

More than during maintenance

22.5% DM crude protein

Kittens want 30% DM crude protein

What does a high quality, highly digestible protein mean?

Above average digestibility >85%

Is there a risk to feeding high protein?

NO, it actually allows energy restriction from fat

How much Ca and P should they get during growth stage?

1.2% Ca and 0.8% P for puppies

Max 1.8% Ca for large breed dogs

What does excess Ca in the diet cause?

DOD

How is Ca absorbed?

Active absorption from Vit D influence

Passive diffusion (uncontrolled and can be dangerous)

When are puppies able to protect themselves from an excess of Ca intake?

6 months old

How does increased dietary Ca lead to DOD?

Thyroid gland releases calcitonin

Hypercalcitonism occurs

Decreased bone resorbing and osteoclastic activity

Impaired skeleton remodeling

What DOD can excess Ca cause?

Hip dysplasia

Osteochondrosis

Elbow dysplasia

Canine wobblers

Eosinophilic panosteitis

What breeds are at risk for DOD from excess Ca?

Large and giant breeds

What causes nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism?

Ca deficiency

What does nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism cause?

Demineralization of skeletal bone, loss of teeth, pathologic fractures

What causes rickets?

Vit D deficiency, even with adequate dietary Ca and P

How do dogs and cats get Vit D?

Diet from balanced dog food, liver, fish liver oil, egg, milk

How quickly can rickets improve?

3 weeks with a diet change

Why should we avoid free choice feeding?

Leads to obesity and DOD in large breeds

Feed meal restricted meals 2-3 times per day

How much should you feed growing cats/

Free choice is recommended, but do not let them overeat

Go to meal feeding after spay/neuter

How do you calculate DER in kittnes?

RER = 70 x (BW)^0.75

DER = 2.0 - 3.0 x RER

When do you use 3 x RER for DER in cats?

Weaning to 50% adult BW (4 months old)

When do you use 2.5 x RER for DER in cats?

50-70% adult BW

When do you use 2 x RER for DER in cats?

70-100% adult BW (9-12 months)

When should you switch to an adult food?

12 months unless giant breed then 18 months