Basics
What vitamins are water-soluble and which are fat-soluble? And what’s the difference/why do we care?
Water-soluble: vit B & C
Fat-soluble: A, D, E, K
Water-soluble vitamins are excreted in urine so you’re more likely to be deficient in these
Fat-soluble can be stored but you’re at a higher risk of toxicity
Your client calls about her newly pregnant dog. She said she’s been putting out more food (about 1.6-1.8x more kcal daily) and wants to know if/when she should do another food increase. What do you tell her?
Last ⅓ of gestation, increase to 2.5-3xRER
During lactation increase to 4-8xRER
Note for learning: body weight should increase by 15-25% by whelping time
Mom also needs constant water & food ad libitum
Gut transit time is faster/slower than mammals (pick one)
Digestion is independent/dependent on temperature (pick one)
Answer:
slower
dependent (ectothermic)
where do rabbits get most of their nutrients from?
cecotropes
What are two main differences in wild and pet bird behavior that would lead to a difference in diet?
Wild birds FLY (a lot) and have to FIND their food so they can eat more seeds than pet birds
What are the 3 special amino acids for vet med?
Taurine: very important for cats!! Dogs non-essential
Arginine: essential in domestic species → key intermediate in urea cycle
glutamine/glutamate: *conditional* in essential domestic species
What diet suggestion should you make for senior companion animals (cats & dogs alike)?
treat the disease! not the age :) no blanket guidelines for geriatric patients
Match the species to the body parts you assess to determine BCS:
Species: tortoise, snake, bearded dragon&leopard geckos
Body parts: (1) tail, hips, back, internal fat pads (2) tail, back (3) limbs, axilla/inguinal folds
Tortoise: 3
Snake: 2
Bearded dragons/leopard geckos: 1
A client brings in their pet hamster and when getting a nutritional history, they tell you that they give the hamster mainly apples with a sprinkle of Kaytee brand Fiesta variety diet BID. What would you tell this owner about their hamster’s diet?
Diet is all wrong. ideally you want 80-90% well formulated, uniform pellets with only 10-20% treats daily
You agree to see a client’s new pet bird. They say they give their bird access to seeds 24/7. You hide your cringe face & warn them about 4 possible diseases that could occur if the client doesn’t change their ways soon.
Atherosclerosis (fat build up in arteries)
Hypovitaminosis A (leading to squamous metaplasia)
Obesity
Hypocalcemia (leading to poor bone quality & egg binding)
Match the mineral to its deficiency:
Minerals: iron, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iodine
Deficiency: goiter, pica, anemia, tetany
Tetany = Mg & Ca
Pica = phosphorus
Goiter = iodine
Anemia = iron
Puppies are fast growers and have different energy requirements than adult dogs. Breed size also varies! What mineral can cause Developmental Orthopedic Disease in large breed puppies?
Ca2+
Large breed puppies cannot regulate Ca2+ intake and have a narrow margin of requirement. Too much or too little can be harmful. We discussed a case study where a large breed puppy wasn’t getting enough Ca2+ and then its body began pulling Ca2+ from its own bones
Match the species to their diet:
Diets: omnivore, carnivore, herbivore
Species: snakes, most turtles, most tortoises, most lizards, some lizards
herbivore: most turtles, most tortoises, some lizards
Omnivore: many lizards, some turtles, some tortoises
Carnivore: all snakes, some lizards, few turtles
Match the diet to the species:
Diet:herbivore, omnivore, carnivore
Species: hedgehog, ferret, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, chinchilla, sugar glider, myomorph rodents
Herbivores: rabbit, chinchilla, guinea pig
Omnivore: myomorph rodents, sugar glider, hamsters, hedgehog (insectivore omnivore)
Carnivore: ferret
Chickens are granivores. What does this mean? AND What is the proper nutrient ratio for pellets to treats?
granivore = grains & seeds
ratio = 75:25
Match the vitamin (tell me if it’s deficient or excess) with its disorder(s) and most common species:
Vitamins: C, D, K, B1
Diseases: Rickets, polioencephalomalacia, metastatic mineralization, hemorrhage, scurvy
Species: guinea pigs, ruminants+cats, swine+poultry
Rickets: Vit D deficiency; no species
Polioencephalomalacia: Vit B1 deficiency; ruminants+cats
Metastatic mineralization: Vit D excess; no species
Hemorrhage: Vit K deficiency; no species
Scurvy: Vit C deficiency; guinea pigs
What are the 5 notable feeding behaviors of cats that can help in diet development & dealing with eating habits of felines?
Select for fat, peptides, amino acids, +/- higher moisture
Be aware of whisker sensitivity
Nothing bitter (they can’t taste sweet)
Picky on texture
Many small meals better than fewer, larger meals
What is the insect:veggie ratio for juvenile bearded dragons?
What is it for adults?
60:40
20-40:60-80
Briefly describe some ways that you could tell what an animal eats on an oral exam.
Carnivores: teeth for grabbing & ripping meat - sharp
Omnivores: brachydont (short crowned), molars are made to crush
Herbivores: teeth made to grind, elodont (continuous growth), hypsodont (long crown), dynamic TMJ, incisors to cut then cheek teeth grind
+/-insectivore: anelodont, brachydont
Ideal diet of companion psittacines should be pelleted diet, veggies+fruit, and healthy nuts/treats. How do you keep these balanced? (what's the percentage of each for an ideal diet?)
40-60% pellets
40-50% veg/fruit
5-10% nuts/treats
Water is the most important nutrient!!
What percent of water loss = illness?
What percent of water loss = death?
And what are the 4 major functions of water (in relation to nutrients & the body)
10% water loss = illness
15-20% = death (within days)
Functions:
solvent/transport
Chemical rxn/hydrolysis
Thermoregulation
structural
Different from a dog, a queen needs a 1.6x kcal increase at breeding then a slight 2x increase at parturition. Once kittens are born, mom needs “reproduction” labeled food & can get increased meal frequency or free feeding BUT she may not eat the first day or two after giving birth despite needing more calories. Why is this?
Most cats eat their placentas so she’s full :)
What is the calcium:phosphorus ratio for herbivores?
2:1
What is the general breakdown (in %) of protein, fat, and carbohydrates for a ferret diet?
Protein: 30-40%
Fat: 20-25%
Carbs: 24% (this usually only comes from carbs in their prey’s stomachs, not designed to digest & utilize carbs)
Even though you’re a general practitioner, a long-term client asks if she can bring in some of her chickens from a backyard flock. She just got them from 4 different flocks & they seem to have different ailments following them.
Upon physical exam you find Chicken1 has a black tongue, Chicken2 has some swelling, Chicken3 is having difficulty walking (you suspect a tendon has slipped), and Chicken4’s toes are curly and they can’t walk
You discuss treatments & tell the client why each of these may be occurring from a nutritional standpoint. What is each chicken deficient in?
Nutrient word bank: niacin, Vit E, riboflavin, choline+biotin+manganese
1: niacin
2: choline+manganese+biotin
3:Vit E
4: riboflavin