Nutrition

Mrs. Kenner - Stephens

Section 1

Intro to Nutrition

• Enables us to feed for good health and a longer lifespan.

• Commercial diets are now formulated to help prevent nutritional deficiencies, boost the immune system, improve cognitive health, and help slow the aging process.

• Prevent and manage chronic diseases.

What does this mean to you?

Your roll as a Licensed Veterinary Technician• Client education • Nutrition related diseases • Nutritional support

Nutritional Support

• In times of illness and injury, nutritional support is of great importance as the animal will be dependent upon you for it’s nutritional intake.

• Failure to recognize or address a patient’s metabolic needs may have negative consequences and may adversely affect patient outcome.

Overview of Nutritional Objectives and Principals

• Our overall goal for companion animals is to maximize the length and quality of the animal’s life by reducing nutritional risk factors. We do this by feeding the proper food for each life stage requirement of the animal.

• Whereas in food animals, our main goal is to encourage weight gain rapidly and not necessarily focus on longevity.

Where do we start?

ENERGY/ATP

The main reason to eat food is to obtain energy.

Will all animals only eat the amount of food based on the amount of energy needed??

Explain….

Factors to consider: palatability, availability, frequency, treats, and exercise.

What is energy?Energy Units:• Kilocalorie• Kilojoule• Calorie• calorie: the energy needed to raise the temp.

of 1g of water from 14.5◦C to 15.5◦C

How much energy is in my food?

Gross Energy – fecal matter = Digestible Energy

Digestible Energy – urine and gas = Metabolizable Energy

Most common estimate of energy available from pet foods.

Metabolizable Energy – digestion = Net Energy

Measuring Energydirect measurement

Atwater Factorsestimated measurement

• Protein 3.5 kcal/g, fat 8.5kcal/g, carbohy3.5kcal/g

Energy Density

• ED = kcal per unit of food• High: animal eats less

fed to those requiring more energy• Low: obese animals

takes more to get required nutrients

Energy Expenditure

• Factors to consider:

exercise

cold weather

stress

disease

body size

lactating

pregnant

Resting Energy Requirement

• RER (kg x 30) + 70 = kcal/day • Then multiply to factor in energy

expenditure = MER• Adult dog 1.4-1.6• Adult cat 1.2-1.4• Active adult 1.6-2.0• Performance or working dog 2.0-6.0• Other factors to consider….

These are the Six basic classes of nutrients that are important for life sustenance.

Producing components

Non-energy producing

Nutrients p293 box 9-1

Energy Producing• Carbohydrates• Fats• Protein

MacronutrientsCarbs, fats, and protein

Non-energy producing• Vitamins• Minerals• Water

MicronutrientsVitamins and Minerals

WaterH2O

• Non energy producing nutrient• Dry food contains 10% water• Can food contains 75% water• Determining how much water to give

your pet: have fresh water available at all times.

• Dehydration

Carbohydratecarbon-water

C + H2O

Carbohydrates(simple sugars)

Monosaccharides• Simple sugars• Most common are glucose,

fructose, and galactose• One carbon chain• Body breaks down to

glucose

Disaccharides• Two carbon chains• Example: glucose +

galactose = lactose• Example: glucose + fructose

= sucrose (table sugar)• Body breaks down to

glucose

Carbohydrates (complex)Polysaccharides

• Alpha bonds (able to be broken down to glucose)

• Non-structural part of plant• Examples: potato• Body breaks down to glucose• Excess stored in liver as glycogen• Soluble

Starch

CarbohydratesPolysaccharides

Fiber• Bacterial fermentation of fiber breaks it

down to short chain fatty acids. Only occurs in colon of dog and cat. (energy)

• Beta bonds (mostly indigestible except in ruminants and herbivores)

• Structural part of plant• Increases bulk and transit time. • Helps with satiety and weight loss• Insoluble

Fiber and Ruminants

• Ruminants have bacteria and protozoan microbes that can degrade fiber in the rumen, cecum and large intestine.

• Fiber is a major energy source for grazing animals.

Digestion of Carbohydrates

• Carbs must be broken down to monosaccharides for absorption from the G.I. tract or are utilized directly by the body as energy.

• Excess glucose travels in the blood to the liver where it is converted to glycogen for “energy” storage. Excess beyond this is stored as fat.

• Carb requirements for dogs and cats: none

Glycogen

• Glycogen is broken down when the blood glucose drops below the normal range. Glucose levels drop between meals as a result of insulin secretion.

• Glycogen is an animal specific starch and can quickly depolymerize into units of glucose.

• Glycogen is mostly stored in the liver and muscle tissue and can be rapidly turned into glucose to supply immediate demand.

FAT (lipids)

Functions of fat:

• Provide the body’s primary source of energy• forms compounds such as cholesterol• Used by fat soluble vitamins• makes things taste YUMMY

Lipids and Fatty Acids

• Lipids that are solid at room temperature are referred to as fats and lipids that are liquid at room temperature are referred to as oils.

Lipids• (fat) Molecules (triglycerides) that are broken

down into fatty acids (3 fatty acids held together by a molecule of glycerol).

• Found in meat, fish, and plants• Fat is digested in the stomach and the intestines to

smaller compounds. These compounds are repacked into structures called chylomicrons. These are transported to the bloodstream where they are later broken down by the liver.

• Highly digestible (90% or more)• Energy dense (8.5kcal/g)

Fat Facts

• Fats are water insoluble• Mammals cannot synthesize essential fatty

acids; therefore fatty acids must be obtained from food.

• Fats are stored as fat (adipose tissue) when fed in excess of requirement

• Low requirement 5% • Fat is catabolized when the body needs

energy

Fatty Acids• Higher demand during growth, gestation, lactation, and

exercise• Excess fatty acids = obesity• Essential and Non-essential• Long chain fatty acids are most common• Saturated and unsaturated (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated)

Fatty Acids

Omega 6 - essential

Linoleic Acid• Deficiency leads to poor hair

coat, skin infections, weight loss, and decreased immunity

Arachidonic Acid• Only found in animal sources• Non-essential in dogs• Cats must have in diet or will

lead to impaired reproduction and growth- true carnivores

Omega 3 – essential

Alpha-linoleic• Provided in pet food in the

form of fish or fish oil• Important for retinal and

nervous system development in young animals. cognitive function

• Reduce inflammation

Omega 6 breaks down into AA.

Omega 3