Diet and Nutrition Complete diets Cost Allergies Quality ingredients Weight management Special needs

Nutrients Plants are composed primarily of fibrous carbohydrates, and store most of their reserve food as starch Animals consist mostly of proteins and lipids, and store most of their reserve food as as fat

Water Animals have three sources of water: – Water which they drink – Water ingested as a component of food and other drinks – Metabolic water, which is derived from the digestive breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Metabolic water is the primary source of water for animals during hibernation

Water Water has many functions: – Transports nutrients throughout the body – Used in most biochemical reactions – Helps regulate body temperature – Elimination of body wastes – Constituent of the synovial fluid that lubricates joints Animals will die more rapidly from lack of water than from lack of any other dietary substance

Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are the major energy storage and structural constituent of plants They include: – Monosaccharides – Disaccharides – Oligosaccharides – Polysaccharides Plant polysaccharides, starch and fiber are the principal carbohydrate constituents in manufactured petfoods

Carbohydrates Major source of energy utilized for many body functions Essential for the metabolism of other nutrients

Carbohydrates Monosaccharides – Simple sugars that can be absorbed directly from the gastrointestinal tract include: Glucose – Principal carbohydrate used for energy – End-product of starch Fructose – Found in honey, fruits, and some vegetables Galactose – Derived from the digestion of lactose

Carbohydrates Disaccharides – Two monosaccharide units linked together Sucrose (table sugar) – Composed of one molecule of glucose linked with one of fructose Lactose (milk sugar) – Composed of a molecule of glucose linked to a molecule of galactose

Carbohydrates Disaccharides – Digestion requires the enzymes sucrase and lactase Young animals have high levels of lactase and low levels of sucrase and thus should not be fed formulas containing table sugar during the first few weeks of life

Carbohydrates Galactooligosaccharides – Short chains of galactose and are found in soybeans – Partially digested portion promotes the growth of beneficial colonic bacteria Polysaccharides – Long complex chains of monosaccharide units linked Primary types: – Starch » composed of soluble “alpha” monosaccharide – Fiber » composed of insoluble “beta” monosaccharide units

Fats Dietary fat – Concentrated source of energy, essential fatty acids and Fat-soluble vitamins – Enhances palatability and gives desirable texture

Fats Lipids – Oils High percentage of short- chain or unsaturated fatty acids are liquid at room temperature – Fats High percentage of saturated fatty acids and longer-chained fatty acids are solids at room temperature

Fats Fatty acids – Classified by size and number of double bonds Saturated – No double bonds Monounsaturated – One double Polyunsaturated – More than one double bond

Fats Most commercial dry dog foods for adult maintenance contain 5% to 10% fat Poultry is the most common source of fat used in dog and cat foods, although beef and pork lard are also used Corn, soybean, and safflower oils are the most commonly used vegetable fats in petfoods Fish oils and flaxseed are rich in omega-3 fatty acids

Fats Dogs are more efficient than cats in digesting fats Excess dietary fat may promote obesity Overweight cats are more likely to develop diabetes mellitus, experience lameness, have skin disorders, and have a shorter life expectancy

Protein Protein constitutes nearly 50% of the dry matter of an animal’s body Composed of amino acids attached to each other by peptide bonds amino acids are important as structural components of body tissues

Protein 10 a.a. cannot be synthesized and are dietary essentials (PVT TIM HALL) – Phenylalanine – Valine – Threonine – Methionine – Arginine –Tryptophan –Histidine –Isoleucine –Leucine –Lysine

Protein Taurine (not a true a.a) – Roles in feline reproduction, bile acid conjugation, retinal function (vision), and normal function of the myocardium – Cats cannot synthesize taurine and require a continual dietary source – Present only in animal tissues – Signs of taurine deficiency: central retinal degeneration (resulting in blindness) dilated cardiomyopathy (heart failure)

Protein Structural and functional roles proteins play in dogs and cats include: – Growth – Tissue and cellular repair – Enzymes – Hormones – Antibodies – Carrier proteins – Sources of energy

Protein Symptoms of advanced protein deficiency include: – Decreased food intake – Growth inhibition and/or weight loss – Lowered levels of blood proteins – Muscular wasting – Emaciation – Death

Protein Physiologic states requiring protein intake above that needed for maintenance – Growth – Pregnancy – Lactation – Geriatric Age

Protein Protein is the most expensive major component of companion animal diets. – Raw materials of animal origin not suitable for human consumption constitutes used in formulating petfoods – Animal meats are by-products Meat-packing Poultry-processing Fish-canning industries – Important sources of high-quality protein, energy, and minerals.

Protein Plant proteins have been a reliable source of nutrients in petfoods for decades. – Soybean meal is the most common plant protein used in dog diets. – Most other cereal proteins are low in the amino acids lysine, methionine, leucine, and tryptophan. Animal proteins are preferred in companion animal diets, especially those of cats