Nutritional Disorders

  1. Colic
    1. Symptoms

                                                               i.      acute abdominal pain (distention of the stomach or intestines)

                                                             ii.      sweating

                                                            iii.      kicking & rolling

    1. Etiology

                                                               i.      Excessive gas production (fermentation)

                                                             ii.      Impaction (blockage)

                                                            iii.      Most associated with poor management

                                                           iv.      Overfeeding, irregular feeding, watering, etc.

    1. Prevention

                                                               i.      Proper management

    1. Treatment

                                                               i.      gastric tube to releive stomach problem

                                                             ii.      mild impactions dispersed with mineral oil (2-4 L by stomach tube)

                                                            iii.      MgSO4 (.5 to 1 g/kg by tube) acts as osmotic purative

                                                           iv.      Surgery

 

  1. Laminitis (founder)
    1. Symptoms

                                                               i.      lameness, especially in fore feet

                                                             ii.      inflammation of the laminae (see Cheeke pg 417 picture)

1.      Laminae are leaf like structures that support the coffin bone

2.      with inflammation, swelling occurs causing decreased blood flow

                                                            iii.      acute = visibly sick, sweating, hoof is hot

                                                           iv.      chronic = deep vertical cracks in hoof & heavy horizontal ridging; hoof is dry and brittle

    1. Etiology

                                                               i.      ingestion of excessive CHO's (grazing of lush pastures, grain)

1.      lactic acid, and bacterial toxins are produced in cecum

a.       lactic acid is absorbed causing a ↓ in blood pH, electrolyte balance, hemoconcentration, and arterial hypertension

b.      Bacterial toxins (lipopolysaccharide-amino acid complexes) are in the cell wall of several gram negative bacteria.  The ↓ in cecal pH causes these bacteria to die and lyse.  These toxins are absorbed because of the ↓ in blood and cecal pH.  These toxins impair the circulatory function in the hoof.

c.       Normally, lactic acid is poorly absorbed in the cecum; however, when excessive amounts of lactic acid are present, damage to the cecal lining allows lactic acid to be absorbed.

                                                             ii.      excessive exercise in unfit horse

                                                            iii.      ischemia in the hoof

    1. Prevention

                                                               i.      adequate ration & good management

    1. Treatment

                                                               i.      in grain overload, oral administeration of 1 gal. mineral oil, flush toxicants

                                                             ii.      temperature (cold packs or hot packs) early, may be beneficial

 

  1. Azoturia (tying-up, carding-up) (Mon. Morning sickness)
    1. Symptoms

                                                               i.      excessive sweating & rapid pulse

                                                             ii.      stifness in gait

                                                            iii.      myoglobinuria (dark-urine) coffee (CPK, Alk-P)

    1. Etiology

                                                               i.      unknown

                                                             ii.      related to total feed energy

    1. Prevention

                                                               i.      exercies routinely

                                                             ii.      reduce feed when idle

    1. Treatment

                                                               i.      keep as quiet as possible

                                                             ii.      Se-Vit. E appear to give favorable results

                                                            iii.      ?? (current research)

 

  1. Heaves
    1. Symptoms

                                                               i.      coughing & difficult breathing

                                                             ii.      rapid inspiration and forced expiration

    1. Etiology

                                                               i.      dusty, moldy hays

                                                             ii.      overdistended alveoli

    1. Prevention

                                                               i.      good, clean feed

    1. Treatment

                                                               i.      treatment is palliative

 

  1. Rickets
    1. Symptoms

                                                               i.      enlargement of the ends of the long bones

    1. Etiology

                                                               i.      Ca, P and/or Vit. D imbalance

    1. Prevention & Treatment

                                                               i.      proper amounts of Ca and P

 

  1. Urinary Calculi (water belly)
    1. Symptoms

                                                               i.      frequent attempts to urinate

                                                             ii.      urine may be bloody

    1. Etiology

                                                               i.      unkown

                                                             ii.      urine is characteristically alkaline

    1. Prevention

                                                               i.      proper mineral nutrition

    1. Treatment

                                                               i.      severe cases, surgery

FEEDING DOGS & CATS

I.                    General

A.     Plenty of high quality , commercially produced diets are available

B.     Variation in the size of dogs make it extremely difficult to make accurate recommendations

C.     Dogs & cats are carnivores (order Carnivora)

1.      In the wild cats are strict carnivore

2.      Dogs are more omnivorous

3.      Both can utilize vegetable and cereal products when processed and used in proper combinations

II.                 Water

A.     Clean water should always be provided except when:

1.      Profuse vomiting is occurring

2.      Waking up from general anesthesia

B.     Water may be drunk, or present in the food

1.      When consuming canned food, pets may not drink as much water

C.     A Resting dog or cat (no temperature/humidity, lactation, growth or disease stress)  ie. maintenance requires approximately 1 mL water per kcal of ME in the diet per day

D.     Volunteer water intake is usually 2 to 3 times the amount of DM consumed

1.      Dogs meet 25% of water requirements form drinking

2.      Cats meet 10% of their requirements from drinking water

E.      Increase in water requirement:

1.      Marked increase in water requirement can result from exercise, fever, diarrhea, increased salt intake, diabetes.

2.      During lactation, hot weather, or severe exertion, water intake may reach 5 times the DM intake

F.      Decrease Water intake:  May result from:

1.      water being too hot or cold

2.      poor availability

3.      poor quality