VIII. Minerals

A. Calcium and Phosphorus

1. The proper ratio is 1.2:1

2. Young and old dogs and cats need more of these minerals

3. Calcium sources are bone meal, skim milk, alfalfa leaf meal

4. Phosphorus sources are bone meal and meat scraps

5. Appropriate Vit. D is needed

B. Magnesium

1. Deficiency symptoms in Dogs are hyperirritability and convulsions (tetany)

2. Mg deficiency has not been reported in cats

3. Increase Mg in cat diets can lead to FUS (feline urologic syndrome)

a. Mg salt (struvite) precipitated into the urine to form urinary calculi

b. Obstruction of the urogenital tract (Urethra primarily) is seen

c. Castrated male cats are more susceptible

d. Increase Mg is NOT the ONLY factor

i Decreased water intake è concentrated urine

ii Meat diets produce acid urine, plant diet produce alkaline urine

iii Struvite is insoluble in pH ↑6.6 è precipitates out to form calculi

iv è diets with minimal meat and added grain products predispose cats to FUS

C. Sulfur, Sodium, Chlorine, Potassium

1. Not normally a problem

D. Iron

1. Does no need to be supplemented if meat products are in the diet

2. If strict vegetarian diet, Fe needs to be added

E. Trace Minerals

1. Usually not a problem

IX. Vitamins

A. Requiremetns of Dogs and Cats are not well known

B. The average well-balanced commercially available food has sufficient amounts

C. Increased stress, exercise, etc. may increase water soluble vitamin needs

D. Cats require up to 5 times the amount of B vitamins than dogs

E. Vitamin A

1. Deficiency in dogs can cause deafness

2. Cats can not synthesize vitamin A from beta-carotene

a. Need preformed Vit. A in diet, animal sources

i Liver, cod liver oil, retinyl acetate or palmitate

F. Vitamin D

1. Diets can contain ergosterol (D₂) or calciferol (D₃)

2. Calciferol is more effective in dogs and cats than ergosterol

3. Large Dogs (German Shepherd, Labradors, etc.) are more predisposed to

a. rickets and osteomalacia

b. irregular development of teeth, delayed eruption patterns

G. Vitamin E

1. Deficiency in cats can cause steatites (yellow fat disease)

H. Vitamin K

1. Most common needs above their ability to produce vit. K in the liver are for rodent poisoning

I. B vitamins

1. Most are met, if deficiency occurs it is as with any animal species

2. Niacin in cereal grains is usually bound, and there fore needs to be supplied form other sources

a. Dogs can synthesize niacin from tryptophan

b. Cats can not synthesize niacin from tryptophan

3. Cyanocobalamine (B₁₂)

a. Needed for red blood cell formation (carry O₂ in the blood to lungs)

b. Dogs undergoing training may need additional cobalamiane

i Sources are liver, milk, cheese, eggs, lean meat

X. Feeding

A. Three Methods (All 3 have an appropriate time for using)

1. Free-choice

a. Most dogs consume 10 to 13 meals per day

b. Most of these “meals” are consumed at night (nocturnal animals in the wild)

2. Restricted - by time

3. Restricted - by meal

B. Orphans

1. Homemade milk-replacers

a. 8 oz. fresh whole cow's milk

b. + 1 egg yolk

c. + 1 drop multiple infant vitamins

d. + 2 tsp. corn oil

e. + 2 - 3 drops cod liver oil

2. Commercial milk replacers

3. Feed 3-4 times/day, abdomen should be slightly enlarged but NOT over-distended

4. Mix up enough for 48 hours at a time

a. Divide into feeding proportions and store in refrigerator

b. Warm to ~ 100^oF before feeding

5. Feed with bottle or stomach tube

a. tube preferred (syringe + rubber tube - length from tip of nose to last rib)

XI. Nutritional Problems

A. Obesity

1. Most common nutritional disorder

a. 10 to 15% overweight

2. More common in female than males, except prevalent in neutered animals

a. Domestic shorthair cats are more obese than others

3. General health and longevity is impaired

a. Locomotion problems

b. Respiratory difficulty

c. Cardiovascular disease

d. Hypertension

e. Reduced hepatic function

f. Reduced heat tolerance

g. Increased susceptibility to viral and bacterial disease

h. Irritability

i. Dystocia

j. Dermatoses

k. Constipation and flatulence

l. Bone & joint problems

m. Diabetes mellitus

4. Causes

a. Over-feeding and(or) access to very palatable and high energy diets

i Treat them like people

ii Feeding several times per day (regardless of their needs)

iii Interpreting hunger and eating as a sign of health

iv Guilty feelings (left alone all day)

v Ignoring calories from snacks, treats, table scarps, etc.

b. Inactivity

c. Animals fed together consume more than single animals (competition)

d. Pets are often rewarded for eating (by treats)

i Pets then are trained that eating pleases the owner

ii The cycle continues

5. Methods to manage obesity

a. Surgery – no value

b. Pharmacological – no value

c. Psychological – teach all people the need for weight loss

d. Exercise – increases energy expenditure, and also reduced appetite (??)

e. Diet

i Decrease commercial diet to 50% of maintenance of the obese weight

ii Feed 60% for dogs and 66% for cats of the recommended amount for the optimum weight

iii Feed a nutritionally complete reducing diet

(i) High fiber, low calorie

iv Feed at least 3 times per day, with the amount fed restricted to the feeding times

v Keep palatable water available at all times

vi Exclude snacks, treats, table scraps, etc.

vii Avoid fasting or starvation for quick weight reduction

6. When optimum weight is achieved

a. Continue on reducing diet (free choice) OR Place on maintenance diet

b. Monitor weight monthly

c. Reduce amount of diet fed in 10% increments if weight gain is detected

B. Malnutrition in the Cat - from continuous feeding of dog food

1. Cat's requirements are different

a. higher protein requirement

b. need arginine

c. need taurine

d. need preformed vit. A

e. need niacin (not rely on conversion from tryptophan – can not)

f. need arachidonic acid