Nutrition, Labels, and Diets PDF

NUTRITION LA BE LS, NUT RI TI ONA L RE QU I RE ME NTS, PR ESC RI PT IO N DI ET S WHO PLAYS A ROLE IN THE SAFETY OF ANIMAL FEED? AAFCO – Association of American Feed Control Officials – Sets standards for pet foods in the United States PFI – Pet Food Institute...

NUTRITION LA BE LS, NUT RI TI ONA L RE QU I RE ME NTS, PR ESC RI PT IO N DI ET S WHO PLAYS A ROLE IN THE SAFETY OF ANIMAL FEED? AAFCO – Association of American Feed Control Officials – Sets standards for pet foods in the United States PFI – Pet Food Institute – 95% of pet food companies in the USA are members – Represents companies before congress and sponsors food research FDA – Evaluates any claim of treatment of a disease by a pet food manufacturer  READING THE LABEL AAFCO statement – Validation of nutritional adequacy Name & address of manufacturer/distributor Ingredients raw materials used in the food; chicken, corn, etc. Guaranteed Analysis Nutrition facts Min (protein and fat) and max (fiber and moisture) % of nutrients in final product – Products not intended to provide these components are exempt from this requirement  WHAT IS A NUTRITIONAL ADEQUACY STATEMENT? A statement that indicates a food is complete and balanced for a certain life stage. Ex: "ABC Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for growth.” Keyword is formulated Based on a calculation Don’t know about bioavailability, digestibility of nutrients  UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT NUTRITIONAL ADEQUACY STATEMENTS Ex: "Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that ABC Dog Food provides complete and balanced nutrition for growth." Complete diet - contains all nutrients needed in a bioavailable form Balanced diet- nutrient amounts are in correct proportion to calories The food must meet one of the food nutrient profiles established by AAFCO or pass an AAFCO feeding trial COMPONENTS OF A LABEL  PET FOOD LABEL TERMINOLOGY Food labeled as “Premium”, “Super Premium”, “Gourmet” are not required to contain any different or higher quality ingredients, nor are they held to any higher nutritional standard. AAFCO’s definition of natural… – Natural ingredients cannot be produced by or subjected to chemically synthetic processes or contain any chemically synthetic additives/processing aids – Derived from plant, animal, or mined sources The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet defined natural in relation to human food labeling. Instead, it relies on the federal requirement that labeling must not be false or misleading. “Natural” is not the same as “organic”.  ORGANIC FOODS Per AAFCO, organic animal feed meets production and handling requirements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP). – Per NOP, organic crops must be grown on land free from synthetic pesticides for three years. Organic livestock eats organic feed, does not receive antibiotics or growth hormones, and has access to the outdoors. – Certified organic foods will display a USDA organic seal and must be made of at least 95% organic ingredients. It must be noted that the USDA does not consider organic foods to be necessarily safer, healthier or more nutritious than conventionally-produced foods. NOP oversight simply assures that people who wish to purchase organic foods are getting what they paid for. – Four levels of organic foods 100% Organic: This means every ingredient on the label is organic. Organic: If a label says “organic,” it means 95 percent of the ingredients are organic. Made with Organic: Labels that say “made with organic” mean 70 to 95 percent of the ingredients are organic. Less than 70% Organic: This statement means 30 percent or more of the ingredients are not organic.  CHOOSING PET FOOD National name brands usually more consistent Choose food intended for the pet’s species and life stage Large Breed Puppy Food Senior Cat Food Prefer dry or canned; semi-moist products have high sugar content On a calorie per dollar basis, dry foods are about 1/3 cheaper.  ALTERNATIVE DIETS Some clients prefer not to use commercial foods Need to research carefully to be sure recipe provides adequate nutrition Some ingredients may be hard to find Time consuming; increased cost Homemade Diets Raw Food Diets raw meat and bones; raw vegetables no grains (wheat, corn, rice, etc) risk of food borne pathogens Takes a lot of time to assess a diet- some practices offer this as an additional service  SUPPLEMENTS & NUTRACEUTICALS Vitamin & Mineral supplements – Not necessary if using good quality diet – Choose balanced supplement Nutraceutical – any product derived from food sources that provides extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods. Ex. Fish oils, probiotics – Nutraceuticals are not subject to the same testing and regulations as pharmaceutical drugs. – Clients should seek the advice of a veterinarian prior to giving their pets any nutraceuticals  CALORIE REQUIREMENTS 1 kcal = 1000 (small) calories = 1 (large/food) Calorie Resting Energy Requirement (RER) = 70 (wt in kg)^0.75 Maintenance (Daily) Energy Requirement (MER) = multiplier x RER – Multipliers Neutered = 1.6 Intact = 1.8 Weight loss = 1 Weight gain = 1.2 - 1.8 Growth 4mos = 2 Active, working dogs = 2-5 Nursing females = 2 – 4 – Inactive pets such as a senior or disabled pet only need 80% of their MER – Individual pet needs will vary with time and circumstance – These multipliers are starting points CALORIE VARIATIONS IN BRANDS OF DRY DOG FOOD Dog Food Kcal/cup Iams Chunks 381 Hill's Science Diet: Nature's Best With Real Beef Adult Dog 367 Nature's Recipe: Adult Maintenance Lamb Meal & Rice 300 Nutro Max Adult Dog Food 380 Pedigree Complete Nutrition: Small or Large Crunchy Bites 290 Pro Plan: Large Breed Chicken & Rice Formula Adult Dogs 397 Pro Plan: Small Breed Chicken & Rice Formula Adult Dogs 460 Purina Dog Chow (Nutritional Excellence Formula) 433 Purina Fit & Trim 320 Purina Beneful 322 FEEDING PUPPIES & KITTENS Food formulated for puppies or for kittens 4x daily from weaning to 10 weeks 3x daily from 10-16 weeks 2x daily from 16 weeks and up May start with feeding guidelines on label, increase or decrease quantity as needed Free choice feeding often leads to obesity Don't leave canned or moistened food out more than 30 minutes - risk of food poisoning  FEEDING PUPPIES Toy breeds at risk for hypoglycemia; feed more frequently 6x daily up to 8 weeks 4x daily up to 14 weeks 3x daily up to 20 weeks Large breed puppy food if over 55 lbs as adults If choose to give vitamin/mineral supplement, be sure to use a balanced product  FEEDING ADULT DOGS & CATS Food formulated for adults; feed 2x daily More frequent feedings in pregnant or nursing animals Working dogs need frequent feeding Large or deep chested breeds at risk for gastric torsion; limit exercise for 1 hour after eating Fresh clean water available at all times “EVERY PET. EVERY TIME.” AAHA recommendation Assess nutritional status on every visit Provide dietary recommendation on every visit ~56% of dogs and 60% of cats, in the U.S., are overweight or obese – Most common malnutrition is obesity due to overfeeding  FACTORS AFFECTING NUTRITION Animal Specific Factors – Species, age, activity level, disease condition Diet Specific Factors – Proper formulation for pet, nutritional quality, type (dry, canned), freshness Feeding Management/Environmental Factors – Frequency, time of feeding, location of feeding, other pets – Microchip pet feeders are helpful See link in comments section of this slide NUTRITIONAL HISTORY Signalment – Species – Age – Sex Intact vs. sterilized – Breed What does your pet eat in a 24hr period? What is your pet’s regular diet? How often do you feed? How much do you give for each meal? Does he get any snacks or treats? Do you give any vitamins or other dietary supplements? Have there been any changes in diet recently? Has there been a change in appetite? GENERAL HX FOR NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT What is pet’s activity level? Exercise? – Indoor/ outdoor; fenced yard, free roaming, leashed Are there other pets in household? Medical/ Surgical/ Reproductive/ Trauma hx Systems Review – GI problems – Dental conditions – Skin conditions  WEIGHT & BODY CONDITION SCORING Record weight on each patient visit Use standard BCS system to assess body condition – BFI is up and coming Note muscle condition also – No standardized system available  NUTRITION IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS Monitor weight, fluid intake, food intake daily Increase food intake by – Offering familiar food, favorite foods, variety – Warming food, owner offering food – Syringe feeding Feeding tube if not eating for 3-5 days Parenteral feeding (IV) in intensive care patients  PRESCRIPTION DIETS Part of the treatment plan for a medical condition Prescribed by veterinarian, not OTC Specific formulations designed for specific conditions Become familiar with the products used in the practice where you work Be sure client understands why the diet has been prescribed and provide specific feeding instructions and scoop  RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLIENTS Feed quality pet food Guidelines for amount to feed Guidelines for feeding frequency Guidelines for snacks Don't forget plenty of fresh water! HILL’S PRESCRIPTION DIETS a/d – recovery diet for sick or hospitalized pets – High fat, High palatability – Canned only c/d – reduces struvite crystal/stone formation – Promotes acidic urine pH (6.2-6.4) – Canned and dry i/d low fat GI restore – manages complex GI disorders such as pancreatitis – High omega 3 fatty acids, prebiotic supports growth of beneficial bacteria, low in fat – Canned and dry j/d – manages arthritis/mobility issues – High in fatty acids, glucosamine chondroitin added – Canned and dry m/d – Diabetes mellitus and obesity – Low calorie, low carb, high fiber, high protein, high L-Carnitine – Canned and dry, Cats only HILL’S PRESCRIPTION DIETS CO NTI NUE D t/d – oral health – Fiber matrix scrubs tooth surface – Dry only w/d – weight mgmt, GI disorders, Diabetes mellitus, urolithiasis – High fiber – Canned and dry y/d – feline hyperthyroidism – Restores thyroid health in 3wks – Must be sole source of nutrition – No medication needed – Limited levels of iodine to reduce T4 hormone production z/d ultra – food allergies and GI disorders – Hydrolyzed protein system to reduce adverse reaction to food Highly digestible proteins, carbs, and fats No animal proteins – Helps with IBD – Food allergies can present as chronic dermatitis or otitis externa – Canned and dry HILL’S SCIENCE DIET Non-prescription wellness diets Some have similar purposes as the prescription diets ROYAL CANIN DIETS Breed specific diets Prescription diets similar to Hill’s Wellness diets PURINA DIETS DM – diabetic mgmt – Cats only – High protein, low carbs, high Vitamin E – Canned and dry EN – gastroenteric formula – Highly digestible, moderate fat, low fiber, increased antixodants E & C – Canned and dry OM – overweight mgmt – Low fat/calorie, high protein/fiber – Canned and dry NF – Kidney function – Low phos, protein, Na – Target urine pH 6.7-7.5 – Canned and dry PURINA DIETS Offer many product lines OTC FortiFlora – Probiotic supplement – Promotes intestinal health and balance and a healthy immune system – High levels of antioxidants – Contains live active cultures – Use with boarding, diet change, soft stools, antibiotic therapy, weakened immune system due to vaccines/treatment – Dogs and cats – Powder sprinkled on food – Great palatability