Pet Animal Nutrition

Energy: Protein, Fat & Carbohydrate are necessary substrates for production of energy in body for various metabolic r  and to provide body heat. 

Measuring Energy: 

1. Gross Energy: Total energy content of food is measured by bomb calorimetry.

2. DE = GE – FE

3. ME = DE – Urinary E

Influences on caloric requirement: 

1. Physiological State: - Relative to adult dog a growing up pup requires as much as 2-4 times more energy per pound body weight.

·         As pup approaches adult food caloric required for maintenance are reduced.

·         For reproducing female caloric requirement at end of gastation and during early lactation can be 2-4 times greater than that of adult maintenance requirement. 

2. Breed Differences: - Small breed dogs grow to a mature weight which is upto 30 times greater than birth weight.

    

   • Small breed dog category include mature wt less than 20 pounds
• Medium breed dog – 20-50 pounds
• Large breed dog – 50-100 pounds
• Giant breed dog – above 100 pounds
• Large, fast growing dog breed require less per pound food of body weight than small breed.
• To relate energy need to body size, energy standards for dog are usually established by body weight.
• Individual animal can vary diet according to their body weight or these standards.
• Dog, mature less than 20 pounds, requires approximately 50 Kcal ME/lb of body weight/day
• Dog mature below 20-50 lb requires approximately 30-40 cal ME/lb/day
• Dog mature greater than 50 lb requires 20-30 cal ME/lb/day

3. Enviornment & Activity: -

·         During hot weather energy need decreases and less food required.

·         During cold weather energy need increases and more food required to maintain body temperature.

·         During seasons of conditioning and hard work, individual dogs energy requirement will be more than maintenance. 

·         Hard working dog requires more energy / lb body weight during when they are training or working. 

·         Hard working dog includes – hunting dog, racing dog, sheep heirding dogs. 

·         Feeding increases calorie, nut dense food to dogs when they are not training or working could contribute excessive weight gain unless appropriate adjustment is done in ant of feed. 

·         Growing puppy require 2 times as much energy / unit body weight as adult dog of some breed. 

·         The newly weaned (4-6 weeks) dog can readily adopt to their level feeding particularly when food offered in multiple meals. However, on decreasing to 1.6 times maintenance is recommended when 40% of adult body weight is achieved and 1-2 times maintenance when 80% of adult weight is reached. This reduction compensates for decline in energy from weaning to adult age. 

·         Excessive nut intake from weaning to adolesence is incompetible with proper skelatal development because of maximum growth rates. 

·         Energy requirement of normal pregnant bitch are only slightly more than its maintenance requirement for first 2/3^rd of gastation. During last triamerter energy requirements may increase to as much as 150 –160 % of preconception values. 

·         Energy requirement during lactation increases greatly and are influenced by size of litter 

·         Bitches are with large litters require 3 or more time of maintenance energy. So foods of high nutrient are recommended for feeding this time.

ME Requirement/day 

Maintenance     – 132 Kcal/kg

Growing           – 264 Kcal/kg

Adolescence     – 200 Kcal/kg

Pregnancy        – 188 Kcal/kg

Lactation          – 470 Kcal/kg

Energy food requirements for dogs 

*Protein 

Essential nutrient serve functions in body like muscle growth tissue repair.

Enzyme, blood, immune function, hormone, energy.

Definition: - A group of amino acid linked to each other in different quantity and sequence.

*Precise combination of Amino Acid which is specific for protein of specific nature.

Dietary protein à Digested (Stomach, SI)à Free A.A. à absorbed in to blood stream à Distributed to cell of body utilized to build body protein.

20 A.A are present in nature and out of them 10 are essential for dog.

Essential Amino Acid: - Arginine, isoleucine, Lysine, Leucine, Histidine, Methionine, Tryptophan, Valine, Phenylalanine and Threonine.

Protein Requirement of Dogs: 

• Depends on life stage and activity of dog
• Pups require more dietary protein than adult
• Pups require – 20 – 25%
• Geriatric dogs require about 50% greater than younger adult dogs.

Protein Deficiency: 

Poor food intake, growth retardation, weight loss, subnormal concentration of body protein, muscle wasting, emaciation & death. 

In less severe deficiency – rough, dull hair coat, compromised function of immune system, poor milk production in reproducing bitches. 

Inadequate protein reserve: 

Appear healthy but susceptible to stresses and infection, susceptibility to toxic compound or cancer causing agents. 

During stress protein requirement increases. 

eg. dog 1600 kcal/lb of food atleast 21% protein (dry type dog food) recommended for reproduction.  

Hardworking dogs require higher level of calorie and fat. As calorie level increase, protein content in diet increase. 

Weight reduction (low calorie) diets formulated for sedentary dogs contain low fat, decrease calorie and decrease protein level. Increase % of crude fibre. This diet is not appropriate for young, growing, pups, pregnant, nursing. 

Source:

Animal and Plants: Most protein contain inadequate amount of A.A (one or more) and properly utilize as a sole source of meeting protein need except milk and egg protein.

Eg: Soybean meal and corn supplement is perfect because of definition of one source compensated by other source.

Plant Protein: Properly processed and well balanced à good for all phases dog’s life.

Protein Digestibility:

Factors affecting

1. Level of protein

2. Protein digestibility / availability

eg. 21% with 85% digestibility == 23% protein with 78% digestibility

With protein level, quality control during processing of pet food is important.

Excessive Protein:

• Extra protein metabolized and used for energy

• Unlike fat, excess protein is not stored in body

• Once demand is filled, protein goes to fat production.

Deficiency :

Decrease appetite, poor growth, weight loss , rough and dull hair coat.

Decrease immune function and reproductive performance

Decrease milk production.

Protein requirement per day

For maintenance 4.8 g/kg body weight

For growth 9.6 g/kg body weight

Recommended minimum dietary level of nutrients for dog in 100 g DM in commercial pet food

Protein – For dog –22g / 100g DM

• Lysine is 1^st limiting A.A in canine diet and should be added as synthetic lysine or Soybean meal.

• Methionine, Threnine, Isoleucine may be limiting A.A depending on diet.

• Protein Supplements – Soybean meal, cornglutan meal, meat and bone meal, & poultry byproduct meal

Cereal Product – very low digestibility (50%)

Animal Protein – Egg, meat, milk (95%)

About 15% good quality protein on DM basis (3.5 –4.0 Mcal/Kg DM) is adequate for dog’s diet to take care of E.A.A.

Carbohydrate

• Sugar, starch and dietary fiber

• Sugar – simplest Carbohydrate early digest and absorb

• Starch (complex Carbohydrate) – combination of sugar in long chain

• Dietary fibre – Carbohydrate do not digest completely

• Carbohydrate supplied in diet by cereal grains and simple sugar like glucose, sucrose (“table sugar), lactose (milk sugar).

• Primary site of Carbohydrate digestion is SI where complex form à simpler form

• In dog, Carbohydrate broken down & absorbed as glucose as a normal source of energy.

• Excessive Carbohydrate à Stored as glycogen in liver and muscle

à Converted in fats

• During fasting, stress and exercise: glycogen à Glucose & delivered to blood stream.

Functions:

• Provide Energy
• Digested by enzyme in SI or gut and in dog provide 40 – 50% of total energy in diet.
• Carbohydrate make 40-55% of dry diets.

Source: 

• Cereals – corn, oat, wheat, rice, barley.
• Milling Product – Corn gluten meal, oat meal, wheat middling, rice hulls.
• Milk Products – Dried skim milk, dried whey

Fibers: 

• Complex Carbohydrate, not digestible in SI of dog

• Partially degraded by normal micro flora of LI.

• Fibres are – Cellulose, hemicelluloses, Lignine, Pectine, gums, waxes, mucilage. Increase fibre, stronger cell wall.

Functions:

• Swell H₂O, have high H₂O holding capacity. Influence rate of passage in GIT.

• Increase dietary bulk, cause stomach distension, cause animal to eat lesser calorie.

• Slowing stomach empting , decrease diarrhea, increase constipation.

• Protection Mechanism – fiber binds with some toxins and prevent their absorption.

Excessive dietary fibers:

Adverse effect as production of loose stool volume and frequency decrease dietary calorie density.

Diabetes Mellitus:

Diseases of Carbohydrate metabolism resulting from inadequate insulin secretion from pancreases.

Increase thirst, increase appetite, weakness, weight loss, increase urination.

Managed by insulin therapy regulation of food intake & exercise

Carbohydrate Metabolism:

• Dietary Carbohydrate                     simple Carbohydrate

• Carbohydrate not completely digested cause GIT upset, gas production, and diarrhea.

• Deficiency of lactase require to break lactose.

• Ability to digest depend upon activity B-galactosidase in intestine

• Reported in adult dog with intake greater than 0.6 – 1 g lactose/kg body weight/day equivalent to 10-20 ml of milk / kg body weight.

Bitch Milk – 3.2 % lactose

Queen Milk – 4.9% lactose

Optimum Crude Fiber 

• Typical Crude Fiber level range from 2.5 –5%

• Level below 2.5% wd likely to impede normal bowel function.

• Recommended level of fibre

Dog - 3.5%

• Oat and Oat bran – Insoluble fibre

Soluble fibre à increase capacity to absorb H₂O à serve as source of ME (fermentation in colon)

• Short chain fatly acid, butyric acid – key source of energy for caloric epithelium

 Fat

• Concentrated from energy

• Compared to protein & Carbohydrate contain approx 2 ½ times the amount of energy /lb

• Dietary fat is made up of triglyceride.

• Fatly acid classified on basis of

1)      Length of chain

2)      Presence or absence of double bond

3)      No of double bond

4)      Position of double bond

5)      Melting point

• Saturated fats are solids but unsaturated fats are liquid in room temperature

• Fat digestion is more complex than Carbohydrate or protein. Healthy dog can digest fat with great efficiency approx 90-95%.

Requirement:

Dogs – Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) – Linoleic acid only

• Linoleic acid is primarily req to maintain normal skin and skin conditions.

• Veg oils are most potent source of EFA for dogs.

• Increase palatability and improve texture of food when diet contains increase proportion of cereals.

• 2% fat in DM supply (EFA) but 10-15% fat in DM req to satisfy energy requirement of dog.

• Unsaturated veg oil is good source of EFA.

• Safflower oil, Soybean oil & corn oil are rich in Linoleic acid.

Function:

• Concentrated source of energy

1 lb ground corn approx 1585 calories

1 lb animal fat approx 4100 calories

• Supply EFA to dog to maintain skin health & hair coat.

• Carrier for fat-soluble vitamins.

• Contribute to palatability of pet food.

Excess Fat:

• Excess fat deposited in body with in adipose tissue or in other stores

• Excess fatty animals have more complication during surgery.

• Several disease conditions including orthopedic disease.

Deficiency Symptom:

• Dry and coarse hair coat & flaky, dry & thickened skin.

• Marginal deficiency of linoleic acid reduces rate of hair growth.

• Severe deficiency results in skin lesion, pores with oedematons oozing between toes.

• Adult dogs - redness of skin, alopecia, emaciation and excitability.

Fat Requirement / Day:

Maintenance: - 1.0 g/kg body weight

Growth: - 2.7 g/kg body weight 

AAFCO Food Nutrient Profile 

Water

• Most important nutrient

• Body of newborn pup contain 80% gradually decrease to 60% in adults

• Source – Drinking water, water in food, metabolic water.

• Requirement depends upon body weight, type of food, exercise and weather and amount of food taken.

• Help in maintaining body temperature and lubricant of tissue

• Present in blood and lymph

• Water loss by urine, faeces, sweat, respiration and panting in dog, saliva, nasal secretion

General guideline about requirement in 1 ml/Kcal of energy requirement

• 15 g H₂O produced for each 100 kcal energy metabolized.

• A dog consuming 2000 kcal metabolisable energy may generate 200 – 250 g of H₂O

Food and water consumption 

• Increase food intake, increase H₂O intake

• When H₂O content increase in diet animal drink less water

• In canned food 70 – 75% H₂O consuming animal will drink less H₂O than animal having 8-12% H₂O in food.

Minerals

Simple molecule than other nutrients – Simple Complex 

Functions: 

• Bone and cartilage formation

• Enzymatic ration

• Maintaining fluid balance

• Transportation of O2 in blood

• Normal muscle and nerve functions
• Production of hormone
• Interact in many aspects of body function and maintenance.
• Supplementation of any nutrient/mineral can create imbalance and disrupt animal health.
• Supplementation is also done to correct a specific deficiency due to a dog to utilize the normal level of a particular nutrient.
• Macro Minerals – Ca, P, Na, Cl, K, Mg, S
• Micro Minerals – Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Se, I etc.

Ca & P (Calcium & Phosphorus) :-           

• Essential mineral for dog and necessary for bone formation.

• Provide rigidity to bones and teeth, aid in blood coagulation.

• Controlling passage of fluids to cell wall and necessary for nerve excitability.

• More than 99% Ca and 80% P used for bone and teeth.

• Ca should be always higher. Its ratio may vary between 1.2: 1 to 2:1

• If P increases than Ca resorption from bone & nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism occur.

• Deficiency of Ca and P occur especially under 1 year age of pup. It may produce weakness and rickets.

• In addition to Ca and P bone contain Mg, Na, K, Cl, F and trace elements.

• Rickets found in young one/growing animal. This bone condition is associated with Ca, P or vitamin D deficiency.

• Average requirement of Ca and P in adult dog is 100 and 85 mg/kg respectively.

• Pregnant bitches may require 60% more Ca and P in 3^rd triamester.

• Lactating bitches require 3 times more for their maintenance.

• Nutrition of Ca have certain rules:

-Its level should not supply below 0.6% in diet (on DM basis)

-Ca level should not below P

-Ca level exceeded 1.8% (DM basis) in diet responsible for bone deformity.

-Dietary Ca beyond 4% will arrest growth of animal.

·         Utilization of P depends on presence of Ca, Fe, & Vit D level & availability of P from feed.

·         Sources of P are milk, meat, bone, inorganic soluble phosphate.

·         Cereal has less P.

·         Phytic acid present in wheat bran with interface Ca absorption.

·         Bone meat –good source of Ca

·         Dicalcium phosphate & defluorinated rock phosphates are good sources of Ca & P.

·          Availability of mineral increases with good quality and balanced diet.

eg: - Many puppies are fed a mixture of milk, baby cereals, vitamins, egg and/or meat prior to weaning. This diet is expensive, time consuming and not balance for rapid growth.

·         Excellent Ca : P ratio for Dog – 1.2 – 1.4: 1

·         Fish, meat and poultry are higher in P than Ca. Unbalanced diet may cause Eclampsia and Nutritional secondary Hyperparathyroidism.

Na & Cl (Sodium & Chloride):

·         Maintain balance between extracellular and intracellular fluid.

·         Na⁺ help in transfer of nutrients in cell.

·         Maintain water balance.

·         Cl^- require for production of HCl in GIT.

·         Common salt level should be 0.5 – 1% in dog’s diet.

·         Fresh meat and fish contain salt thus in these diet it is not required to mix.

Deficiency:

·         May cause fatigue, exhaustion, decrease water intake, decrease growth, dryness of skin and loss of hair.

·         Prolong deficiency may cause chronic diarrhea and vomiting in pets.

Toxicity:

·         In this, it is advised to drink more water.

K (Potassium) :-

·         K require for energy, muscle and nerve function. Helps in fluid balance.

·         Widely distributed in food stuffs.

·         A conc. 130 mg/kg diet (DM basis) for growth.

Deficiency:

·         Poor growth, restlessness, tendency to dehydration and muscular paralysis. Chronic diarrhea and vomition.

·         High K level in feed will cause an increament in Na excretion from body. Thus if Potatoes and tropoica is given in feed, Na level goes decreasing.

Mg (Magnesium):-

·         Require for development of bone & muscles.

·         It play key role in many energy rn in body.

·         Attributes of Mg are Ca, K, Na.

·         Increase Ca and P decreases the Mg absorption from GIT.

·         Dietary deficiency not occur in dog, having commercial pet food.

·         In diet, Mg level should be 2 ppm or (0.05 – 0.27)

·         Deficiency may cause flat feet and knuckled legs.

Fe (Iron):-

·         Animal body contain 0.04% Fe.

Function:- Formation of Hb (life span of RBC in dog 110 d)

                 Constituent of different O₂ carrier and energy

·         Primary absorbed from SI

·         Phytate in diet may cause decrease absorption.

·         Fe can absorb if Cu is deficit in diet, However Hb formation will not be so efficient. Small amount of Co is dietary essential for stimulating production of Hb.

·         Deficiency causes anaemia, decrease size of RBC. This will lead to decrease growth rate, weakness and increase susceptibility to stress and disease.

·         Nutritional deficiency may cause nutritional anaemia in nursing or suckling puppies.

·         Maternal diet deficient in Fe during gastation period may lead to deficiency of Fe in milk.

·         Excessive Fe in diet may interface with P absorption by forming insoluble phosphate.

Zn (Zinc):- 

·         Important for production of protein and functional immune system.

·         Enzyme System depend on Zn including enz with protect cell from oxidation.

·         In food stuff it is found as Zn – protein complex.

·         Phytate, Ca, and some fibre decrease availability of Zn in diet.

·         Absorbed in intestine only 5-40% of diet.

Deficiency: 

·         May cause scaly skin, alopecia, anorexia, disturbed growth and loss of body condition in dogs.  

·         It is called as Zn responsive canine dermatoses. 

·         Mainly, it is reported in puppies. 

·         Certain adult dogs of certain breeds can not metabolize dietary Zn. 

·         It is relatively non toxic but long term excess dietary Zn may decreases Cu absorption. 

Mn (Manganese):- 

·         Alloy used in steel industry for toughness and nutritionally essential. 

·         Found in body principally in liver but also present in kidney, pancrease and bone. Lowest conc. In muscle.

Function: 

·         Carbohydrate and protein metabolism 

·         Involve in reproduction 

·         Mn is activator of enzyme. System involved in energy production, fatty acid synthesis and A.A synthesis. 

·         Functions of Mn, Cu, Zn, and Fe may be interchangeable in enzyme. 

·         Excess Ca and P may in interfere in Mn absorption from gut. 

Cu (Copper): - 

·         Absorption in younger is greater (60 – 70%) than older ones (10 – 20%). 

·         Absorbed in stomach and SI of dog but stored in liver, kidney and brain. 

·         High level of phytate, Vit C, Ca, Fe, Zn, S, Cd, Ag, and Pb may reduce absorption. 

·         Important in formation of collagen and elastic tissue. 

·         Dev and maturation of RBC 

·         Antioxidant function. 

·         Provide pigments to wool and hair. 

·         Deficiency rarely seen in dog. 

·         Some breed of dog may show toxicity. 

·         Bedlington Terrier, West Highland Terrier and Doberman Pincher show genetic disorder due to Cu accumulation in liver. 

Se (Selenium): - 

·         Trace element with includes both O₂ and S.

·         Antioxidant with vitamin E. 

·         High protein plant best source (Fruits, vegetables, and meat) 

·         Deficiency rare in dogs. 

·         Toxicity rare but more than 2 ppm. in prolong diet may cause hair loss, weakness, roreness and anaemea.  

I (Iodine):- 

·         Only known role in production of thyroid hormones. 

·         Deficiency cause poor growth, hair loss, weight gain or extreme weakness, goiter, myxoedema and skeletal abnormalities. 

·         Pregnant bitches (deficient) may produce hair loss pups with elongated thyroid, anaemia and poor calcification of bones. 

Recommended Dietary Allowance in Dogs 

Vitamins  

Fat soluble – A, D, E, K

Water Soluble – B Complex and C 

·         Egg is excellent source of protein and vitamin but raw egg contains Avidin, which make unavailable to biotin. Symptoms: - Loss of hair and poor growth. 

·         Cod liver oil or wheat germ oil is good source of vitamin D and E. 

·         Cod liver oil supplies more vit – D than dog require thus prolong feeding may cause skeletal disorders and calcification of soft tissues. 

Fat Soluble Vitamins

Vit A:

• Require for normal vision, growth, immune function and reproduction. Dogs are able to utilize Vit A efficiently.

• In clinical cases vit A deficiency is uncommon in dogs.

• In commercial pet food supplementation is necessary.

• Vit A stored in liver. Requirement in dog 5000 IU/kg DM

• In pups deficiency cause faulty bone development.

Vit D:

• Help in mineralization of bone and increase absorption of Ca and P from intestine.

• Diet of young ones should be supplemented necessarily otherwise they are more prone and rickets.

Vit E:

• Tochopherol derived from Greek word child bearing refers to reproduction.

• Biological antioxidant – Vit E +Se+Cysteine.
• Found mostly in polyunsaturated fats and oil.

Vit K:

• Most common in diet containing green leaves and vegetables.

• Coagulating factor.

Vit C:

• Essential for human and guinea pigs

• Not essential for dogs diet

• Deficiency cause Scurvy

• 25-50 mg in dog below 25 Kg

• 50 –100 mg in dog heavier than 25 Kg

Vit B Complex:

• Not stored in body

• Deficiency extremely rare in dogs fed by commercial pet food.

Thiamine (Vit B1):

• Involve in Carbohydrate utilization and requirement increase with increase of Carbohydrate diet

• Thiamine – Heat liable vitamin
• Requirement – 20 –25 mg/Kg body weight for adult dog.

Riboflabin (Vit B2): 

• 45 mg/Kg body weight for adult dog.
• 95 –100 mg/Kg body weight for growing, pregnant, lactating dog.

Niacin (Vit B3):

• Adult dog - 25-mg/Kg body weight.
• Productive dog - 500-mg/Kg body weight.

Pyridoxine (Vit B6):

• Maintenance require for adult dog – 220 mg/ Kg body weight.
• Double for growing pregnant and lactating bitches.

Pantathronic Acid:

• Maintenance : 220 mg/Kg body weight.
• Production : 440 mg/Kg body weight.

Folic Acid:

• Adult dog - 4-mg/Kg body weight.
• Growing dog – 8-mg/Kg body weight.

Choline: 

• Controversial Vitamin

Cyanocobalamine (Vit B12): 

• Adult Dogs - Maintenance: 0.5 mg/Kg body weight.
• Production : 1.0 mg/Kg body weight.

AAFCO Dog food nutrient profile dog growth and Adult 

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