1. Digestive Tract:
Know the basic components:
Mouth, teeth, tongue, pharynx, epiglottis etc including medical terms
Esophagus, cardiac sphincter, stomach (including fundus, body and antrum and pyloric sphincter)
Small intestine (know the three parts) this is where nutrients are absorbed.
Pancreas is an accessory digestive gland. Know what exocrine and endocrine mean
Cecum, this is where the small and large intestine meet
Large intestine. Water regulation and waste receptacle.
Liver, this is where nutrients go to be converted into useable energy
rectum, and anus,

2. Companion Animal Clinical Nutrition
J. Melendez/2008

3. Medical Terminology Nutrition Nutrient Clinical Nutrition Digestible
Bioavailable
Depolymerize
Energy
Gluconeogenesis
Cognitive
Obesity
Soluble
Antioxidant
Monosaccharide
Catabolism
Anabolism

4. Nutrition
Nutrition is the science of the interaction of a nutrient with some part of a living organism to promote some kind of optimal performance and or function.
It is the mechanical and chemical processes of digestion and absorption of ingested nutrients.

5. Terminology
Nutrient: Is any constituent of food that is ingested to support life.
Clinical Nutrition: is the application of nutrition pertaining to actual observations and treatment of patients.
Digestible: the proportion of nutrients available for absorption from the gastro-intestinal tract.
Bioavailable: the amount of a nutrient absorbed from the GI into the bloodstream in a form that the body can use.

6. What does this mean to you?
It is your responsibility as veterinary technicians to educate clients about proper nutrition, frequency of feedings, what brands of food are better than others, and discussing weight management regimens.

7. Nutritional Research
Has greatly enhanced our understanding of what companion animals require in a balanced diet.
Commercial diets are now formulated to help prevent nutritional deficiencies, boost the immune system, improve cognitive health, and help slow the aging process.

8. Nutritional Support
In times of illness and injury, nutritional support is of great importance as the animal will be dependent upon you for it’s nutritional intake.
Failure to recognize or address a patient’s metabolic needs may have negative consequences and may adversely affect patient outcome.

9. Overview of Nutritional Objectives and Principals
Our overall goal for companion animals is to maximize the length and quality of the animal’s life by reducing nutritional risk factors. We do this by feeding the proper food for each life stage requirement of the animal.

10. Whereas in food animals, our main goal is to encourage weight gain rapidly and not necessarily focus on longevity.

11. Requirements for Maintenance
Nutrients that prevent any loss or gain in body weight. These balanced nutrients provide the following:
Heat to maintain body temperature
Energy for internal work (heart rate and respiration)
Energy for minimal movement
Energy/nutrients for repair of body tissues

12. Influences on Maintenance Requirements
There are numerous influences on maintenance requirements. These influences are broken down into two categories:
External Factors
Internal Factors

13. External Factors
Activity
Weather
Health
Stress

14. Internal Factors
Body size: small toy breeds required a lower daily requirement than giant breeds
Age: young animals consume more per unit of body weight and utilize nutrients more efficiently. Young animals require more vitamins, minerals, protein and energy and are more susceptible to nutritional deficiencies.

15. Continue: Internal Factors
Temperament: nervous, active breeds have higher nutritional requirement.
Productivity: the “couch potato” requires less than the working dog.
Lactation: the animal’s requirements do not increase until late gestation (gestation lasts days) animals should be fed maintenance levels during the first part of gestation. This will prevent un-required weight gain which can predispose them to dystocias (difficult to impossible deliveries) or musculoskeletal problems.

16. Species also plays a role

17. These are the Six basic classes of nutrients that are important for life sustenance.
Non-energy producing
Producing components

18. Energy Producing nutrients
Carbohydrates: broken down into simple sugars
Fats: broken down into triglycerides
Protein: broken down into amino acids

19. Non-Energy Producing Nutrients
Water
Vitamins
Minerals