Small Animal Nutrition

Anatomy, Nutrition, and Immunity

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Recognise the anatomy and explain the functions of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Describe the rationale behind the physiology and biochemistry of digestion 
• Demonstrate your ability to evaluate the anatomy and physiology of the kidneys 
• Apply your knowledge of the roles of calcium and phosphorus in order to describe how their levels are regulated 
• State the main principles of anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry of the liver 
• Recognise the role of nutrition and Immunity 

Basic Nutrition and life-stage feeding of cats and dogs 

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Recognise the basic nutrients to better understand the principles of optimal nutrition 
• Develop your ability to recognise the signs of nutritional health in small animals  
• Explain how basic nutritional information can be used to determine energy requirements by completing calculations  
• List the different key nutritional requirements of dogs and cats 
• Paraphrase nutritional risk factor management in small animals 
• Describe the principles and practical aspects of life stage nutrition 

Small mammal nutrition 

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Demonstrate your knowledge of the anatomy of the digestive tract in rabbits, rodents,  ferrets, sugar gliders and small primates
• Paraphrase the principles of digestive tract physiology in small mammals 
• Recognise all of the common, and some of the uncommonly encountered exotic mammalian species (eg rabbits, rodents, ferrets, sugar gliders, small primates, etc), and be aware of their gastrointestinal anatomy and physiology, and dietary requirements.
• Describe how nutrition clinically affects relevant areas of other organ systems, and how to prevent this from occurring (e.g., calcium metabolism and the urinary tract in rabbits). 
• Be able to construct nutrition plans for small mammals, for both general supportive care, and for the prevention or management of specific diseases. 
• Discuss the importance of nurse clinics for the nutritional welfare of the most common small mammals kept as pets (e.g., Rabbits)

Balanced nutrition for birds and reptiles 

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Recognise representative species of broad taxonomic groups of avian and reptilian species seen in practice, including native wildlife. 
• Describe the anatomy of the digestive tract in a wide variety of birds: psittacines; raptors; wild UK birds and backyard chickens-
• Describe the anatomy of the digestive tract in reptiles such as terrestrial and freshwater Chelonia; snakes; representative species of commonly encountered lizard species (herbivore, omnivore, and carnivore) 
• Paraphrase the principles of digestive tract physiology in birds and reptiles 
• Develop your ability to understand the nutritional requirements of herbivorous, carnivorous, and omnivorous reptiles 
• Demonstrate your understanding of nutrition in birds and reptiles into decision making when selecting food to help maintain optimal nutritional status  
• Evaluate pet food products for birds and reptiles in relation to clinical disease 
• Describe how nutrition clinically affects relevant areas of other organ systems, and how to prevent this from occurring (e.g. calcium, phosphate, and Vitamin D metabolism in exotic avian and reptilian species). 
• Be able to construct nutrition plans for these species, for both general supportive care, and for the prevention or management of specific diseases. 

 Fashionable diets and impact of feeding behavior.

At the end of this lesson you should be able to:

• Develop an understanding of the effect of feeding on behavior in small animals 
• Describe the potential challenges associated with the feeding of raw meaty, vegetarian, and vegan diets in cats and dogs 
• Evaluate pet food choices, feeding trends, and types of pet food available 

Labeling and nutritional clinics 

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Demonstrate your knowledge of proximate analysis into your evaluation of pet food products 
• List types of pet food labeling and marketing concepts and demonstrate your ability to compare and contrast pet foods using nutritional data 
• Calculate the nutrient content of pet food and explain the principles of dietary management in cats and dogs affected by nutritionally responsive conditions.  
• List how modifying key nutritional factors in relation to the care of patients affected by common clinical conditions aids recovery 
• Describe available therapeutic pet food choices in relation to the following types of disorders: 

• Anorexia, critical illness, and convalescence 

• Neoplasia 

• Skeletal 

• Periodontal disease 

• Obesity 
• Devise a systematic approach to the use of clinical information about small animal cases in order to select a suitable food type 
• Demonstrate your ability to use nutritional data to calculate a feeding plan for patients under your care  
• Identify ways by which the provision of nutritional support improves the welfare and outcomes for patients resulting in speedier recovery and shorter periods of hospitalisation 

Gastrointestinal and endocrine disorders 

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Outline your approach to patients with upper gastrointestinal disorders such as vomiting and regurgitation 
• Devise a systematic approach to the provision of optimal nutritional support of patients suffering from acute/chronic diarrhoea and/or colitis 
• Describe available therapeutic pet food choices in relation to hyperlipidaemic disorders 
• Describe how a personalised nutritional management plan can benefit a patient diagnosed with endocrine disease(s)  
• Compare and contrast the different approaches to appropriate dietary support of cats and dogs diagnosed with pancreatitis 
• Apply nutritional principles to aid the dietary management of cats and dogs diagnosed with adverse food responses and other dermatological conditions    

Nutritional support for organ failure, the lower urinary tract, and orthopaedic disorders 

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Outline your approach to the modification of key nutritional factors in relation to the care of patients affected by specific clinical conditions 
• Describe therapeutic pet food choices in relation to the following types of disorders: 

• Organ failure (liver, kidney, heart, brain) 

• Urolithiasis 

• Lower urinary tract disorders  

• Devise a systematic approach to the use of clinical information about small animal cases in order to select a suitable food type 
• Demonstrate your ability to use nutritional data to calculate a feeding plan for patients under your care