Advanced Clinical Nutrition 2 Flashcards
Why might an owner feed their pet an alternative diet?
-personal opinions
- allergies or sensitivities
- owner may be vegan/vegetarian
- certain beliefs
- owners may think it is more naturla
- wheat allergies
- sustainability? better for planet?
- mistrust with commercial diets
- lots of misleading information online
What does BARF stand for?
Bones And Raw Food or Biologically Appropritate Raw Food
What are the risks with feeding a raw diet?
- risk of infections
- microbial ingestion - salmonella, listeria, toxoplasma, crypor, mycobacterium bovis
- risk of nutrient/vitamin deficiencies
What is important to tell owners who want to feed a raw diet?
- clear up any misconceptions
- understand their perspective
- risk management
- assess the patient to see if it is appropriate
- where they can source and preapre the food
- monitoring for vitmain/mineral deficiencies
- assess home environment
Why can’t cats be fed vegetarian diet?
They need taurine in their diet which is only found in meat
What are the disadvantages of a vegetarian diet?
decreased palatability, decreased digestibility, decreased biological value