Nutritional Diseases
4-H Veterinary Science
Extension Veterinary Medicine
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Texas A&M System
http://aevm.tamu.edu
Objectives
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Discuss the importance of water in the animal diet
Discuss the need for energy in the animal diet
Discuss the importance of minerals in animal diets
Discuss the importance of vitamins in animal diets
Describe the signs of protein deficiency
Describe the signs of a phosphorus deficiency
Describe the signs and causes of grass tetany
Describe the signs and causes of milk fever
Describe the signs of vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Give examples of nutritional diseases in cats, cattle and horses
Discuss conditions that create increased nutritional needs
 Nutrition is important
 Health maintenance
 Energy
 Affects all animals
 If improper nutrition
 Recognize changes
 Appearance
 Behavior
 Identify cause
 Correct problem
 Diet
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The usual food and drink of a person or animal
 Nutrient
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A source of nourishment
 Diets are comprised of nutrients
 Proteins
 Carbohydrates
 Fats
 Minerals
 Vitamins
 Water
 Depends on
 Animal
 Activity
Add Additional Nutrients
 Cold weather
 Parasite infestations
 Reduced appetite
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Chronic disease
 Pregnancy or milk production
Undernourished animals
 Improperly fed
 Symptoms
 Changes in body weight
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Hair coat
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Low
Thin appearance
Dull and rough
Activity
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Weak and depressed
Requirements for Proper Nutrition
 Water
 Energy
 Minerals
 Vitamins
Water
 Essential
 60% makeup
 Continually lost
 Constantly replenish
 Maintain homeostasis
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60% balance
 Water requirements
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Digestive process
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Physiological development
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Ruminants
Milk production
Diet
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Supplements
 Problems
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Dehydration
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Excessive loss of water from the body or from an
organ or body part, as from illness or fluid
deprivation
Due to
 Diarrhea
 Kidney diseases
 Sick
 Refusal to drink
 Solution
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Re-hydration
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IV fluids
Stomach tube
Energy
 Function
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Growth
Body movement
 Found in
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Proteins
Carbohydrates
Fats
 How supplies
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Metabolic breakdown of diet
Fat deposits
 Normal conditions
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Roughage (producers)
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Good quality
 Working animals
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Supplement
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Protein
 Careful with overfeeding protein to pregnant
animals
Minerals
 Definition
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Any of the inorganic elements, as calcium,
iron, magnesium, potassium, or sodium, that
are essential to the functioning of the human
body and are obtained from foods
 Some minerals
 Calcium
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Bone structure
Cell performance
 Muscle contraction
 Blood clotting
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Phosphorus
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Organ structure
Nutrient transport
Energy utilization
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Iron
 Necessary for the transport of oxygen (via hemoglobin
in red blood cells) and for oxidation by cells (via
cytochrome)
 Anemia
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Copper
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Magnesium
 Muscle cramps
 Constipation
 Potassium
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Critical for the normal functioning of the
muscles, heart, and nerves
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Controlling activity
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Smooth muscle (digestive tract)
Skeletal muscle
Cardiac muscle
Transmission of electrical signals throughout the
nervous system
 Normal conditions
 Good pastures
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Fertilized
 Problems
 Drought
 Non-fertilized fields
 Correct
 Supplements
 Dogs and cats
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Commercial foods balanced
All meat diets
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Need supplementation
Vitamins
 Function
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Proper cell function
 Source
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Body produces
Supplements
 Found in roughage
 Vitamins A,D and E
 Produced by
 Ruminants
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Vitamins
 B
 C
 K
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Skin – sunlight exposure
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Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency (rickets)
Examples of Nutritional Diseases
and Disorders
 Protein Deficiency
 Without enough protein
 Problem
 Underweight
 Weak
 Symptoms
 Swelling under
 Throat
 Brisket area
 Underline
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Fluid balance is upset
 Phosphorus Deficiency
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Good pastures and feeds ok
Problems with unfertilized pastures
Symptoms
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Unthrifty
Lame
Stiff
Pica
 Compulsive eating of non-nutritive substances
 Grass tetany
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Aka Grass Staggers
Magnesium deficiency
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Problem
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Grazing lush grass
Low Mg, High K, N
 Interferes with absorption in digestive tract
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Symptoms
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Treatment
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Excitability
Inability to stand
Stiff muscle convulsions
Death
Mg injection
Prevention
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Have supplements available
 Milk Fever
 Low blood calcium
 Hypocalcemia
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Symptoms
 Loss of appetite
 Depression
 Muscle tremors
 Grinding teeth
 Muscular paralysis
 Lies on sternum
 Head to side
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Possible death
 Treatment
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Calcium injection
 Also occurs in dogs and horses
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Trembling
Panting
Nervousness
Convulsions
Death
 Vitamin A deficiency
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Source
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Problems
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Commercial feeds
Green pasture
Good hay
Skin and eye problems
Abortions
Retained placentas
Weak newborns
Night blindness
Correction
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Supplement
Good quality hay
 Secondary Hyperparathyroidism
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High phosphorus, low calcium diets
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Affects
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Livestock on high-bran diets
 No supplements or hay
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Pets
 All meat diets
 No supplements
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Symptoms
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Horses
 Bones thicken
 Head
 Face
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Pets
 Bones
 Weak
 Flexible
 Taurine deficiency
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Cats
Amino acid
Symptoms
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Eye problems
 Blindness
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Weakening heart muscle
Problem
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Cats eating dog food
 Bloat in Cattle
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Rumen produces gases
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Types
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Cattle eructate (belch)
Frothy bloat
Free-gas bloat
Problem
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Can’t belch
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Treatment
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Passing tube
Abdominal wall puncture
Drugs
 Colic in Horses
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Intestinal problem
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Occurs when
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Change in diet
Intestinal disease
Lodged material
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Symptoms
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Obvious pain
Rolling
Kicking
Profuse sweating
Treatment
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Laxatives
Walking
Surgery
 Founder (laminitis)
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Problem
 Improper feeding
 Overfeeding of grain
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Bacterial toxins
 Affects hoof wall
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Causes
 Hoof
 Inflammation
 Pain
 Lameness
 Depression
 Loss of appetite
 Slow, painful walk
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Treatment
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Horses
 Laxatives
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Cattle
 Flush feed from rumen
 Large stomach tube
 Surgery