Dog Community

My Nutrition class ROCKS!!!

Posted : 1/24/2007 11:14:29 PM

As many of you know, I'm a vet student, and I'm going through hell to take this nutrition class. Half my class dropped it because the schedule sucks, and everyone was worried it would be horribly biased and useless, but its NOT!!!

We had 2 hours of class today (7:30-9:30) and we went over so much stuff! We talked about different classes of food (grocery store vs. feed store vs. national), supplements, raw/homemade diets, the differences in specialty foods (puppy, large breed, all life stages), treats, and taking a history.

What else is there? And I've got 20 hours of class left between now and Monday. I'll have a total of 11 hours of lecture tomorrow, but I don't care... I CAN'T WAIT until class again tomorrow!!! I'm off to do my case studies now, I only have half an hour before I need to be in bed...

I'm just so excited that I'm not wasting my time that I had to share!!!

miranadobe

Posted : 1/24/2007 11:32:27 PM

THAT is the kind of enthusiasm that educators aim for if not dream of. Glad you stuck with it - cuz now we can all benefit from more of your informative posts!

papillon806

Posted : 1/24/2007 11:35:29 PM

That is awesome! You remind me of me [

] Keep up the good work and enthusiasm!

jessies_mom

Posted : 1/25/2007 10:14:59 AM

and we went over so much stuff! We talked about different classes of food (grocery store vs. feed store vs. national), supplements, raw/homemade diets, the differences in specialty foods (puppy, large breed, all life stages), treats, and taking a history.

It sounds like a great class; I really admire your determination to take this class in spite of all the hassle.[

]

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 1/25/2007 1:11:29 PM

Sounds like a super class. Will you be able to share what you're learning with the rest of us? []

Joyce

jessies_mom

Posted : 1/25/2007 2:56:20 PM

Sounds like a super class. Will you be able to share what you're learning with the rest of us?

Pretty please? [

]

Misskiwi67

Posted : 1/25/2007 3:50:54 PM

Raw food diets should probably be cooked.

Beggin Strips dog treats are 6.9% salt...

The only difference between large breed adult and regular adult food is usually the added glucosamine, but it can vary slightly depending on the manufacturers philosophy about large breed needs.

Those are my random factoids off the top of my head... I learned lots more, but those are the points that really stuck out.

papillon806

Posted : 1/25/2007 5:00:23 PM

What vet school do you attend, Misskiwi?

whtsthfrequency

Posted : 1/25/2007 6:12:36 PM

Miss, you're not the only one

I am in VA-MD regional vet school, and so far our nutrition class has been great, too. The teacher even approves of feeding raw chicken hearts to cats for the added taurine, etc.....how overcooking and overprocessing makes food lose nutrients and digestibility, even though I don't feed raw its nice to see that the people teaching (and learning) are getting a wide view of ideas, no? Where do you go?

agilebasenji

Posted : 1/25/2007 6:16:02 PM

Raw food diets should probably be cooked.

Could you/would you elaborate on this please? You can PM me if you're afraid of starting a ruckus.

jessies_mom

Posted : 1/25/2007 7:03:58 PM

Could you/would you elaborate on this please? You can PM me if you're afraid of starting a ruckus.

I'm curious too, since Jessie was getting Nature's Variety raw medallions with her kibble and will be again once the elimination diet is finished; is it because of the bacteria?

dyan

Posted : 1/25/2007 7:40:56 PM

It IS great that you are taking this class,,,I would love to take it with you!

jennie_c_d

Posted : 1/25/2007 7:51:14 PM

There's always a chance of contamination, with raw foods. Cooking doesn't destroy most nutrients. Depending on your philosophy on nutrition, the enzymes in raw food may or may not be important. I find both arguments fascinating.

I want to come to vet school JUST for nutrition classes. I have no desire to do the everyday vet stuff, but nutrition FASCINATES me.

Misskiwi67

Posted : 1/25/2007 11:39:48 PM

I'm at Iowa State...

He just said that 4 million people get food poisoning from contaminated "human grade" foods every year, and we, as "promoters of public health", (according to the veterinarians oath) should not be promoting raw food diets. There is no scientific evidence that cooking destroys unreasonable levels of vitamins and minerals, and therefore there is no reason NOT to cook the diets, and many reasons why you should. That was the end of the conversation... he also said that he'd had to euthanize a kitten that gave some kids salmonella once... the doctor was furious, the parents didn't want the cat, and nobody wanted to take home a chronic shedder. It CAN happen... and veterinarians should not be promoting a possible public health risk.

dyan

Posted : 1/26/2007 7:36:45 AM

and we, as "promoters of public health", (according to the veterinarians oath) should not be promoting raw food diets.

I guess that is good and bad then.
I'm not sure that I think raw is very good or not,,,I do it once in a while but worry, so obviously complete raw feeding is not good for me. On the other hand for those that "swear" by raw, that say their pets did a complete "turn around" after being on raw, that they went from unhealthy to healthy... it would seem that a vet will never acknowledge that and contribute to the possibility that it might be the best way to go for our pets.