Dog Community

Interesting Nutrition Information

Abby

Posted : 4/7/2006 9:38:30 PM

[linkhttp://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/182902.htm]http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/182902.htm[/link]

This page is part of the Merck Veterinary Manual. It has some very interesting information about dog (and cat) nutrition requirements. It's a good read, and definitely food for thought! I compared their information to my dog food while I read it, and still like my dog food. Whew!

papillon806

Posted : 4/7/2006 10:38:55 PM

I've seen that before, it's definatley worth reading! [

]

ron2

Posted : 4/8/2006 6:15:10 AM

I read the nutrition articles. I also read the contributor list and couldn't find one contributor that worked for Hills or Iams. Would this have a tendency to counteract the charge that major vet textbooks are provided by or controlled in editing by pet food execs? I know a few people here who have friends in vet school who say their textsbooks and entire nutritional education for small animals is provided for by Hills or Iams.

Interesting link, BTW.

kennel_keeper

Posted : 4/8/2006 3:30:08 PM

I have the hardcopy version of the Merck Manual and find it extremely useful. As a matter of fact, I have sited it before on the old forum and got reamed for it, lol.
I love my Merck and it has gotten alot of use!

He is The Boss

Posted : 4/8/2006 5:06:28 PM

I have the Merck human one on CD, I love it. It was a big help in anatomy and phsysiology class, my medical terminology class, biology, pharmacology, etc.

kennel_keeper

Posted : 4/8/2006 6:02:52 PM

It was a required text book for all of my major classes, but what a good investment. They didn't tell me it was available online at the time, LOL. Guess they wanted the MU-LA first! Oh well, I got a good deal anyway!

ron2

Posted : 4/8/2006 6:21:23 PM

As in my above post, I looked through the contributor list, which is quite extensive, and couldn't find one person listed as working for a pet food maker. And you say it is one of your primary textbooks. So, in this case, I would say that puts a limit on the statement that all people in animal care are only receiving their nutrition education through Hills and Iams. You said that you've been blasted for quoting that book in other forums. It's interesting, because I've read similar info from Dr. Remillard and we know what kind of reception she's received here.

Again, I think it's an excellent site and I have added to my favorites. I don't think I can have too many references. But then, you know me, a fellow science-geek. With husky eyes and manly legs.

kennel_keeper

Posted : 4/8/2006 6:32:19 PM

Actually, I was "blasted" in the old format of idog for a couple of quotes from the merck manual and for a few quotes from the Applied Animal Nutrition text book from my nutrition classes. As you said, Ron, neither two of these have an affiliation with any of the dog food companies.

ron2

Posted : 4/9/2006 7:02:40 AM

One of the neatest things I saw in the Merck's is the kcal/kg of dog depending on activity or stage. Example, 65 kcals/day for active dog. Shadow is 26.6 kg. 26.6 X 65 = 1729 kcals/day. Take that and divide by the kcal per cup of a food. Most foods average around 350 kcals per cup. Others, such as Innova, is about 557 kcals per cup. It's possible that he was overeating while he was on it. Since he has the drive to eat more than once a day, he's more balanced on the Nutro. Now, though, I can see where a super-high density food such as Innova would be invaluable for smaller breeds. It kinda helps my own theory that dogs of different sizes will handle the same food differently.

ron2

Posted : 4/9/2006 7:06:29 AM

Also, I think from reading sites to calculate the ME of a food based on the guaranteed analysis, certain ingredients provide a certain amount of kcals. With that in mind, in a homecooked diet, one should be able to use, for example, the yield of animal protein per 100 g and come up with a rough estimate of how many kcals are in a serving of whatever. Glenda did the wise thing, though, and paid someone who does this stuff everyday to do it right from the beginning.

Firestorm

Posted : 4/9/2006 10:46:27 AM

Thanks for the info.

ron2

Posted : 4/9/2006 1:06:58 PM

[linkhttp://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/tmgn46.htm]http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/tmgn46.htm[/link]

The above link is the nutrition requirements for dogs from the AAFCO. It's handy when judging if a food is meeting your dog's needs, regardless if it is kibble, homecooked, or raw.

Abby

Posted : 4/12/2006 6:38:03 AM

Ron, it's interesting that the AAFCO list doesn't include carbohydrates as a requirement. Vitamin C also isn't listed (I believe dogs make their own, I think humans are the only animal who can't make their own vitamin C). Thanks for sharing that link - I've bookmarked it

probe1957

Posted : 4/12/2006 9:20:17 AM

Excellent source, Tara. I added it to my favorites too. Thanks much.

kennel_keeper

Posted : 4/12/2006 6:49:45 PM

Actually, guinea pigs need added vitamin C in their diet as well as they can't synthesize it. They are prone to scurvey and without vit c, they would die.