Download VNA Level II Module 2: Communicating

VNA Level II
Module 2: Communicating
Learning Objectives
Wellness Nutrition
- Pediatrics
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, your basic understanding should include:
• The role of wellness nutrition in helping puppies and kittens live longer,
healthier lives.
• Why nutrient excesses can be harmful to pets.
• The benefits of Hill’s® Science Diet Puppy pet food and Science Diet®
Kitten pet food.
• Nutritional recommendations to pet owners, using Science Diet® brand
products.
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Introduction
Introduction
VNA Level II Module 2:
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Think about the process prospective new pet owners go through when they
decide, (hopefully with the veterinary health care team’s input) to acquire a puppy
or kitten. Sometimes a great deal of thought goes into making a decision; gender,
hair coat color, size, disposition, breed, cost, purpose… Sometimes, the basis of
the decision is an impulse. Whatever the process, while it might not be based on
logic, the “reasons” are almost always based on emotion; that of wanting a pet
involved with their family.
As many can testify, having a new puppy or kitten in the home can be quite a
change from the relative calm that may have existed before “the arrival.” Surprise,
excitement and delight could soon give way to lack of sleep, damaged furniture,
soiled carpet and other irritations. It is therefore important that members of the
veterinary health care team understand and empathize with the situations the new
pet owner is experiencing. LISTEN! In doing so, you are in a vital position to help
ensure that the potential trials and tribulations of puppy or kitten ownership are
minimized, and that the enjoyment for all involved is maximized. Your ability to
effectively communicate the importance of proper pet care will help set the pet up
for “success”- that of a long, healthy life!
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Introduction
Introduction
Many pet owners look to their
veterinarian, and others on the
veterinary health care team for
competent nutritional information.
They also want, expect, and value
specific nutritional product
recommendations.
VNA Level II Module 2:
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Nutritional counseling is critically important; especially for new pet owners, with
many wanting a specific product recommendation from the veterinary health care
team. Nutritional recommendations are especially critical during the first year of
life. Well-nourished puppies and kittens have healthier immune systems and are
better able to adjust to the stresses of growth. Your role as a spokesperson for the
pet’s best interest can be extremely rewarding, helping families interact positively
with young pets in a manner that encourages bonding, both to the pet and your
practice: the Family-Pet-Veterinary Team Bond!. There is no substitute for a
healthy beginning.
“The beginning is the most important part of the work.”
-Plato
This module of VNA will focus on puppies and kittens post-weaning to a year of
age. It has been designed to provide you with a variety of communication points,
that will help you convey the importance of proper pet nutrition and the benefits of
Hill’s® brand pet foods.
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VNA Level II Module 2:
Wellness Nutrition Overview
Wellness Nutrition Overview
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Hill’s first introduced its concept of therapeutic nutrition in 1948, and wellness
nutrition in 1968. Therapeutic foods are formulated to aid in the management of
specific medical conditions. Hill’s® Prescription Diet® brand pet foods are
therapeutic foods. One example is Prescription Diet® k/d® Canine, made for dogs
with kidney failure. You’ll learn more about specific Prescription Diet® products in
Modules 5 through 8 in this Level of VNA. Wellness foods, like Hill’s® Science
Diet® brand pet foods, are formulated for optimal health. Science Diet® Kitten pet
food is one example of a Hill’s brand wellness food. Science Diet® brand pet foods
can be divided further into lifestage and lifestyle products, including special needs.
Hill’s products are based on years of research and are nutritionally balanced and
formulated to address specific pet health issues.
Go Visit Hill’s Key to Clinical Nutrition
Pets can live longer, healthier lives through proper nutrition. This implies though,
that each pet should be fed according to its unique needs and for optimal health,
performance, and longevity. See Level I, Module 4 (Lifestage/Lifestyle Nutrition).
The veterinary health care team’s role is crucial; each pet should be assessed
whenever it visits the veterinary practice and necessary adjustments made to its
feeding plan. See Level I, Module 5 (Nutritional Assessment).
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VNA Level II Module 2:
Wellness Nutrition Overview
Wellness Nutrition Overview
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Managing, (minimizing) nutritional risk factors and the concept of lifestage nutrition
are the foundations of wellness nutrition. Both of these topics were introduced in
Level I of VNA, but will be briefly reviewed here.
Every dog and cat seen in your practice progresses through lifestages as they
mature. Each stage is unique, marked by physiologic changes and differing
nutritional needs. Lifestage ages are thought of in three general categories:
Proper wellness nutrition helps
manage risk factors, and promotes
health, vitality and longevity.
• Kitten/puppy (pediatric): Up to one year of age.
• Adult cat/dog: Between one and seven years of age. (Young to middleaged adults).
• Senior cat/dog: Over seven years of age. (Giant-breed dogs may be
regarded as seniors at five years of age.)
Figure 1. The three main
lifestages include pediatric, adult
and senior.
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VNA Level II Module 2:
Wellness Nutrition Overview
Wellness Nutrition Overview
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Optimal health demands that certain nutrients not only be present in a food, but be
present in proper balance in relation to each other, tailored to the activity level and
nutritional needs of each lifestage. In Level I, Module 4 (Lifestage/Lifestyle
Nutrition), you learned that many pet owners have been led to believe that “more is
better” when it comes to pet nutrition. You also learned that excesses of certain
nutrients may become nutritional risk factors and influence the possibility of illness
as pets mature. Thus, lifestage nutrition differs markedly from feeding a single
product for all lifestages (i.e., all-purpose foods), whereby nutrients are added at
levels to meet the highest potential need (i.e., usually growth and reproduction).
The value of lifestage feeding increases if risk factor management is also
incorporated into the feeding practice. A more narrow but optimal range of nutrient
recommendations often emerges when age and physiologic needs are reviewed in
conjunction with reducing disease risk factors.
A risk factor for humans is a trait or condition that makes a person more likely to
develop a disease or chronic condition. For example, the American Heart
Association considers cigarette smoking, high blood cholesterol, high blood
pressure, obesity, physical inactivity, heredity, male gender, and increasing age as
the major risk factors for heart disease.
Lifestage foods formulated from
quality ingredients can minimize
health risks by avoiding excesses
that may harm the pet over time.
A strong relationship exists between
excessive nutrient intake and the
development and progression of
certain chronic diseases. The
sooner correct feeding and eating
habits are established, the greater
the positive ramifications related to
proper pet nutrition. You can
influence this!
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VNA Level II Module 2:
Wellness Nutrition Overview
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Wellness Nutrition Overview
Pets also have risk factors. For example, a six-year-old neutered female
dachshund that is 20% overweight from eating a canned grocery store pet food
and dinner leftovers, (obesity is linked to heart disease, diabetes, and joint
problems; periodontal disease from lack of sufficient chewing stimulation),
occasionally gets into the neighbor’s garbage, (inflammation of the pancreas,
gastrointestinal disorders), and has a heart murmur (congestive heart failure), is at
risk for a variety of health problems. The veterinary health care team can address
these types of risk factors in an effort to maximize the pet’s health. Proper pet
nutrition obviously plays a key role.
Proper wellness nutrition can
reduce many risk factors. Modules
2 and 3 (Feeding Dogs and
Feeding Cats) in Level I covered
important nutritional factors for cats
and dogs. Table 1 reviews some of
the more common nutritional
factors related to excesses, and
their associated diseases.
Three general risk factors related to
a pet’s health and longevity are:
genetics, environment and nutrition.
As a veterinary health care team
member, the one you can have the
most influence in assisting the client
with is proper pet nutrition.
Table 1. Selected nutritional excess factors and associated medical conditions.
Factor
Condition
Calcium
Skeletal disease, lower urinary tract disease
Phosphorus
Kidney disease, lower urinary tract disease
Protein
Kidney disease
Sodium chloride (salt)
Kidney disease, heart disease, hypertension
Magnesium
Lower urinary tract disease
Fat/energy
Skeletal disease, obesity
Potassium
Kidney disease
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Feeding Puppies
Feeding Puppies
VNA Level II Module 2:
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
A Review of Pediatric Canine Nutrition
The nutritional needs of puppies include maintenance needs similar to those of
adult dogs, as well as energy and nutrients necessary for rapid tissue development
and growth. The goal of proper feeding plans for puppies should be to create
healthy, vibrant adult dogs. This section will cover wellness nutrition during the
post-weaning period: the period from two to 12 months of age. Proper feeding
during this period is especially critical for large- and giant-breed puppies (those
that will weigh more than 55 lb when fully grown), because nutrition has proved to
be the most important non-genetic factor for healthy bone development.
Information about feeding younger puppies can be found in Level I, Module 2
(Feeding Puppies).
The proper feeding plan objectives
for puppies should be to optimize a
healthy growth process, minimize
risk factors for obesity and
developmental orthopedic disease,
and achieve optimal health.
Puppies should be fed to grow at an average, controlled rate rather than at a
maximal rate. Growing pets can reach a similar adult weight whether growth rate is
rapid or slow; however, feeding for maximal, quick growth increases the risk of
obesity and skeletal deformities.
The requirements for all nutrients are increased during growth compared with
requirements for adult dogs. However, these requirements should be supplied
judiciously, as is the case with Hill’s® brand puppy foods. This allows you to use
these formulas with confidence.
Figure 2. Minimize the risk of
obesity by having puppies grow
at a controlled rate rather than
maximal rate.
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Feeding Puppies
Feeding Puppies
VNA Level II Module 2:
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Important nutritional factors for puppies include:
• Energy/fat
• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Protein
• Digestibility
Puppies, especially large- and giantbreed puppies, should be fed to
grow at an average, controlled rate,
rather than at a maximal, rapid rate.
Fat contributes greatly to the energy density of a food, (compared to protein and
carbohydrates) and therefore helps meet the increased energy needs of puppies.
Excessive energy intake however can negatively affect bone formation in largeand giant-breed dogs. The fat content of foods for large- and giant-breed puppies
should be controlled to decrease the likelihood of excessive energy intake.
Although growing dogs need more calcium and phosphorus than adult dogs, the
minimum requirements are relatively low. Foods for large- and giant-breed puppies
should contain reduced, but adequate amounts of calcium, as well as energy, to
help avoid orthopedic abnormalities.
Compared to adult dogs, puppies have higher protein requirements. The protein
should be of high quality, supplying the correct amino acids in the appropriate
amounts.
Figure 3. Osteochondritis
dessicans is an example of an
orthopedic abnormality that may
occur as a result of too rapid
growth.
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Feeding Puppies
Feeding Puppies
VNA Level II Module 2:
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Puppies fed foods low in energy density and digestibility need to eat large
quantities, increasing the risk of flatulence, vomiting, diarrhea, and the
development of a “pot-bellied” appearance. Therefore, foods recommended for
puppies should be highly digestible. As you learned though, in Level I, Module 6
(Pet Food Labels) it is difficult to ascertain certain information from pet food labels
and packaging. Foods with similar label declarations may have markedly different
nutrient availabilities and growth performance. Once again, that is why it is
important for members of the veterinary health care to be very involved in the
puppy’s nutrition.
Puppies of small- to medium-sized breeds may continue to receive the same food
as the bitch received during lactation, if you are comfortable with its quality. These
puppies were probably transitioned to this food during weaning. Large- and giantbreed puppies though, should be fed a food that contains less energy and calcium
to decrease the risk of developmental orthopedic disease. For example, feeding
Science Diet® Large Breed Puppy food to the pups, while the pregnant/lactating
mother is fed Science Diet® Puppy food.
Growing dogs should not receive vitamin-mineral supplements when fed complete,
balanced commercial foods. Some supplements can greatly increase the calcium
intake of puppies and therefore may contribute to abnormal bone development.
Supplements may be justified to balance homemade foods, however, this can be
very difficult to do. The nutrient content of treats should be similar to that
recommended for the food. Hill’s® Science Diet® Treats are a healthy choice.
Counsel clients to avoid feeding any table food or people snacks.
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Feeding Puppies
Feeding Puppies
VNA Level II Module 2:
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Free-choice feeding is not generally recommended for puppies unless they are
extremely thin (BCS [body condition score] 1/5) or have difficulty maintaining
adequate body weight. Free-choice feeding may increase body fat, predispose the
dog to obesity, and may possibly induce skeletal deformities at a young age.
Weight gain and body condition should be monitored closely if free-choice feeding
is used. Meal-restricted feeding is appropriate for most puppies to allow better
control of body weight and growth rate, and also to facilitate the housetraining
process. A pre-determined amount can be fed in two to four meals a day. Feeding
guidelines, supported by body condition scoring, should govern this process.
Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.
Most puppies should be meal fed a
specific amount of food to better
control body weight, condition and
growth rate.
Owners should weigh growing puppies every week and record body weights and
food intake, including treats. Owners should be taught body condition scoring
techniques. Ideally, a veterinarian should reassess puppies at the time of routine
examinations the first year, and more frequently if any indication of under- or overnutrition is detected at that time. It is especially important to discuss obesity
prevention with the client after neutering procedures. Reassessment should
include body weight and body condition assessment, food assessment, and
determination of correct food dosage.
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VNA Level
Benefits of Science Diet® Puppy
Pet II Module 2:
Benefits of Science Diet® Puppy Pet
Food Products
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Science Diet® Puppy pet foods are developed to meet the higher nutrient and
energy needs of puppies up to 12 months of age. There are several different
formulations of Science Diet® Puppy pet food, each one designed for a specific
puppy or owner need. Some of the general benefits are listed below. Remember,
“benefits” answer a potential “so what?” and are considered the advantages
“features” deliver.
Some general benefits of Science Diet® Puppy formulas include:
• Highly digestible, firm stools, which facilitates housetraining.
• Highly digestible, cost effective on a daily feeding basis.
• No need to supplement, no extra costs related to nutrition.
• Balanced nutrition and great taste, so pups enjoy the feeding experience.
• Science Diet® Treats nutritionally complement
Science Diet® Puppy foods, so there’s no need to treat with other
products.
• Variety of choices within the product line, including package sizes, canned
and dry formulas, original and small bites… depending on the puppy
owner’s preference and the puppy’s needs.
• Promotes healthy skin and coat, which in turn helps promote physical
contact and interaction with family members.
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VNA Level
Benefits of Science Diet® Puppy
Pet II Module 2:
Benefits of Science Diet® Puppy Pet
Food Products
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
• Science Diet® Puppy Large Breed dry formula is designed specifically for
puppies that will reach an adult weight of 55 lbs. or more, helping pups
grow at a proper rate for healthy bone and joint development.
• Formulated by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., the same nutrition company that
makes Prescription Diet® brand products for pet therapeutic nutrition
needs. Helps reinforce the quality and concern that goes into developing
all Hill’s® pet foods, which can be used with confidence.
• More veterinarians feed Science Diet® brand products to their own pets
than any other brand-- products you can trust!
• 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for all Hill’s® Science Diet® brand products:
Product can be returned to the practice, (place of purchase) for a refund or
replacement. (Hill’s will reimburse the practice).
Keep in mind also, that there are a number of benefits to your practice regarding
the sales of Science Diet brand products. Examples include: More frequent client
visits (bonding), the comfort of knowing you are providing an important part of
wellness, ability to interact with the puppy owner and answer questions, further
educating the client on issues not adequately covered during exams, reinforce
previous recommendations, the opportunity to promote other wellness products
and services, the profitability of Science Diet brand pet foods to the practice…
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Feeding Kittens
Feeding Kittens
VNA Level II Module 2:
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
A Review of Pediatric Feline Nutrition
The nutritional needs of kittens include maintenance needs similar to those of adult
cats, as well as energy and nutrients necessary for rapid tissue development and
growth. The goal of proper feeding plans for kittens should be to create healthy,
vibrant adult cats. This section will cover wellness nutrition during the postweaning period: the period from two to 12 months of age. Information about
feeding younger kittens can be found in Level I, Module 3 (Feeding Cats).
Proper feeding plans for kittens can
substantially contribute to producing
healthy, vibrant adult cats.
Important nutritional factors for kittens include:
• Energy/fat
• Protein
• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Digestibility
Kittens have high energy requirements to meet the needs for growth and body
temperature regulation. Fat provides over twice the calories of either proteins or
carbohydrates, with high quality fat sources being important. Neutering reduces
energy requirements by one-fourth to one-third regardless of the age at neutering.
After neutering, limiting food intake or decreasing dietary energy may be required
to prevent excessive weight gain.
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Feeding Kittens
Feeding Kittens
VNA Level II Module 2:
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Protein requirements are highest at weaning, and then decrease gradually to adult
levels. The protein should be of high quality, supplying the correct amino acids in
the appropriate amounts. Taurine is a key amino acid for all feline lifestages.
Foods that are low in energy density and digestibility, usually need to be fed in
larger quantities, increasing the risk of flatulence, vomiting and diarrhea. Foods
recommended for kittens should be highly digestible, such as Hill’s®
Science Diet® Kitten foods. As you learned though, in Level I, Module 6 (Pet Food
Labels) it is difficult to ascertain certain information from pet food labels and
packaging. Foods with similar label declarations may have markedly different
nutrient availabilities and growth performance. Once again, that is why it is
important for members of the veterinary health care team to be very involved in the
kitten’s nutrition.
Cow’s milk is often given to kittens as a treat, but ideally should be avoided
because intestinal lactase levels decline shortly after weaning, resulting in
diarrhea. The feeding method should be tailored to the individual kitten’s needs,
the type of food being offered, and the owner’s preference. Free-choice feeding,
using the package’s daily feeding amounts as a starting point, is often preferred
because it reduces the risk of underfeeding and reduces the marked gastric
distention that sometimes accompanies rapid ingestion of large amounts. The
feeding frequency should be three to four times daily for meal-fed kittens less than
six months old. This frequency ensures sufficient food intake to meet the high
nutritional demands of kittens without encouraging engorgement. By six months of
age, most kittens will tolerate twice daily feeding.
Kittens exclusively fed all-meat
foods, (very little calcium) are
susceptible to bone disorders
including fractures.
Figure 4. Nutritional needs of
growing kittens include
maintenance requirements as
well as for growth and
development. Source: Small
Animal Clinical Nutrition IV
edition.
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Feeding Kittens
Feeding Kittens
VNA Level II Module 2:
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Providing unlimited food for free-choice intake is inappropriate for overweight (BCS
4/5) and obese (BCS 5/5) kittens. If the BCS is 3/5, free-choice feeding is
preferred for kittens younger than six months. Clean, fresh water should be
provided daily and be available at all times. A defined food quantity should be
measured then offered as meals or fed free choice until it is eaten.
After weaning, kittens should be weighed frequently, with weights being recorded,
at home or in your practice until they are four to about six months old. Owners
should continue to monitor daily food and water consumption to ensure normal
appetite. Body condition scoring every one to two weeks is a better means to
assess growth and adequacy of food intake. Results of body condition assessment
allow owners to monitor kitten growth and adjust food offerings as needed to
maintain ideal body condition (BCS 3/5).
Figure 5. An ideal body condition
score for a kitten is 3/5.
Ideally, a veterinarian should assess the kitten at weaning and monthly thereafter
until the kitten is around six months old. This schedule coincides with typical
examination protocols for young kittens. It is especially important to discuss
obesity prevention with the client after neutering procedures. Reassessment
should include body weight and body condition assessment, food assessment, and
determination of correct food amount.
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VNA Level
Benefits of Science Diet® Kitten
Pet II Module 2:
Benefits of Science Diet® Kitten Pet
Food Products
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Science Diet® Kitten pet foods are developed to meet the higher nutrient and
energy needs of kittens up to 12 months of age. There are several different
formulations of Science Diet Kitten pet food, each one designed for a specific
kitten or owner need. Some of the general benefits are listed below. Remember,
“benefits” answer a potential “so what?” and are considered the advantages
“features” delivers.
Some general benefits of Science Diet Kitten formulas include:
• Highly digestible, firm stools, which facilitates litter box training.
• Highly digestible, cost effective on a daily feeding basis.
• No need to supplement, no extra costs related to nutrition.
• Balanced nutrition and great taste, so kittens enjoy the feeding
experience.
• Several different choices within the product line, including package sizes,
canned and dry formulas…depending on the kitten owner’s preference
and the kitten’s needs.
Your progress is saved. Slide 17 of 19
VNA Level
Benefits of Science Diet® Kitten
Pet II Module 2:
Benefits of Science Diet® Kitten Pet
Food Products
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
• Promotes healthy skin and coat, which in turn helps promote physical
contact and interaction with family members.
• Formulated by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., the same nutrition company that
makes Prescription Diet® brand products for pet therapeutic nutrition
needs. Helps reinforce the quality and concern that goes into developing all
• Hill’s pet foods, which can be used with confidence.
• More veterinarians feed Science Diet brand products to their own pet than
any other brand-- products you can trust!
• 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for all Hill’s® Science Diet® brand products:
Product can be returned to the practice, (place of purchase) for a refund
or replacement. (Hill’s will reimburse the practice).
Keep in mind also, that there are a number of benefits to your practice regarding the sales of Science Diet brand
products. Examples include: More frequent client visits (bonding), the comfort of knowing you are providing an
important part of wellness, ability to interact with the kitten owner and answer questions, further educating the client on
issues not adequately covered during exams, reinforce previous recommendations, the opportunity to promote other
wellness products and services, the profitability of the Science Diet brand pet food to the practice…
determination of correct food amount.
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Summary / Are you ready?
VNA Level II Module 2:
Communicating Wellness
Nutrition - Pediatrics
Summary
Hill’s introduced its wellness nutrition philosophy with Science Diet brand products
to the veterinary profession in 1968. These products are formulated on the medical
research principles of risk factor management, lifestage nutrition, and the belief
that nutrient excesses can harm pets. Proper pet nutrition can help pets live
longer, healthier lives. Don’t underestimate your role as a spokesperson for the
puppy’s and kitten’s best interest. Your ability to effectively communicate nutritional
recommendations with conviction (confidence and competence) is extremely
important. Make sure all pets get a healthy start to life during that critical first year!
Are you ready?
To continue, you will need to complete the quiz for this module. When you are
ready, click on the forward arrow below to take you to the quiz.
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