VTMED 6526 - Small Animal Clinical Nutrition

Spring. 2 credits. Letter grades only.

Enrollment limited to: third- and forth-year veterinary students or permission of instructor. Minimum enrollment 10; maximum 90.

J. Wakshlag.

The first half of this course provides information on requirements for and metabolic uses of the essential nutrients of large and small animals as well as on formulation and evaluation of practical rations for species of veterinary interest. These concepts are applied in discussion of life stage nutritional needs, including growth, adult maintenance, gestation, lactation, aging, performance, and production. The second half covers clinically relevant diseases of nutritional deficiency and excess in small animals, including obesity, as well as the role of nutrition in the management of diseases of the various organ systems - e.g., renal, lower urinary tract, cardiac, G-I, hepatic, neoplasia, allergic disease, and musculoskeletal system diseases. Other topics include the role of nutraceuticals in veterinary nutrition and critical care nutrition including enteral and parenteral nutrition. The course also includes an introduction to nutrition for exotic and zoo animals.