Course

Animal Nutrition

Faculty
Science & Technology
Department
Animal Health Technology
Course Code
AHTT 2111
Credits
3.00
Semester Length
15 weeks
Max Class Size
30
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Lab
Typically Offered
To be determined

Overview

Course Description
This course will examine the dietary requirements of companion and domestic animals and how nutrition affects animal health. Students will also be provided with the knowledge required to counsel clients on animal life stage and preventative nutrition and available supplements and foods.

Enrollment is limited to students in the Animal Health Technology Program.
Course Content

The major topics in the course include the following:

1. Basic veterinary nutrition:

- the basic nutrients required by animals and nutrition terminology

- ingredients used in commercial and veterinary exclusive diets

- pet food label interpretation and regulatory bodies

 

2. Canine and feline veterinary diets and supplements:

- features and indications of life stage diets available for growth, adults, and senior pets

- features and indications of therapeutic diets available to prevent and manage various medical conditions

- calculation of feeding amounts

- use, types, and features of supplements including essential fatty acids, vitamins, joint supplements

- homemade recipes and raw food diets

 

3. Marketing and promotion of veterinary diets:

- promotion of veterinary diets through client education and effective use of marketing tools

- merchandising veterinary products and gaining owner compliance

- program implementation including dental programs, senior pet programs, and weight loss programs

- counselor designations available, software tools, client education materials, website resources

 

5. Large animal nutrition:

- equine nutritional needs for all life stages, and disease prevention including founder and colic

- comparison of nutritional requirements for dairy and beef cattle, with emphasis on feeding for different types of production

- swine breeding herds and specific feeding recommendations

 

6. Nutrition of small and exotic pets:

- nutritional requirements of rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, rats, mice, chinchillas, and ferrets

- basic nutritional needs of  pet birds and captive reptiles

Learning Activities

This course involves two hours per week of classroom instruction and two hours per week of laboratory activity.

Means of Assessment

Quizzes                                                                                           20-30%

Classroom Assignments & Projects                                                      20-40

Professionalism (Preparation, Participation & Attendance)                        10

Final Examination                                                                               30

                                                                                                       100%

 

Grades:      A+ 95-100,      A 90-94,      A- 85-89,      B+ 80-84,      B 75-79,      B- 70-74,

                   C+ 65-69,         C 60-64,      C- 55-59,      P 50-54,        F 0-49.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of Animal Nutrition 2111, students will be able to:

1.   identify the six basic nutrients, their role and importance in the body, and ingredient sources.

2.   provide an overview of the pet food industry in Canada, and the opportunity and benefits of veterinary exclusive diets and client education.  Differentiate commercial veterinary exclusive diets from grocery, pet store, homemade, and raw food diets based on research, innovative ingredients, and clinical support.

3.   identify the unique nutritional needs of growing animals, including the unique requirements of large breed puppies.

4.   make recommendations in a companion animal setting for all life stages based on the needs of individual patients, be familiar with the main veterinary exclusive diets available in small animal practices, and be able to calculate feeding amounts both manually and using software tools.

5.   educate clients about veterinary diets designed to assist in the prevention and management of dental disease, joint disease, lower urinary tract disorders, renal, liver, and cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal conditions, food and environmental allergies, diabetes mellitus and other medical conditions.

6.   identify the unique nutritional needs of senior pets, and how senior diets are formulated to address these concerns.  Educate owners about the prevalence of the senior pet population and confidently make diet recommendations for these patients.

7.   identify the unique nutritional requirements of the critical care patient, calculate feeding amounts, as well as educate owners about the nutritional diets designed for these patients.

8.   contribute to client education and practice profitability by sharing basic knowledge of merchandising veterinary products, effective diet promotion based on education, program implementation, and increasing client compliance. 

9.   design an effective weight loss plan for overweight and obese patients and successfully implement a weight loss program in a clinical setting.

10.  identify the unique nutritional needs of small mammals, birds and reptiles.

11.  be able to interpret and understand pet food labels and describe the regulatory bodies for pet food.

12.  discuss nutritional supplements available, indications, and the research and clinical studies upon which they are based.

13.  review basic nutrients required by horses, assessing a variety of forages and grains for type and quality.

14. compare the basic nutritional needs of dairy vs. beef cattle, for milk production, cow-calf operations, breeding herds and finishing cattle.

15.  discuss the nutritional needs of sheep, lambs, and ovine breeding flocks in general.

16.  gather information about cost to feed, type of feed, living conditions and profit with regard to swine nutrition and breeding.

Textbook Materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students

 

  1.  McCurnin, D.M. & Bassert, J.M., 2010, Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians. Elsevier, 7th ed. (required)
  2. Colville, T.P. & Bassert, J.M., 2008, Clinical Anatomy & Physiology for Veterinary Technicians. Mosby. 2nd  ed. (required)

(3.  Pet nutrition industry veterinary software, on-line resources and support materials to be provided.)

Requisites

Prerequisites

Successful completion of Year 1 of the Animal Health Technology Program

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer Details for AHTT 2111
There are no applicable transfer credits for this course.

Course Offerings

Summer 2024