CCAT CCAT Nutrition, Weight Management and Wellness 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Sarcopenia in geriatric dogs is best addressed in a rehabilitation program by:
- Reducing protein intake to protect kidneys
- Increasing dietary protein and incorporating resistance exercise (Correct answer)
- Exclusively aquatic therapy with no land exercise
- Caloric restriction only
Correct answer: Increasing dietary protein and incorporating resistance exercise
Adequate protein intake combined with targeted resistance exercise stimulates muscle protein synthesis to combat age-related muscle loss.
Question 2: A rehabilitation therapist notices a patient has lost significant muscle mass despite normal body weight. This condition is called:
- Cachexia only
- Sarcopenic obesity (Correct answer)
- Hypertrophic myopathy
- Metabolic syndrome
Correct answer: Sarcopenic obesity
Sarcopenic obesity describes the combination of excess fat mass with reduced muscle mass, which can occur at normal or even overweight body weights.
Question 3: Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements are used in canine patients to:
- Provide additional caloric energy
- Support cartilage matrix synthesis and joint lubrication (Correct answer)
- Increase bone mineral density
- Reduce systemic blood pressure
Correct answer: Support cartilage matrix synthesis and joint lubrication
Glucosamine and chondroitin are substrates for proteoglycan synthesis in articular cartilage and may help maintain synovial fluid viscosity.
Question 4: When counseling a client about caloric needs for a neutered adult dog recovering from orthopedic surgery with restricted activity, the therapist should advise:
- Feeding the same amount as during pre-surgical normal activity
- Reducing caloric intake to resting energy requirement (RER) level during recovery (Correct answer)
- Doubling food intake to support healing
- Switching to a puppy formula for increased nutrients
Correct answer: Reducing caloric intake to resting energy requirement (RER) level during recovery
Activity-restricted post-surgical patients have reduced energy expenditure, so feeding closer to RER prevents weight gain that would stress healing tissues.
Question 5: Which type of dietary fiber is most beneficial for canine weight management because it increases satiety without adding significant calories?
- Simple fermentable fiber
- Insoluble fiber (e.g., cellulose) (Correct answer)
- Soluble fructooligosaccharides
- Resistant starch only
Correct answer: Insoluble fiber (e.g., cellulose)
Insoluble fiber adds bulk to the diet, promoting fullness and slowing gastric emptying without contributing meaningful caloric density.
Question 6: The resting energy requirement (RER) for a canine patient is calculated using the formula:
- RER = 30 × (body weight in kg) + 70
- RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75 (Correct answer)
- RER = 100 × body weight in lbs
- RER = 50 × body weight in kg
Correct answer: RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75
The standard veterinary formula RER = 70 × (BW kg)^0.75 provides the baseline metabolic energy requirement for a resting, fasted adult dog.
CCAT CCAT Nutrition, Weight Management and Wellness 2
Sarcopenia in geriatric dogs is best addressed in a rehabilitation program by: