Carnivore Digestive System

• The oral cavity comprises the mouth, teeth, lips, and tongue.
• Carnivores have a sharp teeth adapted for tearing flesh.
• Salivary glands in the tongue aid in digestion of ingested food.
• The pharynx forms a crossover point between the respiratory and digestive system.
• The esophagus carries food from the pharynx to the stomach.
• The stomach is a store and mixing site for ingested food.
• Carnivores have a highly acidic stomach for efficient protein breakdown.
• The small intestine can be up to 3.5 times the body length depending on species.
• The small intestine is the major site of enzymatic digestion and absorption of nutrients.
• The large intestine absorbs water, electrolytes, and water-soluble vitamins, and eliminates feces.
• The teeth of domesticated predators vary in size and form among breeds and species but are adapted for hunting, killing, and consuming prey.
• Carnivores often have thicker tooth enamel compared to other animals for necessary strength and durability.
• Carnivores have fewer molars compared to herbivores and omnivores because they focus on tearing and cutting flesh.
• Carnivores have a pointed and well-developed incisors and canines for catching and killing prey.
• Carnivores have premolars in both upper and lower jaws, which are used for crushing food.
• True carnivores lack enzymes in their saliva for digesting food.
• Herbivores have teeth designed for eating plant matter.
• Herbivores lack incisors and canines, but may have incisors on the lower jaw.
• Herbivores often have jaws that can move sideways for chewing.
• Carnivores have a relatively simple stomach compared to herbivores.
• Carnivores possess a single stomach with a shorter digestive tract.
• Carnivores lack cellulose-digesting enzymes for breaking down cellulose.
• Ruminants utilize fermentation in their stomachs, known as foregut or pregastric fermentation.
• The rumen and reticulum are the first two stomachs of ruminants.
• The omasum absorbs water and minerals from the bolus.
• The abomasum is where chemical digestion digestion of food happens.
• Herbivores have a more complex digestive system because plant material is harder to digest.
• Ruminants have multiple stomachs, while non-ruminants have one stomach.
• Ruminants store bolus before regurgitating and swallowing for digestion.
• Animals with simple stomachs are known as monogastric.
• Animals with complex stomachs are known as polygastric.
• Microbial fermentation occurs in the rumen of ruminants.
• Animals with complex stomachs efficiently extract nutrients from plant material.
• Inflammation of the pancreas

  Pancreatitis
• What are the clinical signs of Pancreatitis?

  Nausea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain
• Inflammation of the large intestine.

  Colitis
• Causes of Colitis

  stress, infections, and parasites
• Clinical Signs of Colitis

  frequent, small volumes of semi-formed to liquid feces
• Treatment for colitis includes feeding a hypoallergenic diet and using antimicrobial drugs.
• Preventive measures for colitis include minimizing stress in a dog's life.