Nutrition 12 - Canine Nutrition Adults and Puppies

adult maintenance diets

• have reached mature adult size (may be 10 months for smaller breeds, 18-24 for larger)

• not pregnant or lactating, or working strenuously, or subject to temperature extremes

determining quantity to feed

• guidelines on food labels- average exercise, that food is only source of nutrition

• calculate using dog’s ideal body weight

• adjust based on weight and BCS

variety in diet

not necessary, frequent diet changes can result in GI upset

• usually takes 5-7 days to adjust digestive enzyme production to meet the new diet’s requirements

• lower quality foods have variable feed formulas

neutering changes in RER

• no difference between intact males and females

• neutered dogs have lower RER, mostly on males- decreased testosterone and estrogen decreases basal metabolic rate

• neutering can increase food intake due to loss of appetite suppressing estrogens

activity level changes on DER

can range from RER to RER x 15 (sled dog racers, heavy athletes)

• best to use lower DER and adjust upwards if needed

temperature effect on DER

energy needs may increase by 90% if housed outdoors in cold weather

• small amounts of energy needed to dissipate heat

10-20%

what is the recommended range for fat in a maintenance diet?

15-30%

what is the recommended range of protein in a maintenance diet in dogs?

• dependent on quality of protein used

up to 5%

what is the recommended fiber amount in a maintenance diet in dogs?

relationship between DER and water

roughly the same as DER, kcal to mL

• way less accurate than other calculations

1.6

what is a good LSF starting point for active and working dogs?

risk factors associated with obesity

middle age, neuter status, low activity, high fat and high calorie foods

postweaning growth

what is the most nutritionally demanding period in a dog’s life?

weight gain for puppies

initial weight gain should be 2-4 g/day/kg of anticipated adult weight for the first 5 months of life

body weight growth

most breeds reach half of their adult body weight at 5-6 months, larger breeds do not until almost 2 years

• by maturity, most dogs will have increased birth weight by 40-50 times

small breeds

• higher metabolic rate, small stomach capacity, need more energy dense foods

risk of overfeeding large breeds

growth rates too fast for optimal skeletal development, lead to diseases (mostly bone and joint)

change in protein requirements in puppies

protein requirements are higher for growing puppies than for adult dogs- need to build new tissue

• 22-32% of dry matter

change in fat requirements in puppies

• need DHA, inefficient conversion of short chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in puppies

• minimum 5-10%

calcium and phosphorus levels in puppies

calcium requirements are low, even lower in large and giant breeds

hip dysplasia

disparity between strength of soft tissues and forces associated with weight gain- subluxation of the joint

osteochondrosis

• impaired maturation of chrondocytes and delayed cartilage mineralization

what to feed large and giant breed puppies

• lower energy density, lower in fat recommended since they are so energy dense- 350-365 kcal/cup

• lower calcium- 30% less, 0.8-0.9%

• regular/higher protein levels, high quality

factors for athletic/high activity dog DER

• time standing

• distance traveled- walk or run is same calories burn for same distance

• type of exercise- endurance needs more than sprinters

short distance athletes

very little extra calories are needed

• mild feed restriction before event helps because of less bulk in the GI tract

canine vs human athletes

dogs have better utilization of fat in muscle fibers that have more fat and glycogen storage

slow twitch

what type of muscle fibers do endurance dogs primarily have

fast twitch

what type of muscle fibers do sprinter dogs primarily have

fat and glycogen

what forms of energy do muscle fibers contain?

anaerobic

what form of metabolism do sprinting dogs primarily use (exercise is brief)

training and conditioning

what is more important than diet for sprinting dogs?

intermediate workers

moderate fat, high protein, moderate-low carbohydrates

max sprinters

moderate-lower fat, moderate protein, moderate-high carbohydrates

endurance workers

very high fat, high protein, low carbohydrate

fat

what is the more important nutrient during low-intensity work?

glycogen in muscle and liver

what kind of stores are used as exercise intensity increases and from where?

glycogen

storage form of glucose

gluconeogenesis

process to create glycogen from non-carbohydrate sources

2-4 hours

when should meals be given before exercise?

after they have calmed down

when should the largest meal of the day be given in relation to exercise?

no, don’t sweat

do dogs lose electrolytes as they exercise?