Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

FEEDING GROWING PUPPIES
THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM • 305
Most breeders supply a diet sheet with a new puppy, detailing what the pup
has been fed, how much, and at what times of the day. Follow this, at least for
the first few days, since an abrupt change in diet can cause digestive upsets.
The caloric requirements of growing puppies are shown in the table on
page 499. Pups up to 6 months of age require twice as many calories per pound
of body weight per day as do adults. Protein requirements are also higher.
After six months, these requirements begin to decline as the puppy’s growth
rate decelerates.
These requirements are best met by feeding a product labeled “for growth
of puppies.” The information on the label should show that on a dry matter
basis the product:
• Has at least 25 percent protein
• Has at least 17 percent fat
• Has less than 5 percent fiber
• Has 1.0 to 1.8 percent calcium
• Has 0.8 to 1.6 percent phosphorus
• Is 80 percent digestible
• Provides 1,750 metabolizable calories per pound (.45 k) of food
Labels provide recommended daily feeding amounts. They are useful as
guidelines, but are not applicable for every pup, nor for every stage of the
puppy’s life.
Puppies should be fed at least three times a day from weaning to 6 months
of age. After 6 months, puppies can be fed twice a day. Do not feed puppies
snacks between meals, as this will unbalance the diet. Feeding regular meals
will also help with housetraining.
Overfeeding is a much more common problem than underfeeding. Do not
leave a bowl of food down all day for puppies! Overfeeding can lead to obesity
and may worsen the symptoms of hip dysplasia and other inherited bone diseases.
Overfeeding is particularly undesirable in heavy-boned, rapidly growing
puppies of the large breeds. In fact, in larger breeds a slower growth rate has
been found to be healthier, because it allows the muscles and tendons to
develop at the same rate as the bones.
If you own a large-breed puppy, you may want to feed somewhat less than the
amount recommended on the package. Some packages have instructions for
feeding large-breed puppies. These may be more accurate than following general
guidelines. Special formulas for large-breed puppies that are lower in calories, fat,
and calcium are available through your veterinarian. Feed as prescribed.