2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

0.08 ✕ 454 = 36 grams. *”Crude” refers to the specific method of testing the product, not to the quality of the nutrient itself. 37491_Dog_P01_16x1 07/26/06 5:31 PM Page 3 4 TYPE OF DOG PUPPIES (10 lb puppy growing to 33 lb at maturity) INACTIVE DOGS—dogs with little stimulus or opportunity to exercise. ADULT ACTIVE DOGS—dogs with strong stimulus and ample opportunity to exercise, such as dogs in households with more than one dog, in the country or with a large yard. PREGNANT DOGS—from 4 weeks after mating until delivery. Young Adult Active Dogs Older Active Dogs ENERGY NEEDS IN CALORIES (Calories per Day for a 33 lb and 50 lb Nursing Dog) Weeks into AVERAGE DAILY ENERGY NEEDS *1 Calorie =1 kilocalorie =1,000 calories. The term Calorie that is used on food nutrition labels is really a “food calorie” sometimes called a “large calorie.” It is equivalent to 1,000 calories (or 1 kilocalorie) as calories are defined scientifically (the amount of energy needed to warm 1 gram of water 1°C). In Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, energy needs are expressed in terms of kilocalories, which are equivalent to Calories in this document. Number of Puppies 37491_Dog_P01_16 07/24/06 4:47 PM Page 4 5 ENERGY NEEDS OF GROWING PUPPIES The growing puppy starts out needing about twice as many calories per pound of body weight as an adult dog of the same breed. Owners should start feeding puppies food at approximately 4 weeks after birth, because mother’s milk is no longer sufficient. Food is best offered to puppies in multiple, well-spaced meals. ENERGY NEEDS OF OLDER DOGS Because of decreased physical activity and slowed metabolism, older dogs need 20% fewer total calories than do middle-aged adult dogs. As dogs age, they tend to become overweight. It may take obese dogs longer for their blood glucose concentrations to return to normal. This disrupted carbohydrate metabolism can lead to diabetes. ENERGY NEEDS OF LACTATING DOGS New mothers generally suckle their puppies for at least 6 weeks. The mother’s need for calories increase with the number of puppies and the week of lactation, up to 4 weeks. Giant breeds (like Great Danes) have proportionately smaller digestive tracts and may not be able to eat enough to sustain themselves during lactation. Owners of such dogs may need to start feeding puppies supplemental food at an early age. TIDBIT Severe illness or trauma may increase a dog’s energy needs. Whenever your dog becomes ill, please consult with your veterinarian or dog nutritionist for your dog’s changed nutritional needs. 37491_Dog_P01_16 07/24/06 4:47 PM Page 5 VITAMINS Vitamins are organic compounds that take part in a wide range of metabolic activities. Dogs require vitamins in their food, albeit at low concentrations. First noticed in dogs some 75 years ago, vitamin deficiencies can cause a variety of health problems. Clinical signs of vitamin A deficiency, one of the first deficiencies studied in dogs, include motor and vision impairment, skin lesions, respiratory ailments, and increased susceptibility to infections. Dogs fed diets lacking vitamin E show signs of skeletal muscle breakdown, reproductive failure, and retinal degeneration. Thiamin deficiency can lead to brain lesions and other neurological abnormalities if the deprivation is sudden and to heart damage and death if it is chronic. Some vitamins, such as vitamin D, are not only essential in small doses, but also toxic in excess amounts. 6 DAILY RECOMMENDED ALLOWANCES FOR VITAMINS FUNCTIONS RECOMMENDED SIGNS OF ALLOWANCE* DEFICIENCY/ EXCESS Vitamin A Vitamin D Vitamin E Vision; growth; immune function; fetal development; cellular differentiation; transmembrane protein transfer Maintenance of mineral status; phosphorous balance Defense against oxidative damage 379 µg 3.4 µg 8 mg Anorexia; body weight loss; ataxia; conjunctivitis; corneal disorders; skin lesions; respiratory ailments; increased susceptibility to infection Imbalance in bone remodeling processes; artery and vein degeneration; dehydration; central nervous system depression; joint pain Rickets; lethargy; loss of muscle tone; bone swelling and bending Anorexia; weakness; diarrhea; vomiting; calcification of soft tissue; excessive mineralization of long bones; dehydration; dry and brittle hair; muscle atrophy Degeneration of skeletal muscle; reproductive failure; retinal degeneration 37491_Dog_P01_16x1 07/26/06 5:32 PM Page 6 7 Vitamin K Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) Riboflavin Vitamin B6 Niacin Pantothenic Acid Vitamin B12 Folic Acid Choline Activation of clotting factors, bone proteins, and other proteins Energy and carbohydrate metabolism; activation of ion channels in neural tissue Enzyme functions Glucose generation; red blood cell function; niacin synthesis; nervous system function; immune response; hormone regulation; gene activation Enzyme functions Energy metabolism Enzyme functions Amino acid and nucleotide metabolism; mitochondrial protein synthesis Phospholipid cell membrane component 0.41 mg 0.56 mg 1.3 mg 0.4 mg 4 mg 4 mg 9 µg 68 µg 425 mg No reports of naturally occurring deficiencies in normal dogs Failure to grow, weight loss and neurological abnormalities in puppies; damage to the nervous system and to the heart in adult dogs Anorexia; weight loss; muscular weakness; flaking dermatitis; eye lesions Anorexia and weight loss in puppies; convulsions, muscle twitching, and anemia in adult dogs Impairment of motor control and balance; muscle weakness Anorexia; weight loss; inflammation of the lips, cheeks, and throat; profuse salivation; bloody diarrhea Bloody feces; convulsions Erratic food intake; sudden prostration or coma; rapid respiratory and heart rates; convulsions; gastrointestinal symptoms; reduced antibody production Appetite loss; lack of white blood cells; anemia; bone marrow changes Weight loss; decline in hemoglobin concentration Loss of body weight; fatty liver *Daily needs for an adult dog weighing 33 pounds, consuming 1,000 Calories per day. g = grams; mg = milligrams; µg = micrograms 37491_Dog_P01_16 07/24/06 4:47 PM Page 7 8 DAILY