| No one can
say how long an individual dog will live. But he is your dog, your
faithful friend; you obviously want to have him with you as long as possible.
It
has been recognised by Veterinary Surgeons for some time that nutrition
can play an important part in maintaining your dog’s health and vitality.
Certain nutrient changes are needed throughout your dogs life, what is
right for a puppy can be harmful to the older dog.
There are
a number of specially formulated premium foods, which have been specially
formulated, to ensure health growth and keep him healthy at each stage
of his life. An example of the Veterinary formulated diets is Hill’s Science
Plan. We will be able to give you the advice of the appropriate diet for
your puppy or dog. For a long time Vets and nutritionist’s have been recommending
to feed a commercially produced food, especially a premium food rather
than home made diets, which unless carefully formulated can be potentially
harmful for your dog.
Puppies
click
here for information on puppy care
As a general
guide, puppies require more: calcium and phosphorus to help build strong
bones; protein to help develop strong muscles, more calories for increased
energy expenditure and fatty acids for a healthy coat, they need more
of these than mature dogs do. It has also been shown that large breed
puppies have different nutritional needs.
The
Pregnant and Nursing Bitch Should be fed a diet almost identical to the puppies diet as she is providing so much of the nourishment for the pups at this time, energy rich formulation will help to maintain her own body weight. The Adult Dog Control of excessive nutrients is vital for an adult dog, so reducing the levels of nutrients than those of a puppy is vital. Carefully controlled levels of essential fatty acids for a healthy glossy coat, high-quality protein to maintain muscles, and sensible levels of calcium and phosphorus for strong bones and teeth. Excess levels of sodium and phosphorus should be avoided. The Less Active or Weight Prone Dog Being overweight puts potentially dangerous stress on every bone, muscle and organ, including the heart in your dog’s body. A specially formulated fibre rich, calorie reduced diet is essential to help prevent obesity in some dogs. Some breeds are genetically predisposed to becoming overweight, and some neutered animals are also at risk from becoming obese. Feeding an appropriate ‘light’ diet will help your dog to feel full and satisfied and reduce the intake of calories at the same time, this will keep your dog, happy and healthy and stop you from feeding guilty about reducing the quantity of foods given. The other benefit is it also maintains all of the other essential nutrients required by an adult dog. For the Active or Nervous dog Active working or nervous dogs need a diet rich in energy giving fats to keep them at the peek of fitness. A diet that provides a balance of all of the other nutrients for an adult dog whilst increasing the intake of calories is also useful for the nervous and finicky eater who may only eat a small amount. The Senior/Older Dog. Click here for information about senior dog care As dogs get older, the kidney function often declines. An excessive intake of phosphorus can lead to further kidney damage, and too much salt can contribute to higher blood pressure, which may make heart or kidney problems worse. A carefully controlled diet in all of these nutrients is required for the older dog, to help keep your companion as long as possible.
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Pet Nutrition for help with this information |