Puppy nutrition
[2] Feeding diets formulated by a nutritionist for specific breeds and life stage differences in nutrient requirements ensures a growing puppy will receive the proper nutrition associated with appropriate skeletal, neurological and immune development.
This includes nutrients such as protein, fibre, essential fatty acids, calcium and vitamin E.[3][4][5] It is therefore important to feed puppies a diet that meets the minimum and/or maximum requirements established by the National Research Council.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) also has recommended nutrient levels, but their values serve primarily as regulatory guidance.
When selecting puppy food, it is important to consult the labels and ensure products meet the standards of regulatory agencies of your respective country.
However, over nutrition associated with feeding ad libitum results in accelerated skeletal growth and weight gain leading to osteopenia, especially in large breed dogs.
[9] Therefore, by adhering to the 9 point body condition scale, and adjusting food intake accordingly, owners will be able to maintain their puppy at an appropriate weight throughout its growth.
In addition to visual estimates of body condition, physical palpation of the pet can provide insight on general health and weight.
[11] These fractures have been shown to occur in smaller breed puppies when their diet contained less than 0.33% calcium on a dry matter (DM) basis.
[2] Because large breed puppies are more sensitive to deficient and excess calcium and phosphorus levels, it is important to ensure that their diets contain sufficient amounts of both.
[17] Therefore, it is important to feed a diet specifically recommended for the developmental life stage and consult the calcium and phosphorus levels in puppy foods.
Multiple studies suggest brain and retinal function are dependent on the level of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids acquired during in-utero development and postnatal life.
[4] In addition to prevention of free radical damage, this higher level of vitamin E greatly increases the number of memory CD4+ immune cells, aiding in a greater and a longer response to infection.
[4] Due to their still-developing immune system, puppies are more susceptible to infection than adult dogs, and proper levels of vitamin E, as indicated above, are needed in their diet.
Although young growing dogs have immature gastrointestinal tracts, they do contain microflora which can ferment fibre and generate short chain fatty acids beneficial to gut health.
[6][22] Growing puppies require higher levels of protein than adult dogs of the same breed to promote proper growth and development.
[36][37] High dietary iodine may cause both hypothyroidism and changes in bone metabolism, considering that thyroid hormones are key factors in osteogenesis, as they stimulate osteoblasts, and promote collagen synthesis and mineralization of the osteoid.
Proper nutrition is imperative to support development of bones, joints, muscles, and the immune system, and includes the addition of nutrients such as protein, essential fatty acids, calcium, fibre, vitamin E, and others.
Dietary fats also help to meet these high energy demands and provide the essential fatty acids necessary for brain, neuron, and retinal development and function.
During growth, young dogs are more susceptible to infection, but the addition of proper levels of vitamin E to the diet reduces free radical oxidative damage and leads to an increase in immunity.
It is therefore important to feed a diet that meets the nutrient minimum and/or maximum requirements established by the National Research Council in order to ensure optimal growth and development of young dogs of all breeds.
