The life stages of dog development require special nutritional intake to ensure proper growth and development and to meet energy needs. Despite the fact that puppies have different nutritional requirements compared to their adult counterparts, of 652 surveyed breeders in the United States and Canada in 2012, 8.7% reported eating commercial dietary puppies is not intended for the stage of development of fangs. Large and small dog breeds have more specific nutritional requirements during growth, such as a customized calcium to phosphorus ratio, and thus should receive a specific growth formula of the breed. Feeding diets formulated by nutritionists for specific breeds and life stage differences in nutritional requirements ensures growing puppies will receive the proper nutrition associated with appropriate skeletal, neurological and immune development. These include nutrients such as proteins, fiber, essential fatty acids, calcium and vitamin E. It is therefore important to feed a dietary puppy that meets the minimum and/or maximum requirements set by the National Research Council.
The nutritional requirements prescribed by NRC are based on scientific evidence and used as a basis for nutritional adequacy in cats and dogs. However, these values ​​are based on the assumption that nutrient availability and digestibility do not vary, although in reality, this is not the case. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has also recommended nutritional levels, but their values ​​primarily serve as a regulatory guide. AAFCO bases its recommendations on feeding trials and is not always supported by scientific evidence; However their statement of nutritional adequacy in pet food pockets is considered an important part of the label because their recommendations take into account material variability. Other agencies involved in pet food regulations include the FDA in the United States that directly regulates pet food sales, FEDIAF in Europe and PFIAA in Australia that recommend regulatory requirements for the pet food industry, as well as others. When choosing puppy food, it is important to consult the label and ensure the product meets the regulatory body standards of your respective country.
Video Puppy nutrition
Energy
Young growing dogs require a greater amount of energy per unit body mass than adult dogs. From the moment of weaning until the puppy reaches 40% of the adult's body weight, the optimal energy intake per unit of body weight is twice as much as that of an adult dog of the same kind. From 40% to 80% of adult's weight, energy requirements fall to 1.6 times the adult's need, and from 80% to the end of growth, this is reduced further to 1.2 times the adult energy requirement. Therefore, it is important to ensure that puppy food contains more energy than adult dog food. However, the excess nutrients associated with eating ad libitum result in bone growth and weight gain that accelerate osteopenia, especially in large dogs. Therefore, the exact energy needs must be met, but not exceeded by the growing dog.
Dog owners and breeders should monitor their puppy's weight by referring to the scores of easily accessible 9-point body scores on the internet, weighing regularly of puppies, and consulting their veterinarians. The owners should also pay attention to the energy levels of their puppies; High-energy puppies will need more energy and may need to be fed more food, just as puppies of lower energy may require less food. The 9-point body condition score has proven to be an effective method for estimating body fat percentage in dogs. Therefore, by following the scale of the body condition of 9 points, and adjusting the food intake accordingly, the owners will be able to keep their puppies at the appropriate weight throughout their growth. In addition to a visual estimate of the condition of the body, physical palpation of pets can provide insight into health and weight in general. Talking with a licensed veterinarian can be very beneficial, as they can help develop these weight and diet monitoring skills.
Maps Puppy nutrition
Calcium and Phosphorus
An important aspect of the puppy's food composition is the content of calcium and phosphorus. Bone minerals consist primarily of calcium, which functions in skeletal mineralization during growth. Pups younger than 5 months can not adjust the absorption of calcium in response to intake, therefore oversupply or undersupply can be dangerous. When raised on a calcium deficiency diet, pathologic bone fractures may occur. This fracture has been shown to occur in puppies with smaller breeds when their diet contains less than 0.33% calcium in a dry matter base (DM). Larger breeds present with fractures at a calcium level of less than 0.55%, thus requiring this offspring to have greater calcium requirements.
The ratio of calcium to phosphorus greatly influences phosphorus retention. A 1.3: 1 ratio will allow good phosphorus retention, but a level above the 2: 1 ratio will decrease phosphorus retention. The cultivation of puppies on a diet containing excess calcium and phosphorus will produce osteochondrosis that interferes with bone remodeling and cartilage and bone maturation. This change is seen in puppies with larger breeds at lower levels than in smaller races. Because large-breed puppies are more sensitive to less calcium and phosphorus levels and excess, it's important to make sure that their food contains enough of both. The minimum requirement set by the NRC is 8.0 g/kg of calcium DM (0.8%), with recommended allowance of 12 g/kg DM (1.2%). However, the recommendations compiled by AAFCO consist of slightly higher calcium values; 1.2% to 1.8% on a DM basis, whereas phosphorus levels should be between 1.0% and 1.6%, with a calcium to phosphorus ratio between 1: 1 and 2: 1. Many commonly used ingredients, such as maize , which is added in high amounts to commercial dog food does not contain sufficient quantities of calcium, and thus, calcium supplements are often added to the formulation to ensure the right amount for development. In addition, descriptive studies of over-the-counter maintenance dog meals determined that 4/45 of the foods studied contained calcium concentrations that exceeded the AAFCO recommendations, but were labeled for all stages of life. Therefore, it is important to feed a diet that is specifically recommended for the developmental stage of life and consult the calcium and phosphorus in the puppy's diet.
Fat and Fatty Acids
Fat is a nutrient that provides more energy per gram than all other nutrients. Fat provides 9.4kcal/g of gross energy (GE) compared to proteins and carbohydrates that only provide 5.56 and 4.15 kcal/g. Due to this greater concentration of energy and higher pups' energy demand, higher fat content from the canine development diet helps achieve increased energy requirements while also providing essential fatty acids necessary for growing dogs. Omega-3 fatty acids (n-3) are an important component of the puppy's diet. Several studies have shown that brain function and retina depend on the level of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids obtained during uterine development and post-partum life. DHA is the main n-3 fatty acid and can be obtained as DHA itself from food sources such as fish and fish oil, or as linoleenic precursor DHA. With high DHA intake, plasma lipid DHA levels increase, fostering neurological development, as demonstrated by increased memory and learning ability. Other benefits of n-3 and DHA include the promotion of neurogenesis, increased neuronal size and phospholipid synthesis, as well as protection against cell death and peroxidative brain damage by damaging free radicals in rodent models and possibly throughout the mammal kingdom. The deficit of n-3 fatty acid diet leads to a 50-80% decrease in brain DHA levels, leading to cognitive deficits and increased levels of n-6 fatty acids that increase inflammation. Adequate intake and recommendation of the 85g/kg (DM) removal rate of total fats (8.5%), and 0.5 g/kg (DM) of omega 3 fatty acids (EPA DHA) were arranged by NRC. Both of these values ​​are also set up as recommendations by AAFCO. However, according to a study of the effects of DHA supplementation on a puppy diet, diets containing 1.4% n-3 fatty acids, or 0.19% DHA yield optimal neurological function.
Vitamin E
Along with DHA, vitamin E also supports proper vision development, reduces oxidative damage, and provides support for additional immune function. During examples of immune system stimulation, such as vaccinations and infections, immune cells produce more tissue that damages free radicals. These free radicals are reduced by the action of antioxidants such as vitamin E, which encourages the formation and maintenance of healthy immune cells. Adequate intake levels administered by NRC consist of 24 Âμg/kg (36 IU/kg) of vitamin E, with a recommended allowance of 30 Âμg/kg (45 IU/kg). However, the regulatory guidance set by AAFCO states a minimum recommendation of vitamin E 50 IU/kg DM. However, these values ​​have proved inadequate for immune protection; the best immune function is optimized at a rate of 500 IU/kg. In addition to prevention of free radical damage, this higher level of vitamin E greatly increases the number of immune CD4 memory cells, helping in a larger and longer response to infection. Because of their growing immune system, puppies are more susceptible to infections than adult dogs, and the exact levels of vitamin E, as shown above, are needed in their diet.
Fiber
Although growing young dogs have immature gastrointestinal tracts, they contain microflora that can ferment fibers and produce short chain fatty acids that are beneficial to intestinal health. Colonization and formation of this bacterial population occur from time to time, beginning immediately after birth. Even with the ability to ferment, the addition of fiber to the diet should be done with caution, since the fibers will dilute other nutrients in the diet. There are different types of fiber, all made of carbohydrates, and NRC classifies them into fermentable and non-fermentable carbohydrates. Commonly fermentable carbohydrates are 3-10 monosaccharide units that join the glycosidic bonds that can not be degraded by endogenous enzymes and require fermentation of intestinal microflora for appropriate degradation. Fiber that can not be fermented is a carbohydrate structure that is not fully fermented even by intestinal microflora. Small studies have been done on fibers that can not be fermented, but it is known that it causes fecal bulking and reduces intestinal transit time. It has been shown that the addition of fibers that can not be fermented in concentrations of 22% or greater than the total diet will reduce the growth, feed consumption and feed efficiency.
The fermentable fibers are more useful for puppy growth, and are often regarded as prebiotics, which means supporting the growth of beneficial microflora species in the intestinal tract. Fermentable fibers often contain fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and mannanoligosaccharides (MOS), both of which greatly stimulate intestinal health. FOS is fermented by beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria that promote their growth, while most pathogenic bacterial strains such as E. coli, C. perfringens and Salmonella can not ferment. MOS has been shown to stimulate the immune system and increase resistance to pathogenic bacteria. Beet porridge is generally the standard fermented fiber used in dog diets, but a mixture of fermentable fiber sources has proven equally effective in promoting intestinal health. Although fermentable fibers are very useful, these should still be added in moderate amounts because the addition of fermentable fibers to a concentration of 14.1% or greater will result in lower feed ingestion.
Protein
Growing puppies need higher levels of protein than adult dogs of the same breed to promote proper growth and development. Proteins should account for at least 25% of energy; But protein requirements also depend on protein digestibility and puppy age. The need for amino acids and nitrogen decreased between 10-14 weeks, indicating that different protein levels are often favorable before and after 14 weeks of age. Before 14 weeks, a protein level of 250 g/kg diet (25% of diet) containing 4.0 kcal ME/g will result in optimal growth. After 14 weeks of age, protein requirement decreases to 200 g/kg diet (20% of diet) for optimal growth.
Proteins that exceed this level are metabolized and lead to increased glomerular filtration rate, and increased urinary urea excretion, with no evidence of damage to the kidneys. However, the addition of proteins through these requirements is not recommended, although the NRC has not yet measured the safe upper limit. Considering that energy density of proteins is similar to carbohydrates, excess protein in the diet can lead to fat accumulation and weight gain. This excess weight can lead to abnormal joint development, potentially causing joint problems in the future. In addition, some excess amino acids may also have an adverse impact; for example, the excess lysine will be negatively hostile to arginine. The minimum requirement set by the NRC is 180g/kg (18%) raw DM protein, with a recommended allowance of 225 g/kg (22.5%) DM. With this in mind, it is also important to consider the quality and digestibility of the protein used.
Iodine
For now, there is little information available about the minimum dietary iodine requirements for developing puppies. However, the literature shows that an overdose of iodine in puppies has a damaging effect on the thyroid gland. High diet iodine can cause hypothyroidism and changes in bone metabolism, given that thyroid hormone is a key factor in osteogenesis, as they stimulate osteoblasts, and promote the synthesis of collagen and osteoid mineralization. This is especially important during adolescent development, as these hormones support the action of growth hormone (GH) and its facilitator, insulin-1 growth factor (IGF-1) at the osteoplastic level. Hypothyroidism acquired at an early age presents delays in maturation and development of newly established bone-aging sites. It is therefore important to closely monitor the amount of iodine in the puppy's diet to prevent an overdose. NRC stated enough intake and recommendation of allowances 900? G/kg (DM) translated to 220? G/1000 kcal. These values ​​have been shown in several studies to be the maximum recommended iodine allowance that will result in no abnormality.
Synopsis
The canine development diet is specifically designed to meet energy needs and nutritional needs for healthy growth. Proper nutrition is essential to support the development of bone, joints, muscles, and the immune system, and includes the addition of nutrients such as proteins, essential fatty acids, calcium, fiber, vitamin E, and others. Ensuring optimal energy intake allows the diet to meet high pups' energy demand while avoiding excessive nutrition, overcrowding, and unhealthy weight gain. Food fat also helps to meet this high energy demand and provides essential fatty acids necessary for the development of function and function of the brain, neurons, and retina. Because growing puppies need a greater amount of protein than their adult counterparts, it is important to include the right amount to support healthy development. The correct level of fermentable and non-fermentable fibers helps support GI and immune health. During growth, younger dogs are more susceptible to infection, but the addition of proper vitamin E levels to the diet reduces the oxidative damage of free radicals and leads to increased immunity. Calcium and phosphorus, in appropriate amounts and ratios, helps the proper growth and maturation of bone and cartilage. It is important to be aware of other mineral levels as well, because excessive doses of iodine can lead to hypothyroidism, and delays in bone maturation and development. It is therefore important to feed a diet that meets the minimum nutritional and/or maximum requirements set by the National Research Council to ensure the optimal growth and development of young dogs of all breeds.
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References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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