I've been educating myself (really, updating, there's so much new info out there due to the internet and the passage of time) about the care and feeding of puppies. Particularly the feeding of larger breed puppies, as I had heard that too fast growth can lead to malformation or malfunction of joints, including hip dysplasia. And the thought that I could cause my dogs to suffer problems that could cause their early demise or long term pain was rather upsetting!
So I looked up dog food and problems for puppies. Three nutrients are generally listed as potentially problematic in too large doses: Calcium, Energy (generally deduced by the fat content), and Protein.
A very nice site on the issue is here, and I quote the relevant bits below.
The most significant problems appear to be related to the following, in order of decreasing importance: 1. Calcium, 2. Energy, and 3. Protein .
1. Calcium: The ideal calcium content, on a dry weight basis is 0.7%-1.2%-. AAFCO recommendation is 1%-2.5% which is generally acceptable though not ideal; however, for giant breeds, such as the Great Dane, the lower end of this range is especially recommended. It is believed that calcium in excess of 3% on a dry weight basis can predispose to significant skeletal abnormalities, such as those mentioned above. Keep in mind, also, that adding of vitamins, particularly Vitamin D, will also increase absorption of dietary calcium (to possibly excessive levels).
2. Energy: If too many calories are supplied and consumed on a daily basis, too rapid growth results and the excess mass that must be supported on an immature skeleton can result in microscopic damage to skeletal tissue, with subsequent malformation and/or malarticulation of joints, degenerative changes and potentially chronic pain. For most practical purposes, energy levels in food can be extrapolated principally from dietary fat, which should be no less than 9% (AAFCO recommendation) to maximum of 12% on a dry weight basis. Total kcal/kg of food should remain in the 3.2 to 3.8 range
3. Protein: As a percent of diet on a dry weight basis should range between 15%- 27% (AAFCO recommends minumum of 22%). The ideal protein concentration is difficult to specify, since it is, in part dependent upon biological value of the protein source; (i.e. if of high biological value, then less is needed {more is assimilated} and the lower end of the range is desired). Protein markedly above the upper limit described here will be converted to energy, rather then incorporated into protein tissue. This will, therefore, add to the energy burden, and potentiate the problems associated with excess energy consumption, as described above
Check out the AAFCO (Assn of American Feed Control Officials) page for information on your dog's nutritional needs.
Another issue that came up, as Luger is showing signs of food sensitivities, is that both corn and wheat are not particularly digestible for dogs, and they often show up in the first 5 ingredients in dog food--including expensive, supposedly excellent brands. The Iams weight control formula we've been giving the Pug has corn as the first ingredient and more grains among the first five. This is not the best nutrition, as corn is poorly digested and just passes through the dogs' bowels without giving up as much nutrition as you would expect.
So I looked up grain free foods (there are a lot of options out there these days) and settled on one that isn't necessarily for puppies but which has for the first 10 ingredients various types of meat and for carbs ground peas and sweet potato. There are also fruits and some fat, but not that much. I will have to be careful the pups don't get too much energy but have enough calories, but overall the grain free stuff looks to be a good option for my boys. The Pug gets a substantial portion of people food so I know he's not lacking in meat and veggies.
The cost difference is substantial, working out (as I ballparked it) to about 20%-35% difference in cost, depending on the volume purchased. And I'm figuring it from the Max puppy chow and the Iams chow that I had been using. But if you can afford it, your dogs will do best on a diet that supports their growth and consists of foods that they can properly digest.
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