Dogs need different diets at different ages. For example, puppies need their mother’s milk as their major food source, while an growing dog may need more protein such as beef or chicken or an additional egg and milk. So depending on the age of the dog, the diet schedule will vary as the dog grows like any other species.
Puppies need greater amounts of protein, fat and carbohydrates than an a fully grown adult dog. Puppies also need more frequent feeding schedules in a day, unlike an adult dog. Since younger dogs are more active than older dogs they require more fuel to feed that energy.
Dogs need different diets at different ages.
Older dogs need less protein but the protein needs to be easily digestible and easily assimilated in the body. The diet schedule should have ample supply of water for them. Feeding aged dogs too much protein may also lead to an over burden of the renal structures and ultimately, the dog may end up damaging filters in the kidney.
This is true especially when the immune system of these dogs is compromised due to many different reasons. Similarly, elderly dogs need less food because they are less active that the average adult dog so spend a limited amount of energy.
Pregnant female dogs should not be fed until over full since it may cause some discomforts to the animal. However, the pregnant animal and the nursing animal need special types of food that will deliver a balanced type of nutrition with proper supplementation of vitamins and minerals.
The nursing animal with puppies needs to be fed extra amounts of calcium so that there won’t be any calcium deficiency in her or her puppies. This will also ensure strong healthy bones in the puppies, preventing the tendency to bend or curve from the lack of calcium.
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