{"id":3775,"date":"2019-05-16T05:00:18","date_gmt":"2019-05-16T05:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.addictionfoods.com\/blog\/?p=3775"},"modified":"2021-03-12T07:56:46","modified_gmt":"2021-03-12T07:56:46","slug":"best-food-large-breed-dog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/addictionpet.com\/en-sg\/blog\/best-food-large-breed-dog\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s the best food for your large breed dog?"},"content":{"rendered":"

While dog nutrition across all sizes is basically the same, large breed pups require special diets and large breed adult dogs require monitoring for signs of orthopedic disease, obesity, and bloat. Good thing there are pet foods to address their nutritional needs.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
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Puppy Power!<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

During its first 18 months, a one-pound\u00a0<\/span>large breed pup\u00a0<\/span>can grow to 150 pounds. This means it is very sensitive to nutrient and caloric intake, necessitating proper diet and health monitoring on your part.<\/span>\u00a0Rapid growth might seem impressive but it\u2019s not healthy for them as they become prone to developmental orthopedic disease (DOD)<\/span>. DOD covers a range of conditions such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, osteochondrosis, and the like.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>While many\u00a0think\u00a0that large breed puppies need lots of calcium for healthy bone<\/span>\u00a0growth<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>studies<\/span><\/a>\u00a0have linked high level of calcium and phosphorus to DOD.\u00a0<\/span>It<\/span>\u00a0is\u00a0<\/span>suggested to feed\u00a0<\/span>them\u00a0<\/span>with diets specially formulated for their kind. These diets differ from the ones given to small- and medium-size<\/span>d pups because it is lower in fat, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D.\u00a0<\/span>This helps promote normal bone growth rate<\/span>\u00a0among large breed pups<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Free choice feeding of high-energy foods is\u00a0<\/span>also\u00a0<\/span>not advised by veterinarians<\/span><\/a>\u00a0as this is also linked to DOD and obesity. Determine the right weight range for your large breed pup so it can stay within the healthy range.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In Their Prime<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

When your pup reaches adulthood, a different diet is\u00a0<\/span>needed. Ask your vet for recommendations for large breeds. Your vet will be more than happy to share his\/her experiences and insights to help you decide which kind of diet is best for your dog.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At this stage, they are now prone to orthopedic disease, obesity, and bloat. Orthopedic diseases can be avoided as discussed above; if its cause is hereditary, the least you can do is choose a pup that was raised by a responsible breeder. Obesity in large breeds has been associated with serious health problems like Type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and high blood pressure<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bloat, also\u00a0<\/span>known\u00a0<\/span>as\u00a0<\/span>gastric dilation and volvulus (GDV), affects large breed dogs.\u00a0<\/span>It can be fatal. It happens when\u00a0<\/span>gasses accumulate in the stomach rapidly and\u00a0<\/span>can\u2019t be expelled<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>P<\/span>revent<\/span>ion is\u00a0<\/span>still the best<\/span>. Do the following to reduce the risk of bloat:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n