Calculation of a dietary plan for puppies

The practical formulation of a diet for puppies requires an estimate of the energy requirements of growth. Historically, it was estimated stage by sta ge, based on the percentage of growth. As it is possible ro predict the adu lt weight oi ii dog knowing juri the weight and age of a puppy, the authors present a new approach which allows the energy requirement of the puppy to calculated: ERgrowth (kcal ME/day)= C x MER (kcal ME/day); where MER is th e puppy maintenance energy requirement at its actual weight and C is a mult iplier: C=3.2. [exp (-0.87 P)- 0.1], where P is the actual puppy weight (kg )/estimated adult body weight (kg); with 0 < P < 1. The protein-calorie rat io (g protein/Mcal ME) of the diet is also presented, depending upon the gr owth stage and the breed size. A dietary plan for any puppy can then be eas ily established.