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KIDNEY DISEASE
It is the kidneys' job to deal with the breakdown products of protein. Obviously, the higher the protein intake, the greater the level of waste product. However, the healthy kidney does a super job of dealing with all that comes its way. After all, we can donate a kidney and not suffer any ill effects.
Moreover, it is very important to recognize the "reality" of protein consumption. For instance, much can be made of the nutritive significance of a 22% protein product versus a 27% protein product, and these are the extremes in normally available adult dog foods. What however is the reality? Using 125 grams in a cup, if the average twenty kilogram dog ate 3 cups of food per day, he would take in 375 grams of food total. On the 22% protein product, he would therefore consume 82.5 grams of protein, and on the 27% product, he would consume 101.25 grams of protein. The difference being only 18.75 grams. There are 454 grams in a pound (lb), so we are talking about a forkful of protein, one small piece of steak from the table; hardly a serious concern to the healthy kidney.
Consequently, the only real concern to the owner of an average healthy animal should be the quality and value of the protein they are buying, not the small variation in percentage. After all, our first concern when purchasing a steak is not size. We buy a blade steak or a sirloin or a porterhouse, and size is an afterthought. It is the kidneys' job to deal with the breakdown products of protein. Obviously, the higher the protein intake, the greater the level of waste product. However, the healthy kidney does a super job of dealing with all that comes its way. After all, we can donate a kidney and not suffer any ill effects.
Moreover, it is very important to recognize the "reality" of protein consumption. For instance, much can be made of the nutritive significance of a 22% protein product versus a 27% protein product, and these are the extremes in normally available adult dog foods. What, however, is the reality? Using 125 grams in a cup, if the average twenty kilogram dog ate 3 cups of food per day, he would take in 375 grams of food total. On the 22% protein product, he would therefore consume 82.5 grams of protein, and on the 27% product, he would consume 101.25 grams of protein. The difference being only 18.75 grams. There are 454 grams in a pound (lb), so we are talking about a forkful of protein, one small piece of steak from the table; hardly a serious concern to the healthy kidney.
Consequently, the only real concern to the owner of an average healthy animal should be the quality and value of the protein they are buying, not the small variation in percentage. After all, our first concern when purchasing a steak is not size. We buy a blade steak or a sirloin or a porterhouse, and size is an afterthought.
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BONY MALFORMATION
Similar considerations to protein apply here as to kidney disease, but an understanding of caloric density and mineral content of food is also important.
Whether diet can be directly linked to problems such as hip dysplasia is still uncertain. Certainly, rapidly growing heavier individuals tend to be more at risk. However, cats develop hip dysplasia. It makes sense that carrying excess weight on underdeveloped joints might predispose to injury and alteration in formation, especially in active individuals.
However, feeding a puppy an Adult Dog Food in an attempt to reduce caloric intake, is simply not the answer. Puppy foods are generally of a higher caloric density than comparable adult foods. Consequently, puppies left to their own satiation levels will eat more adult food. Now what have we done? Three cups of the 28% puppy food would contain 105 grams of protein. Four cups of the 24% adult dog food would contain 120g of protein. This is the reverse of what we wanted. If we now feed three cups of adult food, we reduce protein intake, but also potentially affect proper vitamin and mineral intake of the growing puppy, because of the inherent alteration in balance in adult products.
The obvious answer is to feed a quality puppy food properly. Maintain proper development and weight by appropriate volume feeding. A puppy should always have a nice waist and not be fat. This provides the best of both worlds providing optimum nutrition to the genetically rapidly growing individual, and guarding against abnormalities caused by excessive weight.
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