Kim of New Rochelle asked:
When if ever in a dog’s life should you feed your dog more than once a day?
Young puppies should be fed small meals 3 to 4 times daily depending on the breed: their digestive system is not yet developed to handle one large feeding per day. Young puppies are also susceptible to Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar; small dogs such as Chihuahuas, Shih Tzu, and Pugs are at higher risk then a larger dog such as a Boxer. After 6 months of age dogs can be fed 2 times daily; morning and evening. In general feeding dogs 12 hours apart, helps them stay full throughout the day. Small dogs can not fit a whole day’s food portion into their stomach at one time. However, the main reason to avoid once a day feedings is a condition called Gastric Dilation-Volvulus or bloat; large breed deep chested dogs are most susceptible, i.e. Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Rottweilers. It is seen in dogs that eat one large meal daily and play or exercise after this meal. It often goes unnoticed because dogs cannot verbalize their distress. Symptoms include salivating, panting, flatulence, agitation, futile vomiting, and swelling in the abdomen. More often than not, when your dog is eating large portions and without properly breaking down the food before starting digestion, it leads to one, if not all of these uncomfortable and potentially dangerous conditions.
When if ever in a dog’s life should you feed your dog more than once a day?
Young puppies should be fed small meals 3 to 4 times daily depending on the breed: their digestive system is not yet developed to handle one large feeding per day. Young puppies are also susceptible to Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar; small dogs such as Chihuahuas, Shih Tzu, and Pugs are at higher risk then a larger dog such as a Boxer. After 6 months of age dogs can be fed 2 times daily; morning and evening. In general feeding dogs 12 hours apart, helps them stay full throughout the day. Small dogs can not fit a whole day’s food portion into their stomach at one time. However, the main reason to avoid once a day feedings is a condition called Gastric Dilation-Volvulus or bloat; large breed deep chested dogs are most susceptible, i.e. Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Rottweilers. It is seen in dogs that eat one large meal daily and play or exercise after this meal. It often goes unnoticed because dogs cannot verbalize their distress. Symptoms include salivating, panting, flatulence, agitation, futile vomiting, and swelling in the abdomen. More often than not, when your dog is eating large portions and without properly breaking down the food before starting digestion, it leads to one, if not all of these uncomfortable and potentially dangerous conditions.
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