Energy Requirements of Adult Dogs: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the maintenance energy requirements of adult dogs. Suitable publications were first identified, and then used to generate relationships amongst energy requirements, husbandry, activity level, methodology, sex, neuter status, dog size, and age in healthy adult dogs. Allometric equations for maintenance energy requirements were determined using log-log linear regression. So that the resulting equations could readily be compared with equations reported by the National Research Council, maintenance energy requirements in the current study were determined in kcal/kg0.75 body weight (BW). Ultimately, the data of 70 treatment groups from 29 publications were used, and mean (± standard deviation) maintenance energy requirements were 142.8±55.3 kcal.kgBW−0.75.day−1. The corresponding allometric equation was 81.5 kcal.kgBW−0.93.day−1 (adjusted R2 = 0.64; 70 treatment groups). Type of husbandry had a significant effect on maintenance energy requirements (P<0.001): requirements were greatest in racing dogs, followed by working dogs and hunting dogs, whilst the energy requirements of pet dogs and kennel dogs were least. Maintenance energy requirements were less in neutered compared with sexually intact dogs (P<0.001), but there was no effect of sex. Further, reported activity level tended to effect the maintenance energy requirement of the dog (P = 0.09). This review suggests that estimating maintenance energy requirements based on BW alone may not be accurate, but that predictions that factor in husbandry, neuter status and, possibly, activity level might be superior. Additionally, more information on the nutrient requirements of older dogs, and those at the extremes of body size (i.e. giant and toy breeds) is needed.

Environmental Impacts of a Pet Dog: An LCA Case Study

“…A few LCA studies assessing potential environmental impacts related to pets and dogs are already available. However, they focus only on specific environmental impacts or on specific life cycle stages or processes, such as pet food [4][5][6][7][8][9]. Moreover, within the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) initiative [10,11] a PEF pilot study was conducted aiming at analyzing potential environmental impacts of pet food for dogs (and cats) and developing product environmental footprint category rules (PEFCR).…”

Comparative locomotor costs of domestic dogs reveal energetic economy of wolf-like breeds

“…Freedman et al, 2014;Parker, 2012;Skoglund et al, 2015;Vonholdt et al, 2010) to zooarcheological (Perri, 2016;Pionnier-Capitan et al, 2011), morphometric and biogeographical evidence (Larson et al, 2012). By comparison, little is known about the effects of extensive artificial selection on physiological performance and metabolic demands of the different breeds of dog (but see Bermingham et al, 2014;Careau et al, 2010;Speakman et al, 2003).…”

>b<Obesidade canina:>/b< um estudo de prevalência no município de São Paulo - SP

“…Assim como a castração em cadelas, visto que a ovariosalpingohisterectomia leva a lipogênese, alterações no metabolismo energético e alterações hormonais, como redução de estrógeno, hormônio responsável por regular a saciedade (JEUSETTE et al, 2004;ZORAN, 2010). Contudo, essa informação não foi sustentada na meta-análise citada anteriormente, na qual foi observado que a predisposição ao ganho de peso após a castração ocorre independente do sexo (BERMINGHAM et al, 2014).…”

“…Por outro lado, a castração também foi citada por reduzir a necessidade energética do animal (ROBERTSON, 2003;COLLIARD et al, 2006;BERMINGHAM et al, 2014;KAWAUCHI et al, 2017 SPAIN; SCARLETT; HOUPT, 2004).…”

“…No presente estudo, este fator independente do sexo, também apresentou associação com a condição corporal dos animais, além de representar 2,88 mais chances dos animais se tornarem obesos ou em sobrepeso. Esse fato pode ser justificado pela redução do metabolismo basal já caracterizado em animais castrados, ocasionado pela redução da necessidade energética, aumento da quantidade de gordura corporal e aumento da ingestão alimentar (ROBERTSON, 2003;COLLIARD et al, 2006;BERMINGHAM et al, 2014;KAWAUCHI et al, 2017).…”