I have been feeding my American Bulldog Puppy LiveSmart Chicken and Brown Rice Puppy Formula. I would like to switch her to an Adult Food now, which one do you recommend for large/heavy breeds? Thank you! KM, North Carolina
Dear KM,
You don’t say how old your puppy is, but if you’re beginning to think about switching her over to adult food she’s probably close to 12 months old. That means she’s already done most of her growing and less at risk for developmental orthopedic diseases (DOD) like hip dysplasia. So I think you’re fine to gradually transition her to LiveSmart Chicken and Brown Rice Adult over the usual two-week period or so.
Before today, I wouldn’t even have mentioned DOD in a breed like a bulldog because I don’t think of them as a large or giant breed dog prone to growth disorders. The classic definition of a large-breed dog is one whose mature body weight exceeds 50lbs. American Bulldogs are right on the cusp of that so they should be okay, right?
Unfortunately, I did some digging and found some shocking statistics at www.offa.org, the website of the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, a not-for-profit dedicated to reducing genetic disease in dogs and cats. According to the OFA, who has maintained a database of test results for 40 years, the American Bulldog ranks #9 for elbow dysplasia and #16 for hip dysplasia (additional genetic diseases of the bulldog involve the spine and trachea). While the roles that genetics, nutrition, exercise and other factors play in developmental orthopedic disease are still unclear, a conservative diet is probably the smart way to go in your dog.
A conservative diet is one that doesn’t overdo the energy, calcium and Vitamin D. It’s also one that is not fed free-choice or time-limited. To quote from the “Nutritional Risk to Large-Breed Dogs” chapter in the November 2006 issue of Veterinary Clinics of North America—Small Animal Practice:
“Quantities of food offered should be consistently measured, divided, and offered at multiple feeding times.”
You may already be purchasing your food in PortionPaks, our unique feeding system. If not, I recommend you make the switch from bags to PortionPaks to protect her from overeating, which can lead to growth disorders, obesity, bloat and other health problems.