Worksheet: Reading a feeding plan
The following questions are to give you practice for reading a feeding plan. Download the sample Feeding plan and jot down your answers to the following questions. You will find some suggested feedback at the end of the questions.
Questions
1 Why would Heidi be fed adult dry food small bites?
2 Why would Pip and Sally currently be fed Puppy growth dry and tinned food? They’re not pups.
3 Why would Pip, Sally and Danny be receiving calcium powder as a supplement in their food?
4 Why would Pip, Sally and Danny be fed twice a day?
5 How much food are the following dogs fed?
Lucy
Beau
Danny
Feedback
Question 1
A bitch in pup or with a litter will require more calories than they would other times. Puppy food can be a good source of extra energy and is also very protein rich which is very important for pregnant or lactating bitches.
Question 2
The puppy food contains a higher energy content that a bitch in pup or feeding pups requires. Puppy food generally contains more protein too which is important to a pregnant or lactating bitch.
Question 3
The calcium powder would help with bone development (when given at the correct dose). A large dog such as a Great Dane, especially one that has been malnourished early in life, could use this supplement as a puppy to assist with bone development as they grow so fast. Bitches in pup or lactating could use calcium as a supplement to assist with development of the growing foetuses or puppies.
Note: Quality puppy or growth feeds already contain adequate amounts of calcium. If your pet receives too much calcium this can cause bone deformities and other health related problems. See your vet before administering calcium as a supplement to your pet!
Question 4
Danny is a puppy. He used lots of energy, so the two feeds will help to provide the energy he needs and help his body grow.
Pip has a litter of pups. Again she is using lots of energy to feed the pups and help them grow. The pups are also taking nutrients from her body to help them grow. Pip needs to keep replacing these nutrients.
Sally has growing pups inside her. Her stomach size will be reduced due to the pups pushing up into her stomach area. She would be unable to eat large meals at the moment, so two smaller meals would be ideal. Again she is using lots of energy to help the pups grow inside her. The pups are taking nutrients from her body to help them grow. Sally needs to keep replacing these nutrients.
Question 5
· Lucy: four cups adult dry food in the afternoon
· Beau: 1.5 cups adult dry food in the afternoon
· Danny: five cups Puppy growth dry food and one teaspoon of calcium powder mixed into ½ tin puppy growth food in the morning. Five cups Puppy growth dry food in the afternoon
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