Number Of Meals A Day

[Alibear]

I know as your dog gets older you can reduce the amount of meals feed per day ie. 4 to 3 to 2 to 1 blah blah

My question is, do you think it is best once you get to 2 meals a day to leave it as that, or is it best to eventually get down to 1?

Just wondering....

[greyhoundangel]

I guess it depends on your breed, with mine I cannot get it down to one meal a day, it has to be broken up into two meals...

Mel

[Staranais]

Mine has two, but I know lots of dogs that get by just fine on just one. And I know a couple of people who believe in fasting, so don't even feed that often (they feed 6 times a week instead of 7).

I like feeding two meals, since it means I can give him his RMBs in the morning to keep him occupied while I'm at work, then use his kibble ration to train him with at night.

Are there any health advantages to feeding once a day instead of twice?

[Alibear]

guess it depends on your breed,

I have a GSD.

Are there any health advantages to feeding once a day instead of twice

That is what I was wondering.....

[Springergirl]

Good question - have wondered the same thing myself

Will wait for the replies

[lilypily]

My dogs have 3 meals a day, breakie, lunch and tea, they also get a Tiny Teddie bickkie at bedtime.

I just divide what they would have a day into 3 small meals.

[Purple Julie]

Everyone is different and you will get all varying replies.

My theory is, that we humans don't eat once a day, so why should our dogs? But then, dogs aren't humans, and in the wild, wolves probably only eat once a day if they are lucky.

I feed Jyra a raw diet and she will get either one, two or three meals a day depending on the circumstances.

If she is having chicken, she gets a half a whole chicken for the one meal of the day (unless it is organ meat day, then she will have a second meal (ie the organ meat) later on.

If Jyra is having something else, she will be having two meals in the day. For example, lamb neck in the morning and ox cheek in the afternoon. And if it is organ meat day, she will have 3 meals in that day. Organ meat days are every 3 or 4 days.

I suppose you could do the lamb neck, ox cheek and organ meat in the one meal, but I don't like to mix up different meats. I read somewhere that different meats are digested differently, so it's better to feed them at different time. Not sure if there's any scientific basis for that, but best to be safe.

[greyhoundangel]

guess it depends on your breed,

I have a GSD.

Are there any health advantages to feeding once a day instead of twice

That is what I was wondering..... :p

It's funny, a GSD breeder that we know says that GSD's should only be fed once a day????

It would be interesting to hear what other breeders think about this...

Certain breeds have to be fed twice a day due to the risks of bloat, although even if we didn't have to worry about this, I would still feed twice a day...

Mel

[Loopy Lola]

My GSD is fed twice a day , and often has a couple of raw bones during the day . She and I are happy with this , and we don't have a problem with gulping or constantly looking for food. Not sure if this helps when it comes to bloat , but have always had large breeds and fed this way for over 20 years without a problem :p Sue

[espinay2]

It doesnt really matter how often you feed - it is what suits you and your dog. you can feed once, twice, three times or whatever if that is what works best for the health of your dog and your schedule.

I personally feed once a day in the evening with a treat in the mornings. Just the way I do it. Doesnt mean it is right for every dog or person, but it works well for us.

[White Shepherd mom]

I used to feed once a day but when Casper became epileptic, someone suggested I feed twice a day to help his metabolism. I'm not sure what the difference is.

Now I prefer to feed twice so I can give him his morning tablet without him knowing it. Their morning meal is about 1/4 of their daily allowance, they still have their big meal in the evening.

[Alibear]

Their morning meal is about 1/4 of their daily allowance, they still have their big meal in the evening.

Ok, so that brings me to my next question. I was told to feed most of the food in the morning, that way they work it off during the day rather then a huge meal at night when they are going to sleep anyway?

Is this wrong?

[spikey]

I used to feed my Shepherd once a day as that what was recommended by the breeder. He was 12 1/2 years old when he suffered an attack of bloat one night shortly after eating his dinner - although the vet managed to save him, the x-rays revealed he had fluid on his lungs and an enlarged heart, neither of which we were aware of and our vet later told us it was something that appeared to have only developed in the previous 6 weeks or so. Sadly, the bloat attack made Coco extremely ill and exacerabated the existing problems and he went downhill very quickly within a few days, his system started to shut down and he had to be put to sleep later that week.

I hadn't really known much about bloat until that time, but read lots about it afterwards to try and avoid it ever happening again, although it can be due to a whole range of factors, but just feeding. Certainly I've seen lots of recommendations that breeds such as GSDs should be fed twice rather than once a day to minimise the risk of bloat. I know of a number of people who have lost GSDs (both young and old) in the past few years to bloat so it obviously is a risk factor for the breed. (In our case, the vet said because of the heart problem Coco had developed and the fluid that was collecting around his lungs, he would have been working a bit harder to breathe, panting more and swallowing more air, which in turn contributed to the bloat attack.)

I think feeding twice a day is probably good for any dog, especially the large breeders who may have a higher risk of bloat, and also if the dog has to be left for part or most of the day while you are at work, breaking up the feeding can really help to keep your dog happy and occupied, especially if you give bones, treat balls or Kongs stuffed with food, etc. And as Amhailte said, you can use part of the ration for training as well.

[greyhoundangel]

Bloat

Deep-chested dogs are susceptible to gastric torsion; the dreaded "bloat"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Introduction

The physiology of bloat

Treatment

Preventation

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Introduction

Bloat, Torsion. Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). Call it what you will, this is a serious, life-threatening condition of large breed dogs. While the diagnosis is simple, the pathological changes in the dog's body make treatment complicated, expensive, and not always successful.

A typical scenario starts with a large, deep-chested dog, usually fed once daily. Typical breeds affected are Akita, Great Dane, German Shepherd, St. Bernard, Irish Wolfhound, and Irish Setter. Sighthounds, Doberman Pinschers, Weimaraners, Bloodhounds, other similar breeds, and large, deep-chested mixed breeds are also affected.

Factor in the habit of bolting food, gulping air, or drinking large amounts of water immediately after eating to this feeding schedule and body type. Then add vigorous exercise after a full meal, and you have the recipe for bloat.

Of course, the fact that not all bloats happen in just the same way and the thought that some bloodlines are more at risk than others further complicates the issue.

Simple gastric distention can occur in any breed or age of dog and is common in young puppies who overeat. This is sometimes referred to as pre-bloat by laymen. Belching of gas or vomiting food usually relieves the problem.

If this condition occurs more than once in a predisposed breed, the veterinarian might discuss methods to prevent bloat, such as feeding smaller meals or giving Reglan (metoclopramide) to encourage stomach emptying. Some veterinarians recommend, and some owners request, prophylactic surgery to anchor the stomach in place before the torsion occurs in dogs who have experienced one or more bouts of distention or in dogs whose close relatives have had GDV.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The physiology of bloat

Torsion or volvulus are terms to describe the twisting of the stomach after gastric distention occurs. The different terms are used to define the twisting whether it occurs on the longitudinal axis (torsion) or the mesenteric axis (volvulus). Most people use the terms interchangeably, and the type of twist has no bearing on the prognosis or treatment. When torsion occurs, the esophagus is closed off, limiting the dog's ability to relieve distention by vomiting or belching. Often the spleen becomes entrapped as well, and its blood supply is cut off.

Now a complex chain of physiologic events begins. The blood return to the heart decreases, cardiac output decreases, and cardiac arrythmias may follow. Toxins build up in the dying stomach lining. The liver, pancreas, and upper small bowel may also be compromised. Shock from low blood pressure and endotoxins rapidly develops. Sometimes the stomach ruptures, leading to peritonitis.

Abdominal distention, salivating, and retching are the hallmark signs of GDV. Other signs may include restlessness, depression, lethargy, anorexia, weakness, or a rapid heart rate.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Treatment

GDV is a true emergency. If you know or even suspect your dog has bloat, immediately call your veterinarian or emergency service. Do not attempt home treatment.

Do take the time to call ahead.; while you are transporting the dog, the hospital staff can prepare for your arrival. Do not insist on accompanying your dog to the treatment area. Well-meaning owners are an impediment to efficient care. Someone will be out to answer your questions as soon as possible, but for now, have faith in you veterinarian and wait.

Initial diagnosis may include x-rays, an ECG, and blood tests, but treatment will probably be started before the test results are in.

The first step is to treat shock with IV fluids and steroids. Antibiotics and anti-arrythmics may also be started now. Then the veterinarian will attempt to decompress the stomach by passing a stomach tube. If this is successful, a gastric levage may be instituted to wash out accumulated food, gastric juices, or other stomach contents. In some cases, decompression is accomplished by placing large-bore needles or a trochar through the skin and muscle and directly into the stomach.

In some cases, this medical therapy is sufficient. However, in many cases, surgery is required to save the dog. Once the dog's condition is stabilized, surgery to correct the stomach twist, remove any unhealthy tissue, and anchor the stomach in place is performed. The gastroplexy, or anchoring surgery, is an important procedure to prevent recurrence, and many variations exist. Your veterinarian will do the procedure he feels comfortable with and which has the best success rate

Recovery is prolonged, sometimes requiring hospital stays of a week or more. Post-operative care depends on the severity of the disease and the treatment methods employed and may include a special diet, drugs to promote gastric emptying, and routine wound management. Costs may run $500-1000 or more in complicated cases.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prevention

Clearly, prevention of GDV is preferable to treatment. In susceptible breeds, feed two or three meals daily and discourage rapid eating. Do not allow exercise for two hours after a meal. As previously mentioned, some owners feel that certain bloodlines are at greater risk and choose to have gastroplexy performed as a prophylactic measure.

While the genetics of GDV are not completely worked out, most breeders and veterinarians feel there is some degree of heritability. Therefore, while prophylactic gastroplexy will probably help an individual dog, it makes sense not to breed dogs who are affected or who are close relatives of those suffering from GDV.

Kathleen R. Hutton, DVM

Source:

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/bloat.html

Mel

[gossco57]

I was wondering about bloat in large dogs. :D Thanks.

I have small dogs and I like to feed them 2xper day.But let them snack on a limited amount of dryfood to nibble on and yes of course some fruit. :p

[espinay2]

More bloat info here: http://www.vet.purdue.edu/epi/bloat.htm

Pudue is pretty much the leader when it comes to research on bloat/GDV