Nutrition consultation for an overweight growing Bernese Mountain Dog-A case report.

Abstract

In growing dogs, overweight is assimilated and attributed to a fast growth rate. Proper nutrition plays a very important role during growth as mistakes in feeding may lead to severe disease. This case report is an example for excessive weight gain during growth that, particularly in large breed dogs, may lead to skeletal disorders such as improper alignments of the limbs. If body weight gain exceeds the ideal range of the individual growth curve (by initially 4 kg in this case), fast growth may lead to growth disturbances and associated chronic diseases. These cases require a dietary adaption. However, the success in the nutritional management of the body weight relies largely on the owner's compliance.