4.0 Introduction
As a human, you have gone through stages of growth.

Humans go through infant, child, teenager, young adult, adult, older adult, and senior stages. As you age, there are different nutritional requirements to ensure your health remains intact.

The same is true for pets.

Pets go through an infant stage, adult stage, and senior stage. When you feed your pets during these different stages, you will need to give them the appropriate nutrients.

4.1 Babies- Puppies, Kittens, & Foals

Puppies, kittens, and foals are in a juvenile state. When they are born, they are dependent on their mother in order to survive.

Foals tend to start weaning off of their mother's milk and show interest in food at 10-14 days old. Puppies and kittens start handling solid food at 4 weeks old when they have grown teeth and are able to be weaned from their mother's milk.

Nutrients in milk provide immunity to certain diseases, just like a mother's milk helps with a human baby.

Our pets need more protein as they are growing to help build their muscles and tissues. Fats help keep their skin and hair healthy. They also help develop a healthy brain and healthy vision. Carbohydrates help give your pet energy. And pets of all ages should always have a source of fresh, clean water available to them.

Puppies

Newborns are completely dependent on mom. Dogs usually give birth to an average of 5-7 puppies per litter, depending on breed. When born, puppies are 100% dependent on their mothers for food, warmth, and even help urinating and defecating for the first three weeks of life.

In most cases, a puppy can start weaning from its mother's milk or substitute milk between the ages of 3 and 4 weeks. Once weaning is started, the process typically takes up to 3 weeks before they are transitioned away from milk.

To help get your little pal used to solid food, veterinarians recommend wetting the puppy food with enough warm water to make a soupy gruel.

Puppies like to play with their food, so you may need to encourage them to eat it. Try dipping your finger into the food and holding it out for your pup to lick.

The number of feedings a day depends on your pup's age. From 2-3 months, they need about 4 meals a day. From 3-6 months, they need about 3 meals a day. And from 6-12 months, and even up to 24 months for the largest breeds, they need about 2 meals a day.

Kittens

Like puppies, newborn kittens are completely dependent on their mom. Cats usually give birth to an average of 4-6 kittens per litter, depending on breed. Kittens under 4 weeks of age cannot regulate their own body temperature. They must rely on outside sources of heat, such as their mother's body heat, to keep warm. They rely on their mothers for food, warmth, and help toileting.

Kittens have a higher requirement for protein, amino acids, and minerals, as well as for some vitamins. For example, kittens should get about 30% of their energy from protein.

Very young kittens must have at least some canned food to eat as part of their diet. Very small kittens have very small teeth and can't chew dry food well. Without some canned food, they won't get enough nutrition to grow properly. If you are feeding your kitten both dry and canned foods, then canned feedings twice a day are sufficient. If they're only eating canned food, they should be fed four times daily.

Foals

Foals will start to show interest in feeds very early on. By around 2 months of age, their mother's milk will no longer supply all the nutrients needed for optimum growth.

To support smooth, steady growth, suckling foals should be offered 1 pound of a properly formulated foal feed per month of age per day. For example, a 3-month-old would ideally be eating about 3 pounds of feed per day, in addition to milk and free choice hay or pasture.

A weanling horse already accustomed to eating an adequate amount of dry feed will transition to life without mom much easier and will be ready to maintain nutrient intake at a level that can sustain optimum growth. Knowing helps foals adjust to their new independence.

When weaning horses, it is important to offer weanlings a high-quality feed specifically formulated for foals. Young, growing horses have different requirements for protein, vitamins, and minerals than adult horses.

A proper balance of high-quality proteins, calories, calcium, and phosphorus is needed for correct muscle, bone, and tendon development. Feeds formulated for adults will not provide the necessary nutrients for your baby to fulfill their genetic potential. They may cause deficiencies and increase the risk of growth abnormalities.

As a growing pet, your puppy, kitten, or foal needs a lot of protein to ensure proper cell growth for muscles and bones. Your young pet also needs enough energy to keep going through the growth spurts and all the play bouts. They are full of energy and take small naps throughout the day and night before they are ready to play again. All of these actions require high nutritional content based on energy and protein.

4.2 Adults- Dogs, Cats, & Horses

Adult stages can start from a year or up to 2 years of your pet's life. When your pet reaches adulthood, it is time to change the food or at least the amount of food your pet is receiving.

If you are changing the food because you used a baby formula and now want to feed an adult formula, you will need to do it based on the breed of your pet. Some breeds of dogs are meant to be smaller, more hyperactive, and weigh less. Larger breeds require a higher caloric density of food.

It is also extremely important for your pets to have dental ingredients in the food they are eating. Dry food can help keep your pet's teeth healthy. Outside of nutrition, you need to provide dental health care for your pet. However, food and appropriate nutrients in that food can ensure your pets are able to keep their adult teeth well into their senior feeding stage.

When choosing food, it should be high quality, with animal-based protein for dogs and cats to maintain muscle and bone health. Adults also require more fiber in their food for a healthy digestive tract. Minerals and vitamins are essential to the immune system and overall prevention of disease. Fat is important for calories but also needs to be monitored to ensure it is the correct type of fat. Adult pet food should contain fatty acids, taurine for energy and eye and heart muscles, vitamin A, and niacin.

Dogs

Dogs are much different than cats when it comes to feeding.

Some dogs do not have an 'off switch' when it comes to hunger, although that is definitely not the case for all dogs, as it depends on the individual animal or breed.

Food-loving dogs will see food in a bowl and eat it until the bowl is empty. This means a free-for-all feeding bowl can be emptied in a matter of minutes, allowing the dog to be overfed. Therefore, you must refer to the labels on the dog food packages, which tell you exactly what amount to feed your dog based on its weight.

It is very good to develop a routine.

The bag or can will tell you the amount your pet needs daily, but it will not tell you how to disperse it. It is a good idea to break the amount into 3 or 4 meals. If you are not around during a lunch meal, then you will want to set a routine where you feed your dog in the morning, with a third of their daily intake. Provide a third when you get home and then another third before bed. This ensures your dog gets food throughout the day and not just one meal. It will reduce any psychological issues your dog may have with regard to food.

Feeding your dog is about supplying the proper nutrients for the health of your pet. If your pet has a known health issue or the breed of your dog has common health issues you want to prevent, you will need to make certain you are feeding your dog appropriately. You already know that there are plenty of choices when it comes to food, and you can provide supplements to your dog as well.

Cats should never be fed dog food and dogs should never be fed cat food. Cat and dog food is specifically formulated by species. Dogs are omnivores like people. Cats are strict carnivores. They eat meat products only. Source: newtonvetclinic.com

Cats

Cats do have an off switch. However, vets typically recommend that you do not provide a free-for-all-all for your cats unless there is a psychological reason to do so.

Many cats that have been brought home from shelters fear they are not going to be fed. They will panic and dry heave if they are not given a free-for-all bowl. Some cats will also have this reaction if their food bowl is slightly empty, meaning there is still food in the bowl, but it is not a heaping amount, and they can see the bottom. For this reason, you may find it easier to have a bowl that you fill up once every two days. How much you fill-up the bowl will also depend on the size of the bowl and how many cats you are feeding. Bags usually recommend that all food should be eaten within 3 hours, but you can leave it out since dry food does not need to be refrigerated.

You may also decide to feed your cat wet food.

Canned food, in combination with a bowl of food, means you have to change the amount you feed your cat. You may not provide an entire can of food for your cat throughout the day. You may decide that a quarter of wet food is all that is necessary, or you may increase the damp food while you make the dry food a supplementary item.

If you do feed canned food, you will want to do it with a routine. You will also need to refrigerate any leftover canned food so it will not spoil.

Horses

When feeding horses, it is important to recognize that six basic nutrient categories must be met: carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. Often, feed companies will balance the first five nutrients for us; however, it is critical not to forget about water. A normal, healthy horse will consume 5-15 (or more) gallons of water per day, depending on temperature, humidity, and activity level. Clean water should be provided daily and, ideally, should be available at all times for the horse to drink when it is thirsty. If this is not possible, horses should be watered a minimum of twice daily and allowed several minutes to drink each time. Horses that do not drink enough water are more susceptible to conditions such as dehydration, intestinal impactions, and other forms of colic.

The rest of the horse's diet should be formulated based on its requirement for each of the other five nutrients. These requirements differ from individual to individual and are influenced by the horse's body mass, age, workload, and metabolic efficiency. It is a very useful skill to be able to look at a feed tag and determine if that feed is going to meet your horse's requirements.

Manufacturers typically put feeding instructions on the tag to help buyers determine if the feed is appropriate for their horses and how much of it should be fed to each individual. However, it is beneficial to be able to look at a particular feed and understand why it is or is not a good choice for your horse.

If you want to examine your feeding program more closely, the most in-depth listing of requirements can be found in the National Research Council (NRC) recommendations for horses (Nutrient Requirements for Horses 6th Edition, 2006). Approximate nutritional requirements based on a horse's age, workload, and status are listed along with the nutritional value of different grains and hays. This resource is based on scientific research and is updated periodically to stay current with recent findings. To access this database online, go to http://nrc88.nas.edu/nrh/. This site allows you to select the age, weight, status, and workload of a particular horse (under "Animal Specifications") and determine its specific nutritional needs for macronutrients (given in the table at the bottom of the web page) as well as vitamin and mineral needs (under "Other Nutrients"). This program also allows you to select certain forages and other feedstuffs (under "Dietary Supply" — click on "New" to change feedstuff) to determine how much of your horse's requirements are being met by a particular feed or combination of feeds (you must input the weight of each feedstuff being consumed).

4.3 Senior- Dogs, Cats, & Horses

During the senior stages of life, the feeding changes you need to make will depend on the longevity of your pet breed.

Vets consider a senior pet to be in the last third of their life. For a dog that is 12 years old, senior age will start at 8 years old. If a cat has an expectancy of 18, then senior age will be around 12. For a horse that is 24 years old, the senior age is around 16. The longevity of any pet is marked by their health and activity. Some pets will have physiological changes that will determine their dietary needs.

Most pets will need a lower-calorie diet with high protein and fat, as well as one higher in fiber.

The reason for a lower caloric intake is because their activity level usually decreases. Most older pets are not as active as they once were, and obesity can start to impact your pet and cause health problems.

For both senior dogs and cats, it is important to provide dental care, food that looks out for dental health, and a softer food to protect the teeth.

Other problems that can occur in both senior dogs and cats are bladder infections, urinary tract infections, kidney failure, and other related issues. Most vets recommend that a senior dog or cat should get more, if not all, of their caloric intake from canned food.

4.4 Pregnancy- Dogs, Cats, & Horses

Pregnancy in dogs, cats, and horses will require a modification to the feeding routine.

Any animal or mammal that is undergoing pregnancy will need a change in order to provide the body with proper nutrients and enough food to sustain the pregnancy and provide healthy offspring.

Dogs

A dog's pregnancy averages 63 days in length, and nursing continues for a few more weeks. This may be the most important time in your dog's life when it comes to precise nutrition. For a pregnant or nursing dog, malnutrition can lead to serious health issues and jeopardize the health of her puppies. Talk to your veterinarian about your specific dog's unique needs and keep these critical nutritional considerations in mind:

• Food for pregnant or nursing dogs must include sufficient calories to meet increased energy needs for milk production and the growth of puppies.

• Increased fat helps satisfy the higher demand for calories

• High digestibility is important to help maximize calorie intake from smaller amounts of food

• The mother's milk production and the bone growth of her puppies require more calcium and phosphorus

• More protein is needed to nourish the healthy development of puppies

• DHA for developing puppies' nervous systems

High digestibility translates to more efficient nutrient absorption by a pregnant or nursing dog's body. It's important because it helps a dog maximize the nutrition in every bite she eats. This can be crucial because there's less space in a pregnant dog's abdomen.

Pregnant and nursing dogs have very high energy needs. In fact, nursing dogs have 4-8 times the energy requirements of healthy adult dogs. Increased fat in precisely balanced nutrition helps supply more energy.

Visit your veterinarian weekly, if possible during pregnancy and nursing, to check her condition and make sure her nutritional needs are being met. It's important that you set up a specific schedule with your veterinarian to determine how often your dog should be examined during pregnancy and after puppies are born.

Cats

Feeding your cat properly is critical during pregnancy and nursing. Malnutrition can result in low birth weight of the kittens and put them at risk for several health conditions, resulting in a reduced survival rate. The goal is optimal nourishment for both the mother and her kittens. Specifically, here are nutritional priorities:

• Increased energy from calories for the growth of kittens and milk production for the mother

• Increased protein for growth and development of the kittens

• Increased fat to meet the high demand for calories of the mother

• Increased calcium and phosphorus for bone growth of kittens and milk production of their mother

• High digestibility to provide more calories in a smaller amount of food

Increased energy and fat are important because pregnant and nursing cats have extremely high energy needs. Nursing is the most energy-demanding stage of a cat's life. Nursing cats have 2-6 times the energy requirements of a healthy adult cat.

Digestibility is how much eaten food is actually absorbed by the cat's body. High digestibility is important because energy needs are very high, and there is less physical space in the abdomen of pregnant cats. T

ypical gestation (pregnancy) averages 63-65 days. We recommend that you see a veterinarian weekly during pregnancy and nursing to assess weight and food intake. Please speak with your veterinarian to determine how often your cat should be examined during pregnancy and after the birth of her kittens.

Horses

During the first seven or eight months of gestation, the fetus grows very slowly (approximately 0.2 lbs per day), so early pregnancy does not present much of a nutritional challenge to the mare. Dry mares in early gestation can basically be fed like any other mature, idle horse.

However, during the last 3–4 months of pregnancy, the unborn foal begins to grow and develop more rapidly. In the previous 90 days of pregnancy, the fetus gains approximately 1 lb per day. This has a significant impact on the mare's nutritional requirements for protein, vitamins, and minerals. The increased size of the fetus also takes up more room in the mare's body cavity, resulting in the mare eating less hay or forage. This reduction in forage intake, coupled with the increased nutritional demands of the pregnancy, leads to a need for mares to be supplemented with a nutritionally balanced concentrated grain mix to meet total nutrient requirements. Even in situations where forage alone is maintaining mares in acceptable body condition, they must receive quality concentrate supplementation. While good quality forage may be able to provide sufficient calories to support the body condition of the mare, other nutrients, such as protein, vitamins, and minerals, will be deficient.

During the tenth month of gestation, the greatest amount of mineral retention occurs in the unborn foal. Mare's milk is practically devoid of trace minerals that are essential for proper bone development, such as copper. Therefore, adequate trace mineral supplementation of the mare is critical for normal fetal growth. It provides sufficient minerals for the developing foal to store in its body and utilize immediately after birth. In the first weeks of life, foals will not eat enough amounts of fortified feeds. They may not have adequate absorption of dietary trace mineral sources at this early stage of development.

Proper mineral nutrition of the mare in late gestation helps ensure that the foal receives an adequate supply of these important nutrients to use during very early growth stages. Pastures and hays are usually quite deficient in trace minerals such as copper and zinc, so sufficient mineral supplementation in the mare's total diet is critical. Proper nutritional management of the broodmare during late gestation will give her foal the best start in life. With all the time and money invested in getting a foal on the ground, you don't want to skimp on mare nutrition during this critical time.

4.5 Set Meal Times vs. Random Feeding

Random feeding is not usually a good choice because your pets enjoy a routine.

They will become hungry at certain times of the day, and you have your own schedule to follow. If at all possible, establish set meal times. As it was mentioned in the dog feeding section, 3 times a day is a good routine to have. However, you can also provide 4 meals a day if you are home enough to do so.

With set meal times, you are able to train your pet to behave when they are receiving food. You can teach your dog to sit and wait for the bowl to be placed on the floor in front of them. You can also teach your cat to wait patiently in a specific spot. With set meal times, it is also easier to feed multiple pets.

Part 4 Summary

Puppies, kittens, and foals require different nutrients than your adult and senior pets because they are growing and are far more energized.

As your pets grow up, you will need to change their food from baby to adult formulas.

You may not need to change food if you have gone with a formula designed for all life stages.

Any time you choose a food, it is important to check the nutrient levels and use the nutritional content to help boost the immune system and prevent disease.

You may need to change your senior pet's food, and you certainly need to change how you feed a pregnant pet.

Ready to give your furry friend the best nutrition? At Hot Diggity Dog Resort, we offer a carefully curated selection of premium pet foods and homemade treats for dogs, cats, horses, and even humans! Whether you're looking for high-quality kibble, delicious homemade snacks, or specialty diets, we've got you covered. Explore our full range of products and treat your pet to the health and happiness they deserve. Visit our healthy pet foods page for premium pet foods for dogs, cats, horses and even supplements for humans. Finally, don't leave without investigating out our top homemade dog treat recipes. Because your pet deserves the best, inside and out!
Finally, check out our Hot Diggity Dog Blog for the other modules in this series on Pet Nutrition at: Blog