CPD article: Puppy nutrition: weaning and beyond

From 2019–2020, 3.2 million households acquired a new ‘pandemic pet’ (Pet Food Manufacturers Association, 2015a). Many of these pets were new puppies, acquired during the lockdowns in the UK. With such a rise in puppy ownership, it is as important as ever to ensure that these puppies receive adequate nutrition throughout their weaning and growth periods, and beyond. It is also important that all members of the veterinary team are confident and knowledgeable about nutrition, so they are able to properly educate owners on feeding during these important life stages and give a consistent message. In this article, the nutritional considerations of growing puppies will be discussed, along with current pet food trends and how to ensure puppies are receiving a complete and balanced diet.

Weaning is an important life stage for puppies. It is a high-risk time for them (Grellet et al, 2012) and must be managed carefully. At 4 weeks of age, the dam's milk no longer provides all the nutrients that puppies need (Fontaine, 2012). At this point they will need to begin the transition to solid food, and choosing the right diet is important. Asking several questions about a particular diet may help to determine whether that diet is appropriate for the pet, for example, is it safe? Is it nutritious? Is it right for the individual pet? It is prudent to select a diet described as complete and balanced for the life stage in question.