My lab, Boomer, is 8 years old and a little over weight. Does anyone know the recommended calorie intake he should have daily. He weighs 82# and our vet says he is overweight. Thanks, Boo
I found this site a while back that helps you calculate a very generalized reference point to estimate recommended calorie intake: https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/companion/our-services/nutrition-support-service/basic-calorie-calculator It seems pretty consistent with what I found here as well (see page 51) : http://www.nutricao.vet.br/pdfs/FEDIAF_Nutritional_Guidelines_-_final_version_6-09-11.pdf I'm no expert, but I had a similar question you did. Expect to get a lot of advice that the only way to make the right decision is to evaluate your individual dog's body composition in the context of his individual circumstances and daily life. It is absolutely true, according to what I've read, to the extent that this is by far the best and most reliable source of information. That said, it can take a relatively long time to notice gradual changes, and it would be nice to know if you're "in the ballpark" according to the science, if only for your own reassurance. A detailed and illustrated guide with respect to assessing body composition is also right there in the first link. There may be other studies or methods different from what I provided; this is just what I was able to come up with after a lot of time searching online. There are plenty of other authorities including books on dog nutrition if you want to invest in them as well. What I linked to just happens to be available for free. And the site that hosts this forum has some good articles on this as well that very clearly explain the fundamentals of dog nutrition, etc.
