A Study On Skipper, A Hunting Dog - 1468 Words

Skipper is a four year old neutered male American foxhound. He weighs 55 pounds and is considered a 3 of 5 on the body condition score (BCS) scale. His owner is preparing to take him on a two week hunting trip and wants to know if he should change Skip s feeding program. During the trip Skipper will be working intensely for six to eight hours each day. His current food contains 3.0 Kcal ME/g, 22% protein, and 15% fat. The following is a case study on Skipper, a hunting dog. His body weight is ideal for his age and lifestyle, however, an increase in strenuous activity may require a higher caloric intake during the time frame of the activity. â€Å"Energy dense foods are classified as the amount of energy or calories per gram of food.†¦show more content†¦Skipper is a four year old neutered male canine American Fox hound standing 24 inches tall at the shoulder, having a short, single, hard, black with brown and tan coat and an ideal weight of 55 pounds with a body condition score of a 3 on a scale of 5. This is indicative by slight pressure to the ribs and spine with no visual protrusion. Muscle tone is apparent for an active dog, in addition to having a visible hourglass shape when viewed from above and a concave tuck of the abdomen when viewed from the side (Case, Daristotle, Hayek, Raasch, 2011, p. 240). Skipper leads an active life style, however, during the hunting season, Skipper’s owner takes him out a few weeks at a time where there is a greater energy expenditure compared to the rest of the year. Throughout the year, the owner conditions Skipper for a few days out of the month to simulate the upcoming hunting trip. At this time, the owner only supplements Skipper’s caloric intake with more energy dense treats and on occasion, an increase in protein intake. Since this is the longest time Skipper will be working, in comparison to the other shorter hunting trips, the owner would like to know what he can do to maintain Skippe r’s weight and peak performance during high levels of intensity. Skipper comes from a hardy breed and the rest of the physical exam is unremarkable. Plan According to Animals Adda, it is recommended that the nutritional food