The Great Dane - Breed Nutrition - Royal Canin

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Hours 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 a b c d Miniature Poodle Standard Schnauzer Giant Schnauzer Key reasons for the Great Dane’s low digestive tolerance Increased intestinal permeability Prolonged colon transit time Comparison of the total duration of digestive transit in a Great Dane and dogs of different sizes and breeds 22.9 32.8 Low absorption of electrolytes Increased fermentation 55.1 Predisposition of large dogs to produce wet faeces (From Hernot et al, 2005) 43.2 Great Dane These concentrations are higher in Great Danes than in Miniature Poodles. The higher level of fermentation in Great Danes is because of the particularly long colon transit time as mentioned above. Lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are normally absorbed by the colon mucosa. When there is a higher concentration however, as is the case in Great Danes, they tend to accumulate in the lumen of the large intestine, with subsequently increased water intake and increased faecal moisture content. The Great Dane: a dog sensitivite to torsion-dilatation of the stomach Torsion-dilatation of the stomach is more common in dogs with a deep chest, such as Great Danes (Ward et al, 2003). Most at risk are males over two years of age, especially if they have an anxious nature and existing gastric lesions (Bright, 2003; German et al, 2006). The ingestion of a large quantity of food all at once, excessive speed of ingestion and kibbles that are too small are dieta- 10 The letters (a,b,c and d) represent significant differences between the groups (p < 0.05). The total digestive transit time in Great Danes is almost double that of Miniature Poodles. ry factors that can give rise to torsion-dilatation of the stomach (Glickman et al, 1994; Raghavan et al, 2004). A stress factor in the environment is also likely to increase the risk (Glickman, 1997). After a meal, the volume of the Great Dane’s stomach can increase to eight litres. Dilatation follows when the stomach sphincter – the pylorus – does not allow normal emptying of the stomach. Dilatation is rapidly aggravated by accumulation of gas from the stomach contents along with air ingested by the dog when it unsuccessfully tries to vomit. The first signs (agitation, unsuccessful attempts to vomit, abundant salivation) may follow a large meal preceded or followed by intense physical exercise. If the stomach does not empty properly, the relative laxity of its attachment to the abdominal wall may cause it to rotate 180°. This disrupts local circulation, lowers blood pressure and quickly leads to a state of shock, worsened by the release of toxins produced by the necrosed areas of viscera. Without rapid surgical intervention, the dog often dies. Pylorus Successive stages of dilatation-torsion of the stomach stage 1 stage 2 stage 3 stage 4 Fundus Oesophagus Physiological position of the stomach. Seen from behind, the pylorus is at three o’clock. Simple dilatation. The stomach can easily double in volume. The abdomen is distended by dilatation. 11 Start of torsion. Seen from behind, the dilated stomach turns clockwise and the pylorus moves ventrally by 90° to position itself at six o’clock. As it continues to tip, the pylorus is on the left (at nine o’clock seen from behind). Most instances of torsion stop at 180°.
Importance of chest measurements to evaluate predisposition to dilatation-torsion of the stomach Height to withers Based on measurements taken by the Royal Canin R&D Centre (2002) L = 89.4 H = 78.1 CH = 35.6 CH = 35.6 CB = 28.1 Chest viewed from the front CH/CB = 1.27 Dogs with a high chest height/breadth ratio appear to be particularly susceptible to the syndrome. The Great Dane’s morphology makes it a breed that is particularly sensitive to dilatation-torsion of the stomach. (All measurements in cm) Varum des Terres axonaises © J.-M. Labat Labrador (n = 7) German Shepherd (n = 10) Great Dane (n = 7) Length (L) 65.6 68.7 89.4 Height to withers (H) 54.1 57.5 78.1 Chest height (CH) 24.4 27.3 35.6 Chest breadth (CB) 26.5 20.2 28.1 Ratio L/H 1.21 1.19 1.14 Ratio H/CH 2.22 2.11 2.19 Ratio CH/CB 0.92 1.35 1.27 Compared with Labradors, German Shepherds and Great Danes have a relatively high chest in proportion to its breadth. This type of conformation is a predisposing factor for dilatation-torsion of the stomach. (All measurements in cm) The Great Dane: a very muscular giant The Great Dane has a much greater muscle mass than other giant breeds such as the Saint Bernard and the Newfoundland. The Great Dane’s musculature is clearly one of the main reasons it has a high energy requirement, as observed by owners. Muscle burns much more energy than fat, even when the dog’s lifestyle is characterised by moderate physical activity. As one of the breeds with the largest proportion of muscle, the Great Dane requires around 50% more calories (per kg of body weight) than its weight would initially suggest. This average has been calculated following the results of several studies on the subject (Kienzle & Rainbird 1991; Blum et al, 1992; Weber et al, 2003). The individual energy requirement clearly varies however depending on the time of year and the conditions the dog lives in. A dog that spends most of its time indoors does not require as much energy as a dog that lives outdoors. 12 13 Average lean mass (%) 100 80 60 40 20 0 Comparison of the proportion of lean mass in the body composition of giant and large breed dogs 81.5 Great Dane (6) (Unpublished data from the Royal Canin R&D Centre) 78.1 78.1 73.1 72.3 65.8 German Shepherd (12) Beauceron (6) Saint Bernard (3) Golden Retriever (3) The Great Dane has a much greater lean mass than other large and giant breed dogs. The data on the Great Dane are close to those measured by Lauten et al (2001), which measured its lean mass at 79.7 ± 3.9%, using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) Labrador (8) 60.7 Newfoundland (2) © J.-M. Labat
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The Great Dane - Breed Nutrition - Royal Canin

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