Bloodhound nutrition: bloat risk, calories and skin folds

Bloat is the feeding risk that matters most in a Bloodhound. When a large UK survey of pedigree dog owners looked at causes of death, the Bloodhound was the breed at greatest risk of dying from gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), and near the top of the list for having an episode. Much of the day-to-day advice for this breed comes back to that. The dogs are big: the American Kennel Club gives 90 to 110 pounds for males and 80 to 100 pounds for females (roughly 36 to 50 kg), with a life expectancy of 10 to 12 years.

How meals affect bloat risk

In GDV the stomach fills with gas and fluid and can rotate on itself, cutting off its own blood supply and pressing on the large veins that return blood to the heart. It is a surgical emergency. Nobody has found a single cause, but a five-year study that followed dogs of high-risk breeds, the Bloodhound among them, identified several things owners can influence.

In that study, eating fast and eating from a raised bowl were both linked to a higher risk, as were getting older and having a parent, sibling or offspring that had bloated. The authors attributed about a fifth of the cases in large breeds to the raised bowl. A second analysis of the same dogs found that a larger volume of food per meal raised the risk whatever the number of meals, and that one large meal a day was the riskiest pattern. A third looked at ingredient lists and found that dry foods with an oil or fat among the first four ingredients were associated with 2.4 times the risk. The number of cereal and soy ingredients made no measurable difference.

These are associations from observational studies, not proof that changing one habit prevents GDV. They are cheap to act on, though:

• Split the day's food into two or three meals, so no single meal is large.
• Feed from a bowl on the floor, not a raised stand.
• Slow a fast eater with a slow-feeder bowl or by scattering kibble on a mat.
• Check the first four ingredients of a dry food for an added oil or fat.
• Avoid heavy exercise just before and after meals, which the AKC also advises, and feed the dog apart from other dogs if mealtimes are competitive.
• Tell the vet if a close relative has had GDV.

A preventive gastropexy is worth discussing with the vet. The surgeon stitches the stomach to the inside of the body wall so it cannot rotate. The stomach can still distend with gas, which still needs a vet, but the twist that makes GDV so dangerous is prevented. It can be done at the same time as neutering, which avoids a second anesthetic.

Daily calories

The Merck Veterinary Manual starts from the resting energy requirement (RER), which is 70 times body weight in kilograms raised to the power 0.75. Daily needs for adults are then estimated at 1.8 times RER if intact, 1.6 times if neutered and 1.4 times if the dog gains weight easily. Rounded to the nearest 5 kcal:

Merck is clear that any calculated figure is only a starting point. A Bloodhound that trails for hours at weekends will need more on those days, and a dog that mostly walks on a lead will need less. Watch body condition. The ribs should be easy to feel under light pressure without being visible, and there should be a waist when the dog is seen from above. Weigh monthly and change portions by about a tenth at a time.

For a breed at risk of bloat, a higher calorie need is better met with more meals than with bigger ones. The same logic applies to treats and chews used in training: they belong in the daily count, not on top of it.

Growth and joints

Large-breed puppies are sensitive to how their growth is fed. Use a complete food labeled for growth that includes large-size dogs, measure it rather than feeding to appetite, and keep the puppy lean. Do not add calcium or a general vitamin and mineral supplement to a complete puppy food; excess calcium can harm skeletal development in large-breed puppies.

In adults, body weight is the part of joint health an owner controls most directly. A heavy frame carrying extra fat loads the hips and elbows with every step. If a Bloodhound becomes stiff after rest, slow on stairs or reluctant to finish walks, have a vet examine it before starting joint supplements, and ask about dose and evidence for any product being considered.

Ears, eyes and skin folds

The long ears, loose skin and heavy flews need routine care rather than special food. The AKC advises checking the low-hanging ears daily for signs of infection, and checking the skin wrinkles daily for smell or irritation, wiping them with a warm, wet cloth if needed and drying them thoroughly. Wiping the lips and folds after meals keeps food and drool from sitting in them.

See a vet for an ear that smells, looks red, produces discharge or makes the dog shake its head and scratch. Ear infections that keep coming back often have an underlying cause, allergy being a common one, and the vet may suggest a strict food trial to test for it. That means one prescribed diet and nothing else for several weeks, which is harder than it sounds with a dog that scavenges.

The eyelids are shaped by the breed standard itself, which describes the lower lids as dragged down and turned out by the weight of the flews. Lids that droop open expose more of the eye to dust and drying, and lids that roll inward rub it. Neither is fixed by diet or supplements. Redness, discharge, squinting or rubbing at an eye needs a vet, and badly shaped lids can be corrected surgically.

Exercise, scent work and scavenging

Bloodhounds were bred to follow a scent for hours, and the AKC describes them as active dogs that need daily exercise. Long walks on a lead suit them, since a dog on a trail may ignore recall, and a garden needs secure fencing. Trailing and nosework classes give both physical work and the mental effort of tracking. Schedule them away from meals: the precautions above call for a quiet period before and after eating, so a long session is better fed after the dog has settled.

The same nose finds things that should not be eaten. The AKC notes that Bloodhounds are notorious for eating anything and everything, which often ends in a vet visit. Keep bins closed, pick up socks and corn cobs, and watch the dog on walks. Repeated vomiting, a painful belly or straining without passing feces after a suspected swallowed object needs a vet the same day.

Keep hard exercise to the cooler hours in summer. A large dog working its nose at full effort builds heat quickly, and it should have water on every outing.

Sources

1. Mortality and morbidity due to gastric dilatation-volvulus syndrome in pedigree dogs in the UK. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 2010.
2. Bloodhound dog breed information. American Kennel Club.
3. Non-dietary risk factors for gastric dilatation-volvulus in large and giant breed dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2000.
4. Diet-related risk factors for gastric dilatation-volvulus in dogs of high-risk breeds. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, 2004.
5. The effect of ingredients in dry dog foods on the risk of gastric dilatation-volvulus in dogs. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, 2006.
6. Nutritional requirements of small animals. Merck Veterinary Manual.