Norwegian Elkhound nutrition: weight, kidneys and coat

Norwegian Elkhounds are keen eaters, and weight gain is the feeding problem owners meet most often. The American Kennel Club breed page describes most Elkhounds as "food hounds" rather than picky eaters, and gives adult weights of about 55 lb (25 kg) for males and 48 lb (22 kg) for females. In Norway the breed hunts moose, ranging far ahead of the hunter and trotting many miles over several days when needed. Few pet Elkhounds get anything close to that, while the appetite stays the same.

Calories and weight control

The Merck Veterinary Manual gives a standard way to estimate daily needs. Resting energy requirement (RER), in kcal per day, is 70 multiplied by body weight in kilograms raised to the power 0.75. That is multiplied by 1.8 for an intact adult, 1.6 for a neutered adult and 1.4 for a dog prone to weight gain. The manual stresses that the result is a starting point, since two dogs of the same weight can differ by as much as 30% in what they need.

Worked through for adult Elkhound weights, rounded to the nearest 5 kcal:

For a neutered pet Elkhound with a moderate walking routine, the 1.4 or 1.6 column is the realistic range. Check the calorie content printed on the food bag, work out grams per day, and weigh the food on a kitchen scale rather than using a scoop. Every treat, chew and training reward comes out of the same total.

The coat makes weight hard to judge by eye. Run a hand along the ribs: they should be easy to feel under a thin layer, and there should be a waist behind them. The AKC page adds two breed-specific checks. The area just behind the ribcage should sink in while the dog eats, and a rolling movement over the back or sides at a trot suggests extra weight. Monthly weighing catches a slow gain before it shows. For scale, one extra kilogram on a 22 kg dog is about 4.5% of its body weight.

Keeping a dog lean has measurable payoffs. In a lifelong study of 48 Labrador Retrievers, the dogs fed 25% less than their pair-mates lived longer, and the signs of chronic disease generally appeared later. That study used a different breed, but the principle likely applies to any dog with an appetite that runs ahead of its workload.

Kidney health and glucose in the urine

Familial kidney disease was described in the breed in the 1970s. In one inbred line, 21 of 56 offspring developed renal disease, all affected dogs lost some ability to concentrate urine, and three had glucose in the urine while their blood glucose was normal. That pattern points to the kidney tubules, which normally reclaim glucose from urine, rather than to diabetes.

The question has not gone away. When clinically healthy dogs were tested at Norwegian dog shows, 27% of Elkhounds had glucose in their urine, compared with about 7% of dogs of other breeds. During the study year, two of the glucosuric Elkhounds and one without glucosuria developed signs of kidney disease. The AKC breed page takes a more reassuring view and describes kidney problems as largely in the past for the breed. Both can be true in different populations, and the practical step is the same: a urine test.

A urine dipstick for glucose is cheap and quick. It is worth including with routine blood work at annual checkups from middle age, and sooner if the dog drinks or urinates more than usual. Glucose in the urine with normal blood glucose needs a vet to follow up, because it can point to a problem in the kidney tubules.

No special diet is needed for an Elkhound with normal kidney function. A complete and balanced adult food, fresh water at all times and a lean body are enough. If kidney disease is diagnosed, the vet may recommend a renal diet, which restricts phosphorus and adjusts protein. Changing to one without a diagnosis is not advised.

Hips and joints

Hip dysplasia occurs in the breed, although the AKC notes that most Elkhounds screened through OFA receive good or fair ratings, and many excellent. Parents with hip scores are the first line of prevention. Diet cannot change a dog's genes, but it affects how much load an imperfect joint carries.

For puppies, feed a food labeled complete and balanced for growth, in measured meals rather than a bowl left full, and avoid extra calcium unless a vet prescribes it. Aim for steady growth and a visible waist rather than a heavy, rounded puppy. In adults, the priority is keeping the dog lean. Glucosamine, chondroitin and fish oil are widely sold for joints; evidence for them in dogs without arthritis is limited, so it makes sense to ask a vet before starting one.

Coat and shedding

The Elkhound has a harsh outer coat over a dense undercoat, and the undercoat comes out in quantity during shedding season. A few minutes of brushing against the lie of the coat each day handles most of it. Heavy seasonal shedding is normal and is not a sign of a deficiency.

A complete and balanced food supplies the fatty acids, protein and zinc that skin and hair need. Extra supplements rarely add anything for a healthy dog on such a diet. A coat that stays dull, patchy or flaky outside shedding season, or skin that is red, crusted or itchy, points to a skin, hormone or parasite problem and needs a vet examination rather than a new food.

Inherited eye disease

Several inherited eye conditions have been described in Elkhounds. Early retinal degeneration is one. Affected dogs are night-blind first and become completely blind between 12 and 18 months of age, because the rod and cone cells of the retina fail to develop properly. The AKC describes progressive retinal atrophy as rare in the breed today.

Primary glaucoma is the other. A 2014 study traced it to a mutation in the ADAMTS10 gene and found a carrier frequency of about 25% among the dogs tested, which made a DNA test possible for breeding decisions. Glaucoma raises pressure in the eye and is painful. A red eye, a cloudy or bluish cornea, squinting or a dilated pupil in one eye needs a vet the same day.

No food or antioxidant supplement is known to prevent or slow these inherited conditions. Screening parents is what protects puppies.

Daily feeding routine

• Two measured meals. Split the day's portion into morning and evening, weighed on a scale.
• No table scraps. An Elkhound learns quickly that begging works. Fatty leftovers add calories fast and can upset the gut.
• Low-calorie rewards. Pieces of carrot or green beans, or kibble taken from the day's allowance, work for training.
• Monthly weigh-ins. Record the number; a steady upward trend is easier to see on paper than on a thick-coated dog.
• Annual checks with urinalysis. Include a urine glucose test along with blood work from middle age.

Sources

1. Norwegian Elkhound dog breed information. American Kennel Club.
2. Nutritional requirements of small animals. Merck Veterinary Manual.
3. Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2002.
4. Familial renal disease in Norwegian Elkhound dogs: physiologic and biochemical examinations. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 1976.
5. Glucosuria in Norwegian elkhounds and other breeds during dog shows. The Veterinary Record, 2010.
6. Retinal degenerations in the dog: IV. Early retinal degeneration (erd) in Norwegian elkhounds. Experimental Eye Research, 1987.
7. A novel missense mutation in ADAMTS10 in Norwegian Elkhound primary glaucoma. PLoS One, 2014.