Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever nutrition and SRMA

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is the smallest of the retrievers, at 35 to 50 lb (16 to 23 kg) according to the American Kennel Club. It was bred in 19th-century Nova Scotia to "toll" ducks: playing at the water's edge to draw curious birds within range, then retrieving them. For feeding, the breed's health profile matters more than its size. Tollers are prone to several immune-mediated diseases, and the long courses of steroids used to treat some of them change appetite, weight and muscle in ways that diet has to absorb.

Immune-mediated disease in Tollers

The breed has repeatedly been identified as at risk of immune-mediated disease and some cancers. A survey of Swedish Toller owners estimated a lifetime prevalence of 3.5% for steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA) and 3.0% for immune-mediated rheumatic disease, a lupus-like joint and systemic condition. The same survey found that 14% of living dogs had been diagnosed with a tumor of some kind, and owners reported neoplasia as the main reason for death or euthanasia in almost 40% of deceased dogs.

None of these conditions can be prevented through food. What diet can do is keep a dog at a healthy weight going into treatment and limit the side effects while treatment lasts.

SRMA and living with steroid treatment

SRMA is an inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord and their blood vessels. It is not caused by infection. The Merck Veterinary Manual describes the main signs as neck pain and fever in young dogs, with a guarded to favorable outlook when immunosuppressive doses of corticosteroids start promptly.

Signs that need a vet the same day:

• Neck pain: crying out when touched, or holding the head low and stiff
• Reluctance to move, climb stairs or lower the head to the bowl
• Fever, lethargy and loss of appetite

Treatment is usually prednisolone, reduced gradually. Merck describes tapering over 6 to 8 months. A UK randomized trial in 44 dogs found no significant difference in relapse between a 6-week and a 6-month protocol, with relapses in 38% and 30% of dogs respectively. So relapse is common with either protocol. The length of the course is the vet's call.

The feeding problem during treatment is the drug itself. Listed side effects of prednisone and prednisolone include increased appetite, thirst and urination. Weight gain, a pot belly, muscle wasting and weakness are on VCA's list of reactions to report to the vet. A Toller on steroids often acts starving, and feeding more in response makes weight gain more likely.

• Keep the portion steady. Weigh the daily food at the start of treatment and hold to it unless the vet advises a change.
• Weigh the dog every week or two. Report steady gain or visible loss of muscle over the back and thighs.
• Make food last longer. Split the portion into more meals, or feed part of it from a puzzle feeder. Low-calorie vegetables such as green beans can add bulk.
• Leave water down. Increased thirst is expected; restricting water is not safe.
• Report stomach signs. Black or bloody stool, bloody vomit or refusal to eat needs a vet straight away.

Fish oil and probiotics are often suggested alongside steroid treatment. Evidence that either one reduces SRMA relapse is lacking, so any supplement should be agreed with the treating vet.

Addison's disease

Addison's disease (hypoadrenocorticism) develops when the outer layer of the adrenal glands stops making enough cortisol and aldosterone. In dogs it is usually caused by immune-mediated destruction of the adrenal tissue, and VCA lists the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever among the breeds at increased risk. Signs are vague and tend to come and go: lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst and urination, and weight loss. An Addisonian crisis, with sudden weakness, severe vomiting and diarrhea and sometimes collapse, is an emergency.

In Tollers the disease tends to appear young. In a series of 25 affected Tollers, median age at diagnosis was 2.6 years and 11 dogs were diagnosed before age 2. Heritability was estimated to be very high. About a third of those dogs had normal sodium and potassium at diagnosis, so normal electrolytes on a routine blood test do not rule the disease out. The ACTH stimulation test is the definitive check. A young Toller with recurring, unexplained stomach upsets or tiredness is worth testing.

Once a dog is diagnosed and stable on hormone replacement, it can usually eat a normal complete diet. Regular mealtimes make it easier to notice when appetite drops. Do not restrict salt unless the vet asks for it. Keeping a bland, familiar food on hand helps on days when the stomach is upset, but repeated vomiting or diarrhea in an Addisonian dog needs a vet call rather than a diet change.

Calories and body condition

The AKC notes that some Tollers are prone to weight gain and that too many training treats can lead to obesity. The Merck Veterinary Manual gives the usual starting estimate. Resting energy requirement (RER) in kcal per day is 70 multiplied by body weight in kilograms raised to the power 0.75, then multiplied by 1.8 for an intact adult, 1.6 for a neutered adult or 1.4 for a dog that gains weight easily. Individual dogs can need 30% more or less.

Figures are rounded to the nearest 5 kcal. A Toller that retrieves, swims or runs agility several times a week may need more than the neutered column, and a quiet or older dog less. Ribs should be easy to feel under a thin layer, with a visible waist from above. The coat around the chest and hindquarters hides fat well, so feel rather than look. Training treats come out of the daily total; pieces of the dog's own kibble work for most sessions.

For a hard-working dog, keep a big meal away from strenuous exercise and give the main meal after the dog has cooled down. Dogs working in cold water spend energy keeping warm, so watch body condition through a busy hunting or dock-diving season.

Joints, eyes and inherited conditions

The AKC's list of recommended health screening for breeding Tollers includes a hip evaluation, a cardiac exam and an eye exam, plus DNA tests for progressive retinal atrophy (the prcd form), cleft palate and syndactyly, and juvenile Addison's disease. Asking a breeder for these results does more to protect a puppy than any food or supplement.

Progressive retinal atrophy is an inherited loss of the light-sensing cells of the retina. It usually starts with poor vision in dim light and progresses to blindness. No diet or antioxidant is known to prevent or slow it. Hip dysplasia is managed the same way in a Toller as in any active retriever: keep the dog lean, build fitness gradually, and have lameness or stiffness after rest checked. Glucosamine, chondroitin and fish oil are widely used for joints, but the evidence for giving them to young dogs without joint disease is limited.

Coat

The Toller's water-resistant double coat needs weekly brushing, and daily brushing in shedding season, with attention to the fine hair behind the ears where knots form. A complete and balanced food supplies the protein, fatty acids and zinc the coat needs. A coat that stays dull and dry, or skin that is flaky, red or itchy, is a reason for a vet check before changing food, particularly in a breed where hormone and immune disorders are common. Steroid treatment can also change the coat.

Sources

1. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever dog breed information. American Kennel Club.
2. In sickness and health: a questionnaire based study regarding immune mediated diseases and neoplasia in Swedish Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 2024.
3. Congenital and inherited spinal cord disorders in dogs and cats. Merck Veterinary Manual.
4. Prospective randomized trial comparing relapse rates in dogs with steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis treated with a 6-week or 6-month prednisolone protocol. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2024.
5. Prednisone/prednisolone. VCA Animal Hospitals.
6. Addison's disease in dogs. VCA Animal Hospitals.
7. Clinical features and heritability of hypoadrenocorticism in Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers: 25 cases (1994-2006). Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2007.
8. Nutritional requirements of small animals. Merck Veterinary Manual.