Whippet nutrition: lean condition, calories and blood tests

A healthy Whippet looks thinner than most dogs, and that is the first thing to get right when feeding one. An owner used to other breeds can easily be tempted to feed until the angles soften, and end up with an overweight sighthound. There is no good evidence that Whippets need an unusual ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrate. What does set them apart are a lean build that has to be judged on its own terms, blood test values that differ from other breeds, and a few practical points around anesthesia, cold and sensitive digestion.

A lean sighthound build

The Whippet is a medium-sized sighthound. The American Kennel Club gives a height of 18 to 22 inches and a weight of 25 to 40 pounds (about 11 to 18 kg), and calls it the "poor man's racehorse". According to The Kennel Club, dogs of this type descend from the Greyhound, were used in the 19th century for hunting small game and killing vermin, and later became popular for racing in the mining areas of northern England and Wales.

Built for sprinting, a fit Whippet carries little body fat and looks angular next to most pet dogs. Body condition should be judged by hand, on the ribs, spine and hips, and discussed with a vet who knows sighthounds, rather than by comparing the dog with a Labrador.

How many calories a Whippet needs

Published calorie figures specific to Whippets are hard to find, and breed tables that give exact numbers should be treated with caution. The best general guide is a meta-analysis of 29 studies of adult dogs, which found average maintenance needs of about 143 kcal per kg of body weight to the power 0.75, with a wide spread. Racing dogs needed the most energy, followed by working and hunting dogs, while pet dogs and kennel dogs needed the least. Neutered dogs needed less than intact dogs.

For a 13 kg dog that average works out at roughly 980 kcal a day, but one standard deviation either side of that average runs from about 600 to 1,350 kcal. The average also includes racing and working dogs, so a neutered pet Whippet that sleeps most of the day will often need less. The pack guidance for the dog's weight is a starting point. Weighing the dog every two weeks while a new ration settles, and checking its condition by hand, shows whether to feed more or less.

Whippets that race or compete in lure coursing are closer to the working end of that range. They may do better on a more energy-dense food, fed in amounts adjusted through the season, than on larger volumes of an ordinary maintenance diet.

Choosing the food

A complete and balanced diet for the dog's life stage covers a Whippet's needs. Fixed breed-specific targets for protein, fat and carbohydrate, such as a set percentage of fat on a dry matter basis, have no published support. The practical points are simpler.

• Energy density. Dogs that struggle to hold weight, and very active dogs, do better on a food with more calories per cup, so that the daily ration is not a large volume.
• Light and high-fiber foods. Weight-control formulas are designed to lower calorie intake. They suit a Whippet only if it is genuinely overweight.
• Kibble size. Small to medium pieces are easier for a narrow jaw.
• Meals. Two meals a day suit most adults. Puppies, dogs with small appetites and dogs that need to gain weight often manage better on three.

Sensitive stomachs

Whippets are often described as having sensitive stomachs, though no breed study has measured it. Stress, travel, boarding and abrupt diet changes can all upset digestion in any dog. A consistent diet helps. When a change is needed, spreading it over 7 to 10 days, and longer for a dog with a history of upsets, gives the gut time to adjust.

Where a food allergy is suspected (itchy skin, ear problems or ongoing digestive signs), the usual approach is a strict elimination diet under a vet's supervision, followed by reintroducing foods one at a time. A review of the evidence found that the most common food allergens in dogs are beef, dairy products, chicken and wheat. Probiotics are widely used for soft stools, but evidence for any particular product in healthy dogs is limited. A dog with diarrhea lasting more than a day or two, blood in the stool, vomiting or weight loss should see a vet rather than be managed with diet changes.

Blood test results that differ from other breeds

Sighthounds have normal lab values that would look abnormal in other dogs. Racing Greyhounds, the best-studied group, have higher red cell mass, creatinine and liver enzyme activity, and lower white cell counts, platelet counts, globulins and T4 (thyroid hormone) than other breeds. A healthy sighthound can therefore be misread as having kidney disease, low thyroid function or a clotting problem.

Whippets are not identical to Greyhounds. In a comparison of eight sighthound breeds, the Whippet's profile was the closest to the Greyhound's, but the breeds differed often enough that the authors advised against applying Greyhound reference intervals to other sighthounds. Keeping a copy of a healthy young Whippet's blood results gives the vet a personal baseline for later.

Anesthesia and sighthounds

A review of anesthesia in sighthounds describes several features that affect their care. Their lean bodies and high surface area for their volume predispose them to hypothermia under anesthesia, while a nervous temperament can lead to stress-related overheating. Their livers break down some intravenous anesthetics more slowly, which historically caused prolonged recovery from thiopental in particular. Vets who know the breed plan around these points, so it is worth making sure the practice knows the dog is a sighthound before any procedure.

Skin, coat and cold

Whippets have a short, fine coat and little fat under the skin. They feel the cold, and a well-fitted coat on cold or wet days is a comfort rather than an indulgence. With so little coat for protection, cuts from fences, brambles and rough play are worth checking for after runs. Diet plays a supporting role: a complete food supplies the essential fatty acids, zinc and other nutrients the skin needs. Extra supplements should only be added on a vet's advice, since they can unbalance an already complete diet.

Sources

1. Whippet dog breed information. American Kennel Club.
2. Whippet. The Kennel Club.
3. Energy requirements of adult dogs: a meta-analysis. PLoS One, 2014.
4. Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (2): common food allergen sources in dogs and cats. BMC Veterinary Research, 2016.
5. Clinical pathology of Greyhounds and other sighthounds. Veterinary Clinical Pathology, 2011.
6. Haematological and biochemical variations among eight sighthound breeds. Australian Veterinary Journal, 2013.
7. Anesthesia of the sighthound. Clinical Techniques in Small Animal Practice, 1999.