This app will calculate your pets daily metabolic need for calories expressed as the Resting Energy Rate (RER), an estimated protein intake per pound, the Total Daily Energy Needs of your dog, and a suggested Total Cups Per Day for your reference. A Custom Life Factor input field is provided to adjust the caloric needs based on the breed, activity level, age, health of your dog, or your Veterinarians recommendation.
Instructions
(1) Enter your dogs weight in pounds rounded to the nearest whole number to display the weight in kilograms, Resting Energy Rate (RER), and estimated protein needs per pound.
(2) Then select (tap) the Life Factor indicated to display the suggested Total Daily Energy Needs (in calories) for your pet. If desired, select (tap) the Custom Life Factor option to enter your own or your veterinarians recommended Life Factor multiplier. A typical custom Life Factor for otherwise a healthy dog is 1.2.
(3) Enter the calories per cup obtained from the nutritional information located on the bag of dog food of your preference. The suggested total number of cups of dog food per day will display for your reference. Pet Obesity Prevention (.org) provides a comprehensive list of common dog food calorie counts (per cup - as of 2011) at http://www.petobesityprevention.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Dog-Food-Calorie-Counts-December-2011-Dry-Dog.pdf.
Disclaimer
This app is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice, diagnostics, or diagnosis. Individual pet needs can vary by as much as 50% from calculated values (OSU Veterinary Medical Center, 2015). Consulting your veterinary professional is recommended.