Accuracy of the use of triaxial accelerometry for measuring daily activity as a predictor of daily maintenance energy requirement in healthy adult Labrador Retrievers.

OBJECTIVE

To determine accuracy of the use of triaxial accelerometry for measuring daily activity as a predictor of maintenance energy requirement (MER) in healthy adult Labrador Retrievers.

ANIMALS

10 healthy adult Labrador Retrievers.

PROCEDURES

Dogs wore an accelerometer for two 2-week periods, with data on daily activity successfully collected for 24 to 26 days. These data, along with body weight, were used as independent variables in a multiple linear regression model to predict the dependent variable of daily MER. The predictive accuracy of the model was compared with that of a model that excluded activity. Dietary energy intake at a stated amount of body weight stability was used as an equivalent measure of MER in these analyses.

RESULTS

The multiple linear regression model that included body weight and daily activity as independent variables could be used to predict observed MER with a mean absolute error of 63.5 kcal and an SE of estimation of 94.3 kcal. Removing activity from the model reduced the predictive accuracy to a mean absolute error of 129.8 kcal and an SE of estimation of 165.4 kcal.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Use of triaxial accelerometers to provide an independent variable of daily activity yielded a marked improvement in predictive accuracy of the regression model, compared with that for a model that used only body weight. Improved accuracy in estimations of MER could be made for each dog if an accelerometer was used to record its daily activity.