Nutrition for Pregnant Dogs
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| Nutrition for Pregnant Dogs |
Pregnant and nursing dogs have terribly specific organic process wants. That’s why special care and thought ought to be taken once feeding and caring for these dogs.
Feeding Basics
Feeding associate all life stage puppy food like Purina® Puppy Chow® complete puppy food is best
The food ought to have 1600 kcal comestible energy per pound of food and a minimum of twenty-two % macromolecule.
Unless the pregnant or nursing dog encompasses a tendency to place on an excessive amount of weight, provide her all the food she needs.
If she appears to be losing weight, strive wetting the food or switch to a lot of nutritionally dense food.
Always keep many H2O in an exceedingly clean bowl.
Adjustments throughout gestation
Dogs square measure usually pregnant for concerning 9 weeks. For the primary six or seven weeks, food intake should not be that a lot of over traditional.
Between weeks six and 7, the pregnant dog’s weight can increase. At now, place out twenty-five % a lot of food.
In week 9, her craving could slip or disappear. typically|this can be} often a symptom that the babies are born within the next day or 2. make certain to consult a book or knowledgeable on what behaviors or events to expect and what signs signal hassle.
Lactation
After the puppies square measure born, expect your dog’s diet to a steady increase over succeeding twenty to thirty days because the puppies grow and nurse a lot of.
After the primary month, the mother is also intaking 2 to fourfold the quantity of food she Greek deity before gestation.
Give her all she needs and encourage her to eat by wetting the food.
In the third or fourth week, the puppies can in all probability begin nibbling at her dish, that may be a great way to introduce them to solid food.
Weaning the Puppies
Between six and eight weeks, the puppies square measure usually weaned. Here square measure some steps to assist stop milk production and build the transition as simple for the mother as doable.
On substitution day, don't provide the mother any food, only water.
The next day, provide her 1/4 of her pre-pregnancy intake; succeeding day, 1/2; and also the next, 3/4.
By the fifth day, she ought to be back to her traditional diet, though you'll increase it for females that have lost weight throughout gestation till she gains her weight back.
Switching Foods
At the start of the gestation and once lactation stops, you'll switch the food you're giving the mother. once you amendment foods, step by step build the transition over 7-10 days.