All rights reserved. When the dog gets them every few hours, her body will still get 15% to 25% of food more than before pregnancy without unwanted nausea and vomiting. In the beginning, it is recommended to increase the amount of food by 1% to 2% (7). Check with both your vet and pet food manufacturer that the diet can support her during pregnancy and lactation, and be aware that portions will need to be higher than if you were using a growth diet or product specifically formulated for pregnancy. There could be a … Until the fourth week of pregnancy, most females eat regular adult dog food as usual. Feeding Your Pregnant Dog! It is not too worrying if the animal stops eating altogether for a brief period since she has made lots of reserves during the last weeks. Dog Won’t Open His Eyes? Also, it is crucial to avoid exposing the dog to medications, vaccines, and chemicals since it is the period when embryos develop (6). Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. This means organic meat and bone. The weight of the mother dog will be increase significantly about 25% during this period. They need meals high in fat, so the best choice is red meat, including boneless beef, pork, and duck. Pregnant dogs need more calories and nutrients while they are pregnant. You should feed your dog two to three times a day with food containing at least 26% to 30% protein. After that, you can start to increase your dog’s food intake bit by bit beginning from around week five of her pregnancy. When considering dog food that meets the nutritional requirements of the mother dog, some options are to feed your dog puppy food. This means feeding the pregnant dog a fresh, species-appropriate raw dog food, made on the very best meats you can find. By the sixth week, puppies keep growing, and the capacity of the mom's stomach will shrink in proportion (10). Hounds are actually... Norwegian dog breeds, originated in Scandinavian countries. Thanks for stopping by, Nick. In some cases, the future mom should get even 75% less food relative to the previous week. There is no need to change the dog's diet during the first few weeks. Gradually increasing the food intake and frequent feeding with small meals will ensure the adequate growth of the fetus and good health of the pregnant dog. Diet for Pregnancy. Healthy food for dogs includes high-quality commercial dog foods or home-cooked food. Puppy food is richer in key nutrients and provides more energy than adult-formula food. Latest posts by Guest Blogger for Animal Bliss, How to Tell if Your Dog is Pregnant: Signs and Symptoms, What to Feed Your Pregnant Dog, Whelping Nutritional Needs, #dogHealth,# petHealth, #whelping, 4 Tips for Maintaining Healthy Weight for Your Cat, 8 Amazing Benefits of CBD for Dogs and Other Pets. After the fifth week begins, pregnant dog's energy needs will increase by at least 10% per week with the development of puppies. Come back soon! A pregnant dog in this stage should eat at least three to five times a day. Do NOT supplement with calcium during the time dams are pregnant. Avoiding foods rich in Vitamin A, such as chicken liver or cod liver oil, is crucial since it may put the fetus in danger (11). This will ensure the constant weight of the animal since there is no need for the dog to gain extra pounds before the sixth week. Since the dog needs less food during the last week of pregnancy, you must decrease the portion volume by half. Kibble or Canned Pet Food? If you’re already feeding your dog a high quality food, she probably won’t require any additional dietary supplements during the pregnancy. I really love the fact that Pet Plate delivers the highest quality meals to my door without me ever having to think about it! High quality dog food is a great thing to have handy for a dog not eating. Also, hypovitaminosis may cause damage to the heart and brain, as well as the degeneration of skeletal muscles. It is best to feed your pregnant dog food that has been formulated for growth according to AAFCO requirements. Only then will it be necessary to change the rhythm of the diet and provide more particular food for pregnant dogs. Puppy food, which is easily digestible, is richer in the major nutrients and provides more energy than adult formula food. A pregnant dog will know exactly how much food she should eat, so it is a good idea to free feed your pet during this period; if you fail to feed your pet the right amount of food, this will equally affect the puppies and the mother. These extra nutrients will present a problem either during the whelping or even on the development of the puppies. This is especially true in the pregnant dog. Water is also vital for your mom dog, so always make sure she has easy access to plenty of fresh, clean drinking water so she can stay hydrated. In most cases, there is no need for considerable modification of the feeding in the first four weeks. Learn more on our article about the best diet for dogs. How To Feed A Pregnant Dog 1. What to Feed Pregnant Dogs Pregnant dogs should be transitioned to a higher-calorie diet at four weeks of gestation (about a month into their pregnancy). A bowl of the high quality food throughout the pregnancy will help a pregnant dog not eating get healthy again. Choose a dog food that contains at least 17% fat, ideally from animal sources – fat provides a concentrated source of calories for your pregnant dog and her puppies.   Usually, this means feeding puppy food. Spaniel dog  breeds is a type of bird dog known to flush game out of the dense bush. In the final third of pregnancy, the dog needs high-energy, nutritionally balanced meals, and gradually increased volume of food (12). Overfeeding or underfeeding at certain times during your dog’s pregnancy can be detrimental to her health and the health of the developing puppies.When feeding the pregnant dog, people tend to overfeed early in pregnancy and not feed enough when the dog … In fact, throughout the centuries, many breeders... Every dog has its own unique markings, traits, and personality, beauty is often appreciated when it comes to having a furry companion. Just like the third trimester of pregnancy, feeding during lactation is best accomplished using a highly digestible, high quality puppy food. 5 Benefits of Elevated Food Bowls for Dogs: Myths or Facts? A typical dog … Even though high-quality food excludes additional dietary supplements, particularly calcium from bones, some experts recommend fortifying portions with EPA and DHA fatty acids either from foods like fatty fish or fish oil supplements (13). Should I increase her food intake prior to Parturition? Adding more vitamins and minerals can disturb their hormonal balance. Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog! This includes meat-sourced protein, healthy fats and low amounts of carbs. Vitamin B12 – Deficiency can cause a higher mortality rate of the fetus and newborn puppies, as well as their stunted growth. (days 35-42) As she enters the final phase of gestation, your dog will continue … Healthy and proper diets during pregnancy will ensure both the mother dog and her puppies will be happy and healthy; thus, it is essential to support what your mom dog needs during her pregnancy by being educated about what to feed your pregnant dog. After that, bones are not recommended to avoid eclampsia (milk tetany) during lactation (5). The future dog mom needs adequate doses of A, E, D, and B12 vitamins. For instance, adding a lot of calcium or vitamin D can affect the hormones that naturally release calcium in your dog’s body and lead to eclampsia when she begins to nurse her puppies. As with women, a bitch also requires a significant improvement in food during pregnancy so that the puppies grow... 2. The best solution is to add a snack meal and start feeding the future dog mom with food that contains high-energy ingredients and is high in calories (8). You should prepare small, easily digestible meals containing the puppy food and high-calorie treats to help the dog’s body to absorb the nutrients effectively. What Should Your Pet Be Eating? Preparing homemade dog food meals allows the owner to easily track specifically what nutrients are included in the meal, as well as their amount. I feed my dog high-quality food from Pet Plate. Any harsh chemical substances may affect them negatively and may cause congenital disabilities. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the sizes of portions and increase the frequency of feeding instead. Deficiency may cause a reduced weight of newborn puppies. 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