Common Sense Dog Feeding - Reproduction



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Providing proper nutrition during pregnancy and lactation for the female is essential. Developing puppies depend upon the mother's diet for essential nutrients, while the female needs to maintain good body condition and be prepared for the stress of lactation.

The Feeding Program
Fortunately, a feeding program for the reproducing female needs not be complex. Diets containing more than 1600 digestible calories per pound of food and at least 21 percent protein are recommended. The easiest way to ensure proper nutrition is to feed a good quality dog food that is labeled complete and balanced for all life stages such as Purina Dog Chow brand dog food or Purina brand Hi Pro dog meal.

Some dog foods on the market are labeled complete and balanced nutritionally for the maintenance of adult dogs only. Other diets are labeled for intermittent feeding or therapeutic uses. These diets generally do not provide the nutritional balance required for reproduction and growth.

Unless a female has a tendency to put on too much weight during pregnancy, she can be given all the food she wants to eat. If she seems to be losing weight and is being fed a dry diet, it may be helpful to add water to her food according to package directions. This will make the food taste better and she will probably eat more or gradually switch to a complete and balanced diet of increased nutrient density such as Purina Hi Pro.

During gestation and lactation, it is not necessary to add any supplemental vitamins, minerals or other ingredients to a complete and balanced diet unless advised to do so by your veterinarian.

Although it is true that more minerals and vitamins are needed at this time, they are obtained through increased consumption of a good quality complete and balanced diet. Problems can occur with over-supplementation, especially when high levels of vitamin A or calcium are added.

The nutrient requirements of the female during the first six or seven weeks of pregnancy are not much higher than for maintenance. Beginning about the sixth or seventh week of gestation the female's body weight will increase. At this time her food intake should be increased 20 to 25 percent.

As whelping nears, the bitch may lose her appetite. In many cases, food refusal during the ninth week is an indication that whelping will occur within the next 24 to 48 hours. Usually within 24 hours after whelping the female's appetite will return. After the puppies are born, she should receive all the food she wants.

Importance of Water
During reproduction, water serves as a carrier of nutrients to and wastes eliminated from the developing fetuses. Other important functions of dietary water during reproduction are the regulation of body temperature and as an aid in milk production. Keeping water bowls clean and changing water frequently tend to encourage water consumption. Fresh water in a clean dog bowl should be available at all times.

Nursing
Milk production is one of the most nutritionally demanding stages in a female's life. A good quality nutritionally complete and balanced diet for all life stages will normally supply the nutrition the female needs during this stressful time.

The demand for milk by nursing puppies will continue to increase for about 20 to 30 days. Consequently, the female's food and water requirements increase during this time. At peak lactation, the female's food intake may be two to four times above the maintenance levels.

Very attentive females with large litters may rarely leave the puppies to feed themselves and will need encouragement to eat and drink. Moistening dry dog food with water will help increase the food intake.

Another reason for offering the dry food moistened is that at three to four weeks of age, normal puppies will start nibbling solid food. Even small-breed dogs can start to eat moistened dry food at this age, although it may have to be broken into smaller pieces.

Normally puppies are weaned at six to eight weeks of age. At this time, if puppies have access to solid food for at least three weeks, the process of weaning should go smoothly. The puppies will adapt to being removed from their mother and put on a diet of moistened dry food such as Purina Puppy Chow brand puppy food. This is an important time to begin to establish the puppies' eating habits.

Young puppies are sometimes fed baby food, cooked cereal, chopped meats, etc. This type of diet is both expensive and time- consuming to prepare. Most important, it may not be nutritionally complete and balanced. Accustoming puppies to a good quality commercial diet at an early age will also help prevent finicky eaters.

With the puppies eating solid food prior to being weaned, there will be less demand on the bitch for milk production. By weaning time, the female's food consumption should be less than 50 percent above the maintenance level. To help reduce the milk flow and prevent mammary gland problems, the following procedure for weaning is recommended:

On the day the puppies are weaned, the female should not receive any food, but should have adequate fresh water. On the day after weaning, she should receive 1/4 the amount of food she received prior to being bred; on the third day, 1/2 the amount; the fourth day, 3/4 the amount; and by the fifth day she should receive the same amount of food as she was fed prior to being bred.

If the litter is quite large, the female may be thin when the puppies are weaned. In this case, she should be given extra food after the fifth day of weaning until her normal body condition returns.

Other Considerations
Regardless of the breed of dog, the female should be at least one year of age and in at least the second heat period before she is bred. She should be in good body condition. An overweight female can have a lower conception rate and more problems at whelping.

Food intake will vary according to age, activity, body metabolism and environment. If possible, each dog should be fed as an individual to achieve and maintain normal body condition.

In order for the female to pass on disease immunity to her puppies, she should be on a regular vaccination program. This should be worked out with your veterinarian. Females to be bred should be maintained on a regular worming schedule. Treatment before breeding for roundworms and hookworms is essential. Both of these parasites can pass through the placenta of the female to the developing puppies. As a result, puppies can have these species present in their intestines at birth. Treatment and prevention of both internal and external parasites should be based on a health care program discussed and planned with your veterinarian.