A dog’s nutritional needs during pregnancy are not the same as at other stages of her life. In order to administer a proper diet, we need to know the necessary energy levels and provide our dog with food formulated specifically for this physiological situation.
Providing a complete and quality diet is essential for our pets at all stages of life, but even more so during pregnancy, as this will ensure the mother and puppies a good state of health. Find out here at Animal Expert what a pregnant bitch should be like to eat.
Gestation in dogs lasts 64 days and is divided into two phases
It is important to note that fetuses feed on the placenta and it is essential that the mother receive adequate nutrition, as puppy loss can occur.
In the first step described, you should not change the amount and the type of usual food we give the dog. After a month and a half, that is, in the second phase, we must gradually introduce a very energetic and easily digestible food that allows us to meet all the needs with small portions.
When the are pregnant, their abdomen is stretched due to dilation of the uterus, resulting in a decrease in digestive capacity through the digestive tract. Therefore, the ideal diet is based on dividing the daily amount needed into several portions to avoid overloading.
Increasing the ration of food a little each week from the fourth week, we will reach the ninth week with a ration one third larger than usual.
All these nutritional needs we mentioned are found in the recommended diets for “puppies” or “puppies”. It is essential to buy high quality products. We can find dog-specific foods in any pet business or online store.
As mentioned above, the weight gain at the end of gestation should not exceed 25 or 30%, so it is necessary to control the weight of the bitch during the period. To do this, we will indicate in your notebook your weight at the beginning of pregnancy.
Ideally, our dog has the right weight before becoming pregnant because excess fat tissue interacts with reproductive function, resulting in poor quality embryos. In addition, obesity creates problems during childbirth, as fat leaks into the dog’s mimeter, reducing the strength of uterine contractions.
Many caregivers believe that in a pregnant dog, the need for food has increased since the beginning of gestation and offers a greater amount, which favors obesity.
Finally, it should be noted that nutritional deficiencies cause birth defects in puppies, as well as changes in the central nervous system and other pathologies.
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