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At nutritional needs of a female dog during pregnancy are not the same as at other stages of her life. To manage a correct diet, we need to know the energy levels required and provide our dog with a food specifically formulated for this physiological situation.
Offering a complete and quality diet is essential for our pets at all stages of life, but even more so during pregnancy, as it will ensure that both mother and puppies enjoy good health. Find out here at Animal Expert how it should be feeding a pregnant bitch.
Characteristics of pregnancy in bitch
Pregnancy in bitches lasts 64 days and is divided into two phases:
- first stage of pregnancy: This is the development that goes from the embryo to the 42nd day and, during this period, the mother does not gain practically any weight.
- second stage of pregnancy: From day 42 onwards, fetuses grow rapidly and reach up to 80% of their birth weight, so the increase in the mother's weight is significant as her energy demand increases. The mother's weight gain at the end of pregnancy should not exceed 25% (large dog) or 30% (small dog) of her initial weight and after birth she should regain her weight without problems.
It is important to note that fetuses are fed through the placenta and it is essential that the mother receives adequate nutrition, as the loss of the offspring can occur.
Pregnant bitch feeding
In the first step described, the usual amount and type of food we give the dog should not be changed. After a month and a half, that is, in the second phase, we must progressively introduce a food a lot energetic and digestible that allows us to cover all needs with small portions.
When bitches are pregnant, their abdomen is stretched due to the dilation of the uterus and this causes a decrease in digestive capacity through the digestive tract. Therefore, the ideal diet is based on dividing the daily amount needed into several servings to avoid overloading.
Increasing the portion of feed a little each week from the fourth week onwards, we will reach the ninth week with a portion a third larger than usual.
- energy needs: in the last third of pregnancy, these needs multiply by 1.5, so the diet must provide a high calorie content.
- protein needs: in this last third of pregnancy, protein needs are also high. Either by the beginning of the development of the breasts or by the growth of the fetuses. It is estimated that they increase up to 70% compared to a female in maintenance. If the protein intake is not enough, it can result in a low birth weight of the puppies.
- Fatty acids: Essential fatty acids are important for the early stages of puppies' development, especially for the brain and retina, helping to improve vision, memory and learning.
- Folic acid: Reduces the likelihood of suffering cleft palate (or cleft lip) in brachycephalic dogs.
- Minerals: They are administered in balanced doses, received by the feed. No need to supplement with nutraceuticals.
All of these nutritional requirements we've mentioned are found in recommended rations "for puppies" or "puppy". It is essential to purchase high quality products. We can find specific dog food at any pet store or online store.
overweight and other problems
As stated earlier, weight gain at the end of pregnancy should not exceed 25 or 30%, so we must control the weight of the dog over the period. For this, let's record your weight in early pregnancy in a notebook.
It is ideal that our dog is at the right weight before becoming pregnant because the excess adipose tissue interacts with the reproductive function, resulting in poor quality embryos. In addition, obesity causes problems during childbirth, as the fat infiltrates the bitch's myometrium, reducing the strength of uterine contractions.
Many caregivers believe that, in a pregnant dog, the need for food increases from the beginning of the pregnancy and they offer a greater amount, which promotes obesity.
Finally, it should be noted that the nutritional deficiencies cause congenital malformations in puppies, in addition to changes in the central nervous system and other pathologies.
