Pregnant Dog Nutrition

Feeding a Pregnant and Nursing Bitch

Nutrition needs barely change for the first five weeks of pregnancy, then climb steeply. By late lactation a bitch feeding a large litter may need two to three times her normal intake. Underfeeding at that point costs her condition, her milk and eventually the puppies.

What We Stock

Calcium

Calcium syrup at around $120 a litre, for lactation under veterinary guidance rather than through pregnancy.

Digestive support

Bio-K9 digestive chews at around $75 and a digestive supplement at around $42, for a bitch whose appetite and gut are unsettled by the pregnancy.

Dental

Breath balls at around $14, since dental care tends to be neglected during a litter.

How to Feed Through the Stages

Normal amounts to week five. Increase gradually from week six. In the last fortnight her stomach is compressed, so feed the same total across four or five small meals rather than two large ones. Through lactation, feed to appetite, including overnight.

What to Feed

A high quality puppy food is usually the right choice for the last third and through lactation, because it carries the energy density and calcium to phosphorus ratio she needs. Discuss it with your vet rather than assembling a diet from supplements.

Trusted by RPBA Breeders

Members weigh the bitch weekly through pregnancy. Weight is the honest signal, and a bitch losing condition while feeding needs intervention before the puppies show it.