A female dog that has just given birth to her litter of puppies is going to require a series of extra attentions that, as caregivers, we must be aware of. Among these, food stands out, which cannot continue to be what we provide to our dog on a regular basis.
In this article on our site we are going to focus on explaining how a dog should be fed after giving birth, so that Their recovery and well-being are guaranteed, as well as that of their puppies, who will grow up he althy if we provide them with an adequate production of breast milk.
Feeding a lactating bitch
In reality, feeding a bitch after giving birth should continue the pattern that should have been started during pregnancy. As soon as we know that our dog is pregnant, if we do not already do so, we must offer her a high quality feed
If she has been pregnant for more than a month, let us remember that the duration of the pregnancy of bitches is about 63 days, we must provide her with a food for puppies, for the reasons that we will see in the next section.
After giving birth, the bitch should continue consuming this same food until her puppies are weaned. These can start eating the same feed as their mother, although soaked with water, around 3-4 weeks of life, but they will continue to suck for a few more weeks.
Characteristics of the feed for a lactating bitch
As we have said, feeding a bitch after giving birth should consist of a growth feed for puppies. This is explained because during pregnancy and, above all, in the lactation period, the needs of the bitch are modified to adapt her organism to the task of making her puppies grow properly.
Thus, increases the amount of calories and protein that the bitch must consume so that her usual feed does not cover them, therefore that it is necessary to resort to feed specially formulated for growing puppies, which would provide adequate amounts for this period.
The feed for the lactating bitch should not contain less than 21% protein In the next section we will see how to supply it. Of course, our dog should always have at her disposal fresh, clean water We should avoid offering her treats, since, although they can provide extra calories, they are not good for her. quality and will make you eat less feed.
How to feed a dog after giving birth?
Once the puppy food has been chosen, which, remember, must be of high quality, we will administer it following the following recommendations:
- In the first postpartum week we will increase therecommended daily quantity in a serving and a half, approximately.
- In the second we will double this amount.
- In the third the dog should be eating triple the normal ration.
- From the fourth week, as the puppies will start to eat feed too, we will be able to decreasing the amount of food in the lactating bitch, yes, gradually. Once the little ones are weaned, the bitch can go back to her usual diet.
If the dog is fed homemade food we can also follow this pattern. In these cases we should use high-quality calories and protein. If the dog loses weight we have to consult our veterinarian to review the diet and, if necessary, prescribe supplements.
We should know that it is normal that immediately after delivery the dog does not want to eat If this situation continues for several days we should consult our veterinary. We can offer her the feed divided into about 3 feedings a day or leave it freely available to her, especially if she has given birth to more than 4 puppies.
If the dog has problems with obesity or any illness, we should discuss her diet with the vet. Under no circumstances should we offer her supplements without a veterinary prescription, since it could even be counterproductive.
Foods for the bitch to produce more milk
Within the feeding of a dog after giving birth, some caregivers introduce certain foods that they consider will increase her milk production. Although it is a widespread practice, the truth is that there are no foods that increase the amount of milk The trick to guaranteeing good production is to feed the bitch as we have explained in previous sections.
On the other hand, if we observe that it does not produce milk, we should go to our veterinarian, since it could suffer from a disorder such as agalactia, which is the lack of milk production, or failure to eject, which may make it impossible for you to breastfeed or you may need medication to do so.
My recently given birth bitch doesn't want to eat
If a recently given birth bitch does not want to eat, we should consult our veterinarian, as she could be suffering from a pathology such as metritis, which it's a womb infection, or a breast infection called mastitis. In these cases, treatment is required To encourage her to eat again, the dog's diet after giving birth can include wet food, which is more palatable, yes, too Formulated for growing puppies. In any case, it will be essential to visit the vet
