Nursing: Make Sure Your Dog Gets Sufficient Nutrition Pregnant dogs lose weight after giving birth, but their nutritional needs increase dramatically. Depending on litter size, nursing dogs might need two to three times their normal food requirement to nourish their pups.
Should I feed My nursing dog more?
As a rule of thumb, at peak lactation you should increase a bitch's food intake by 25 percent per puppy above what is usually required to maintain her body weight.
How often should I feed my dog after she gives birth?
Feed your mother dog three to four meals a day in the weeks after whelping her litter. She will need extra nutrition during this period to feed her puppies. Feed her puppy food, which will supply extra nutrients during this period.
What can I feed my nursing dog to produce more milk?
Milk thistle is one natural supplement known to help nursing mothers with their milk-making. Other dogs benefit from taking zinc while providing for their pups. In small doses, apricot can also increase milk production. Whatever you decide, it's always best to run it by your vet before you begin supplementing.
Should I feed my dog more after birth?
A dog that has given birth and is breastfeeding its puppies will need to eat more food than it normally would. In fact, most dogs should be fed twice as much food as normal after they give birth. If you don't give it enough food, it won't be able to recover from whelping and feed its babies.
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