I just bred my dog and am wondering if while she is pregnant I should feed her anything special or get her vitamins. I want her to have a healthy pregnancy and healthy puppies. Is there anything you might wanna suggest for her? Thanks JC, Michigan
Dear JC,
The average length of pregnancy in dogs is 63 days or about 9 weeks. During the first six weeks of pregnancy, experts recommend continuing to feed her usual high-quality maintenance diet. By high-quality, I mean a meat-based commercial kibble for adult dogs or a home cooked diet that is complete and balanced. While a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement may not be necessary if she’s fed a premium diet, a small amount of fresh fruits and lightly cooked vegetables can be a healthy addition to any dogs’ diet. Omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil provide additional health benefits.
The pups grow the most during the last trimester, or three weeks, of pregnancy, so that’s when your dog will need extra calories, protein and minerals, like calcium. Gradually increase her daily food intake so that by her due date, she’s eating three times the amount she was before pregnancy. By increasing the amount of food she eats each day, she’ll not only be getting additional calories, she’ll also be taking in the additional protein, calcium and other nutrients the pups need to develop properly.
If you find that your dog simply can’t eat this much food, she’s losing weight, or you’re concerned that she won’t be able to keep up with the pups’ demand for milk, gradually switch her over to a food specially made for the pregnancy/lactation lifestage. Generally the same as puppy formula, this food concentrates calories, protein and calcium so your dog doesn’t have to eat as much to get the same nutrition.