Feeding and Hydrating a Dog After it Gives Birth
Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
You Might Also Like
Co-authored by:
After a dog gives birth, you’ll need to bring food to her whelping box and find ways to encourage her to eat. Bring her water immediately after she gives birth, since the dog will have lost a lot of fluids. You should also bring dog food to the whelping box, because the dog won’t want to leave her puppies to eat. If she’s not keen on eating, mix an egg yolk or some lard into her food to make it more palatable. When the dog starts nursing the puppies, give her puppy food to make sure she passes on enough nutrients. Encourage her to eat it by mixing the puppy food with her normal food for the first 3 or 4 days. You’ll need to feed her much more in the weeks following pregnancy, because she will need to produce enough milk for the puppies. For tips from our Veterinary co-author on how to monitor a mother dog’s weight during nursing, keep reading!
Stacy Irving “My dog just gave birth but would not drink. After reading the article from this page, I now feel better about how to help her and to know what to look out for in case she gets bad.”…” more Put together a small meal for your mother dog. Her first meal should be light but nourishing. Mix canned dog food, warm water, and vanilla ice cream or cottage cheese. Give her about half of her regular meal size, then let her rest with her puppies for a few hours. Offer her a bit more food — again, about half of her normal meal. Dont feed her too much at once. Small meals for the first 12 hours after whelping will be easier for her to digest.
Most mother dogs lose their appetite just before they whelp, so theyre ready for a meal right after theyve given birth. Yours should have gotten extra food during her pregnancy, and shell continue to need extra nutrition while shes nursing. Once youve cleaned up the whelping box and your nursing female is settled comfortably with her puppies, shes ready to eat.
Its likely your mother dog didnt eat much the day before delivering her pups. Many pregnant dogs begin to refuse food about 12 hours before they whelp. She may have vomited just before whelping. Offer her a small bowl of water after shes delivered her last puppy before you take her out to potty. Once shes been out and is back in the whelping box with her puppies, make sure shes nursing the puppies. Shell be too anxious to eat if her puppies are crying or looking for her. Place each puppy on a nipple, if necessary, to get them started.
As your mother dog delivers her last puppy, youll be busy making sure the early pups are warm and well. Youll know when the mother has finished whelping because shell look around for her brood, check to make sure theyre all with her, perhaps do a few turns in the whelping box and settle in to nurse. Shell look content but exhausted; the look of anxiety she wore when puppies were coming will be gone. Give her a few minutes with her puppies, then take her out to potty before returning her to the whelping box.
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. The American Kennel Club recommends increasing a mother dogs food while she is nursing by 25 percent per puppy. Add some cottage cheese for extra calcium. Be sure she has access to water at all times in the whelping box. Hang a water pail from the side of the whelping box to avoid leaving it on the floor where a puppy can reach it.
How to feed a Female dog that is nursing
A pregnant and lactating female dog requires increased nutrition and calories to provide nutrients to the growing puppies. In addition, her energy levels increase when she is feeding the pups, and her body requires more calories to maintain a healthy weight. Feeding high-quality foods is essential during this time to ensure healthy growth and reduce the risk of complications.
During pregnancy and lactation, it is essential that your dog receive a high-quality and easily digestible dog food designed for growth and lactation. According to veterinarian Kathleen Hefner, food should include at least 29 percent protein, 17 percent dietary fat and less than 5 percent dietary fiber. This breakdown offers the necessary nutrients and calories your dog will need to feed those growing pups and keep her healthy as well. When choosing food, be sure to read the ingredient labels. The first few ingredients should be meat. Avoid foods that have corn or grains as the main ingredient.
By the final weeks of pregnancy, the amount of food your dog eats throughout the day should increase by 15 to 25 percent. Once the pups are born, the amount of food she requires will depend on the size of the litter. In general, a mother’s food intake should increase by as much as 25 percent per pup over what she normally eats. For example, a dog that normally eats two cups of food a day requires ½ cup more for each pup she is feeding.
Nursing greatly increases your dog’s requirement for water; you may see her drinking a lot more than usual. Ensure that she has free access to water at all times. Some new moms are reluctant to leave the puppies, so place the water near her if this is the case. Not enough water can lead to dehydration.
Eclampsia occurs when your female dog’s calcium levels drastically drop. This is a medical emergency and requires immediate veterinarian attention. Signs include weakness, tremors, seizures and the inability to walk or stand. Do not provide calcium supplementation without the guidance of a veterinarian. Feeding high-quality dog food filled with vitamins and minerals will reduce the risk.
If you are concerned about your dog’s weight or possible lactating complications, consult a veterinarian or canine nutritionist. They may suggest adding possible vitamin supplements or foods such as eggs, cooked meat and cottage cheese to her diet. If she is not eating, you may need to add some palatable treats to get her started. Hefner offers a recipe that helps get mommy dogs eating after delivery. Mix together one can of evaporated milk, one can of water, three egg yolks and ¼ cup Karo syrup. Slightly warm the mixture and allow cooling.
Deborah Lundin is a professional writer with more than 20 years of experience in the medical field and as a small business owner. She studied medical science and sociology at Northern Illinois University. Her passions and interests include fitness, health, healthy eating, children and pets.