What to feed the dog after childbirth?

The preparation of animal nutrition must be treated with full responsibility. This is especially true when the dog has just given birth and is at the stage of feeding and raising puppies. Since from now on the bitch is responsible for herself and the offspring, the owner has an enormous responsibility for the maintenance of the cat. Today we will study everything related to the proper preparation of the diet, and also give our recommendations on the maintenance of the dog after childbirth.

Drawing up the dog's diet

The lactation period lasts for 1-1.5 months. Within 20 days following from the moment of delivery, the mammary glands increase in volume. Then they start to lose size. Due to the fact that the researchers did not stop studying lactation in dogs, they managed to make a correct diet for nursing bitches.

When compiling the menu, note the inclusion of the following list of products:

• buckwheat, rice, oatmeal;
• offal in the form of chicken hearts, livers, and ventricles;
• lean type meat products;
• low-fat sea fish;
• milk, such as kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese, milk;
• greens with vegetables.

If there are doubts that you can not cope with the preparation of food, contact any veterinarian for advice. The veterinarian will examine the dog, then select the products according to its health.

Feeding immediately after childbirth

1. Inexperienced owners are interested in how to feed the pet immediately after the birth of babies into the world. In cases where the bitch eats the afterbirth, do not treat her food in the next 6 hours. Give the animal water to make up the balance.
2. Owners may consider the very use of the bitch of the placenta as a nasty spectacle. For this reason, they prohibit the dog to continue eating. But such actions are wrong, it is necessary to cast aside prejudice and listen to nature.
3. The placenta is a protein that is easily absorbed and replenishes the body of the newly-minted mom with mineralcompounds and other valuable substances. Also in the composition there are hormones responsible for the correct production of milk.
4. The negative side of the fact that the dog eats the placenta, can be called a disorder of the esophagus. This usually happens during a multiple pregnancy. In order to normalize the activity of the esophagus, the dog is given an absorbent (1 tablet of coal per 8 kg. Of the weight of the animal).
5. It is important to provide the bitch with plenty of water. But it is not necessary to pour liquid into it by force. It is enough to put the bowl next to the habitat of the mother and puppies. Some owners recommend to treat a bitch with tea with a small amount of honey and milk. This cocktail promotes rapid recovery.

Lactation at 1 week

1. Do not be afraid if during the three days following the birth, the animal has a craving for food. Do not impose a bitch too much. Once at 7 o'clock offer her food, let him eat, if not all, then at least a little bit to replenish the stock of forces. You can give the animal a vegetable puree, as well as cereal with milk (but not semolina).
2. When the desire to eat is restored, you need to increase the volume that the dog ate earlier, by 1.5.Then the resulting amount is divided into 6 meals with equal intervals between them.
3. In the first week it is necessary to feed liquid food. Cook poppy seeds on a dairy or water basis, offer yogurt (kefir, milk) in the absence of lactose allergy.
4. Check with your veterinarian, supply your food with a complex of minerals and vitamins. These supplements are given until feeding stops.
5. It is important to ensure the intake of animal protein compounds that are easily digested. Replace the meat with low-fat fish (necessarily sea), cottage cheese, a piece of cheese.
6. Take care that the dog eats fruit and vegetables. You can treat your pet with meat (if it refuses other food), but only on the fifth day of lactation. Meat dishes are given stewed or boiled.
7. At the end of the first week, it is necessary to introduce by-products slowly, for example, chicken ventricles, hearts, and livers. Watch the state of the bitches and puppies, if you lose your stool, remove the last products entered in the menu.

Lactation at 2 and 3 week

1. Often, the first week after birth passes unnoticed, so we must think further than to feed a pet after birth.From the second week it is recommended to vary the diet a little. In the menu without fail it is necessary to include vegetables.
2. Among the most common are pumpkin, cauliflower, beets, carrots and zucchini. Also try to give fruits gradually. If the dog gives birth to four puppies, it is recommended to double the portions of food.
3. If the pet has about 8 puppies or more, then the amount of food should be increased at least 3 times. As a result, the female should be fed about 5 times a day. Monitor the state of the animal, do not lose sight of the personal preferences of the animal.

Lactation at 4 and 6 week

1. At this time, the mother gradually begins to decrease the amount of milk. Puppies should start feeding gradually. Also, the amount of food should be gradually reduced for the mother. The dog is recommended to gradually transfer to food 3 times a day.
2. In addition, the pet should slightly reduce the amount of fluid. As soon as the last puppy is taken away, the mothers are sure to arrange a fasting day. The first day the dog should not be given almost anything, it should starve.
3. Limit the water and offer your pet only a quarter of the usual portion. The next day, you can already give a third of the usual diet. Every day, add a little food. After 5-6 days, the dog can be transferred to the usual diet, which was before birth.

Dry dog ​​food

1. Most of the owners of their pets feed them ready-made dry food. If you decide to continue to feed the dog with the same food after delivery, some rules should be taken into account. It is important to know that super premium and premium feeds have a wide range.
2. Consider, choose feed should be marked for pregnant and lactating females. Such a composition is quite acceptable, and meets all the necessary needs of a depleted organism in a crucial period.
3. Separately, it is worth noting that in such feed the ratio of protein should be in the range of 25-28%. If the firm you previously fed the dog does not release food for pregnant and lactating dogs, you should give preference to food for puppies.
4. Keep in mind that dry foods require large amounts of moisture for digestion. Even if the pet consumes a large amount of water, there may still be problems with milk production. Therefore, in the first 15-20 days after birth, such feed is better soaked in advance.You can give a liquid feed.

Since mineral substances and vitamins do not linger in a dog’s body, especially when the bitch feeds puppies, all nutrients should come from food. Otherwise, they will not be in the milk, babies may develop with abnormalities.

Video: how to feed a dog or cat during pregnancy?