How to feed a dog after childbirth

Generic activity depletes the dog’s body, but for normal lactation function requires nutrition. Sometimes owners “young mother” forget about the obligatory nutrition for women in labor taking care of puppies. Often himself the pet refuses food, so the owner must know what feed dogs after childbirth and follow the schedule.

Content

  • 1. Why does a dog give birth on an empty stomach
  • 2. Feeding in the first hours after birth
  • 3. Nutrition for postpartum toxicosis

Why does a dog give birth on an empty stomach

The reason for giving birth on an empty stomach is like a failure animal from food due to neuro-emotional arousal, and by a number of physiological reasons. The dog is not fed immediately before childbirth since:

  • all processes in the body are directed to labor, and the body avoids the extra waste of energy on digestion food. Therefore, the dog can do without food during the birth activities;
  • a full stomach makes it difficult for puppies to move through the birth canal, especially the first, the largest;
  • it’s harder for a bitch to push if the stomach is full, and therefore childbirth may be delayed, which exhausts the animal and threatens puppies’ lives due to hypoxia;
  • muscle contraction during attempts can lead to vomiting and uncontrolled bowel movements, which is optional stressful factor and distracts the dog from giving birth.

If the dog refuses to eat, you can not force it. But to to support the strength of the animal you need to offer the bitch in between the appearance of puppies, liquid nutrition – nutrient broth, milk with honey, warm tea with milk. This will restore fluid balance to the body, stimulates lactation, will have a calming effect on animal. Childbirth on an empty stomach is a justifiable measure, but after as the dog gave birth to all puppies, you need to take care of her good nutrition. dog eats

Natural instincts force some dogs to eat the “last”. The debate about whether this is necessary for a domestic dog – stretched for more than one decade. In the wild, the bitch born eating a baby place provides its body with proteins and hormones that stimulate uterine contractions and production prolactin.

Nobody cares about her, offering nutritious food after childbirth. The pet does not seem to need such nutrition. However, most breeders tend to let to eat the dog, at her request, no more than three placentas, otherwise An animal may develop diarrhea. In case of eating the placenta, the dog may not eat 4-7 hours. If the dog refuses to eat after all, then you need to take care in advance that she will eat after childbirth.

If your dog has not yet given birth, read how to feed a pregnant the dog.

Feeding the first hours after giving birth

If the birth was successful, then after a few hours the dog can offer warm, heat-treated and easily digestible food. The proposed menu should include:

  • low protein meat products (liver paste and heart);
  • calcium-rich foods to avoid postpartum “milk fever” – nonfat milk, cottage cheese and sour milk products
  • boiled and chopped raw vegetables as a source trace elements;
  • easily digestible proteins – boiled chicken eggs or as omelet;
  • porridge.

In the prenatal and postpartum period, the introduction is very important dairy products that normalize the intestinal microflora and stimulating metabolic processes.

If the bitch has an upset stomach, then you can prepare absorbent porridge from steamed and broken rice. Some veterinarians advise in the postpartum period to give special breakouts based on bifidobacteria and lactobacilli or fermented milk products cooked with sourdough.

Interesting:

  • how to feed a husky;
  • how to feed jack russell terrier;
  • than to feed the Pekingese.

Even if before delivery the dog was fed exclusively dry type feed, you should gradually limit it and transfer the animal to homemade food or canned food. Dry food requires assimilation the large amount of fluid that he can extract from the body of the dog, reducing milk production. But several experts advise special dry feeds designed for lactating bitches. With heavy drinking, they are able to provide the body all the necessary minerals and vitamins.

In case milk is insufficient or its nutritional value low, veterinarians recommend adding cream to the postpartum diet 10% fat. They will make milk more fat and nutritious.

Postpartum Toxicosis Nutrition

Sometimes a complication of the condition after birth in dogs, especially miniature breeds, is true eclampsia – severe toxic condition caused by a drop in calcium levels in the body. The signs of postpartum toxicosis are as follows:

  • uncontrolled muscle twitching, tremor of the limbs;
  • photophobia and refusal of food;
  • feeling of fear, increased anxiety and fussiness;
  • ignoring offspring;
  • impaired motor function;
  • loss of orientation and coordination of movements;
  • “out of focus” vision;
  • tachycardia;
  • shortness of breath, a respiratory distress that may lead to asphyxiation and respiratory arrest.

It is not necessary that with eclampsia all the symptoms will be expressed. But if the animal has already been noted in a previous pregnancy hypocalcemia, then an urgent need to contact a veterinarian and be able provide first aid to the animal – stop the syndrome with intensive care using antishock and detoxification drugs. If the dog feels weak and refuses food, try to persuade her to eat or force feed.

The diet for postpartum toxicosis should consist of foods containing a large amount of calcium – cottage cheese, milk, kefir, yogurt with live cultures of lactobacilli. At risk of development eclampsia should be excluded in advance products enriched with protein – raw meat, saturated broths, fish.

Dogs of large and giant breeds should only have meat good quality. Do not use for their nutrition. offal. Supplement nutrition with dietary supplements and calcium supplements – Beaphar Calcium, Canina Canipulver, 8in1 Calcidee and other medicines recommended by your doctor. give the dog to eat

If the bitch is too weak during childbirth or she has not enough milk, you should take care of the artificial feeding puppies. It is necessary to select the mixture, as much as possible adapted to mother’s milk. Cow and goat milk is strong differ in composition from the canine and can adversely affect puppy growth. Therefore, experts offer specifically cooked mixtures of cow’s milk, cream, eggs enriched vitamins D2 or 3.

Only proper nutrition in the postpartum period will provide a bitch proper nutrition for puppies and quick recovery of the dog itself. ABOUT a correctly selected diet indicates the appearance animal, his mood and condition.

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