Feeding the Pregnant and Lactating Bitch

[GateKeeper]

Excerpts from Nutritional Management of the Bitch: Pre-breeding to Whelping By Russ L.Kelley, MS

"Nutrition has long been recognized as an influential factor in bitch reproduction.The recommendations from these references are generally vague in that they recommend feeding a high-quality food with sufficient energy for reproduction. There are a few publications that have addressed the effect of certain nutrient classes on canine reproduction. However, past research has directed little effort to defining diet "quality" or to the role of specific nutrients in canine reproduction. Additionally, there has been a severe lack of studies designed to separate diet sufficiency and "optimal nutrition". There are numerous diets, both commercially available and home recipes, that have been recommended as sufficient for reproduction. This merely means that animals were able to reproductively perform within expected levels while consuming a defined diet. Unfortunately, these expected levels are often well below the level that the bitch is genetically capable of performing."

To read the complete article please go to http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/feeding-pregnant-dogs.html

Feeding, Pregnant, Lactating, Bitch, optimal nutrition, canine reproduction

[Linda]

This is a good article on how to feed your expecting mother. I did not know that 30%protein 20% fat was the optimum recommendation. I also considered pre conditioning a bitch several weeks before breeding. Check out the resources that the end of the article, I am going to get the 1997 book about females and reproduction. The Collin's book is a classic on canine nutrition, I refer to it regularly. All in all this was a very good read.