If your pup recently gave birth and is experiencing weight loss, now is the time to help her regain some of it in a safe way. Here is how it can be accomplished easily:
Nursing dogs need extra calories in their diet in order to produce milk for their puppies, so during this period it’s essential that you provide an energy-rich meal.
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Feed her a calorie-rich diet
Once a nursing dog gives birth, her energy requirements can quickly escalate depending on the size of her litter. Therefore, it’s crucial that she receives a diet rich in calories which will allow her to gain weight healthily.
Good news is, nursing dogs can easily gain weight with just a few simple feeding guidelines. These guidelines include providing additional protein and calories at each meal, offering treats between meals, and portioning out their food in smaller portions.
At this stage, it is also advisable to introduce her to nutrient-rich puppy food that provides essential vitamins and extra calories – this will enable her to gain weight quickly while developing strength for caring for her puppies.
Make sure that she consumes plenty of water during this time, as dehydration is easily possible during this period and could prevent enough milk being produced if she remains dehydrated.
Give her treats between meals
Nursing dogs must consume extra food in order to produce milk and remain fit; during this period they need up to three times as much food than usual.
An effective way to help your dog gain weight is giving her treats between meals. These smaller portions will make digestion easier for her and will allow her to utilize all the nutrition from her food throughout the day.
Include flavorful chicken, fish skin chews or low-cal vegetables like green beans as part of her meal to add variety while staying within her healthy weight range.
Use a diet tailored specifically for pregnant and nursing dogs that contains high quality calories to assist her in gaining weight safely and quickly. These food are specifically formulated to meet their specific nutritional requirements so they can achieve weight gain quickly without risk.
Break down her meals into smaller portions
Nursing dogs need extra calories and fat than untrained canines in order to produce enough milk for their puppies, so she should consume a diet rich in calories such as dry kibble or high-quality raw food.
Break down her meals into smaller portions throughout the day to aid digestion and increase absorption of all of her nutrients. This will allow her to best utilize what is provided her from each meal and gain optimal benefit from them.
Giving her more energy will allow her to eat healthily and increase weight safely and healthily. A weekly weigh-in can be used as the best method for monitoring her progress; alternatively, keeping a detailed health journal could also prove useful in keeping tabs.
Key to an effective feeding program is providing her with enough fresh water, in manageable portions. This will prevent dehydration and boost her milk supply.
Give her plenty of water
Water is an indispensable component of every dog’s diet. It helps flush away toxins from their system, maintain ideal temperature conditions, and keeps their nose moist.
Dehydration in dogs is usually the result of either not getting enough water, or drinking too much at one time. They should consume roughly an ounce per pound of bodyweight in water consumption.
Nursing dogs need even more food as they exert much energy producing milk for their puppies, as well as losing a significant amount of fluid through panting.
As most dogs don’t know how to communicate their needs for water, it’s vital that the bowl stays full. To keep your pup comfortable and hydrated at all times.
If your dog seems to be drinking more than usual, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. He or she can assess any underlying health issues which might be driving her thirstiness and provide necessary treatment solutions.
