It is important to pay attention to the nutrition and nutritional status of the female dog well in advance of a planned mating. Research shows that a female dog's muscle condition affects the ease of delivery, and being overweight or underweight is known to be associated with potential reproductive disorders.
The normal gestation period for a dog is approximately 63 days. During the first two-thirds, or the first five weeks, the female dog's feeding can continue as before mating, with familiar high-quality food according to the normal maintenance dose. During these first 5 weeks, the fetuses developing in the womb absorb all the necessary building blocks from the mother through the placenta for their development. Therefore, it is good to ensure that the mother receives sufficient fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins E, B, and C. The need for vitamin E, in particular, doubles during gestation to protect the immunity and the fetus.
During the last third of gestation, the female dog's energy needs increase significantly as fetal growth accelerates. Energy needs can increase, especially in large litters, by up to 20%, and the daily amount of food can even increase to 1.5 times the normal feeding amount during pregnancy. At the same time, the female dog's stomach capacity decreases as the fetuses occupy part of the abdominal space. At this stage of pregnancy, it is necessary to switch to more frequent feedings and smaller portion sizes. The food should be highly digestible and relatively more concentrated, as the dog needs to receive more essential growth ingredients in a smaller volume. At this stage of pregnancy, it is common to switch to complete foods developed for puppies, but for female dogs eating raw food, the amount of vegetables and bones is reduced, and the amount of meat, offal, and eggs is increased.
During pregnancy, care must be taken not to fatten the female dog, so even though the amount of food is gradually increased from the 6th week onwards, food should not be available without limits. Large changes in the mother's diet should be avoided during pregnancy and lactation, as sudden changes in diet affect nutrient absorption and microbiota, potentially causing intestinal problems.
During lactation, the importance of diet quality is further emphasized. The female dog's energy needs are high, and her diet should contain plenty of highly digestible animal protein (>30%), fat (>20%), and calcium. Portion sizes increase, and it is good to divide feedings into 3-4 meals a day. The amount of food can increase up to 4 times the normal maintenance dose in large litters. Hydration is especially important to ensure, as it affects the mother's milk production, and food portions should therefore be offered with plenty of liquid.
The mother's diverse microbiota plays a decisive role in the formation of the puppies' microbiota, and probiotic preparations received by the mother during pregnancy and lactation have been observed to reduce the risk of early-age immune and metabolic diseases in offspring.
Easily digestible, high-quality food promotes the mother's energy intake and maintains milk production.
