The nutritional needs of the nursing female dog
While nursing her babies, the dog's body is put to the test. And for good reason, the production of milk is a process which requires more energy than usual and which mobilizes a lot of protein and calcium, which its diet must provide in sufficient quantity to allow it to cover both his own needs but also those of his puppies.
A nursing dog must therefore consume quality food that provides her with these nutrients and micronutrients in sufficient quantities to cover her increased needs.
How to feed a nursing dog?
Which food to choose for the nursing female dog?
Choosing good puppy food
The easiest way to feed a nursing female dog is to opt for kibbles for growing puppies. Indeed, the kibbles for puppies contain everything you need to cover the nutritional needs of puppies but also those of their mother. They also have the particularity of being very energetic: small quantities are enough to provide the amount of energy necessary for puppies and their mother.
However, not all puppy kibble is created equal on the kibble market and is not of equivalent quality. Far from there ! In terms of kibble for puppies, there is no very precise manufacturing standard but only minimums in terms of nutritional values that manufacturers are supposed to respect.In other words, to ensure the quality of the food you give your animals, it is necessary to look a little bit at the labeling of kibbles
- Croquettes rich in (good) proteins
What counts for a lot in the quality of these kibbles is above all the quality and quantity of the proteins they contain.
To estimate the quality of the proteins present in kibbles, it is therefore necessary to look at the phosphorus level which appears in the analytical components (or failing that, the ash level of the kibbles) and the list of ingredients .
In the analytical components of kibble, locate the phosphorus level: it should ideally be less than 1.1%. A higher rate would signal that a large amount of bone in the animal meal or animal by-products used - and therefore "bad proteins" - was used to make the kibble.Be careful, a reduced phosphorus level can also be found in kibbles rich in protein but of vegetable origin provided by cereals or legumes, hence the interest of checking the list of ingredients in parallel! Vegetable proteins are also of lower nutritional quality for the puppy and its mother and can be the cause of digestive disorders! The only downside: the phosphorus level is not legal data that the manufacturer is obliged to display even if most do. In the absence of the phosphorus rate, it is then possible to take an interest in the ash rate and to abandon the kibbles which have an ash rate greater than 12%.
To cover the increased protein needs of puppies and their nursing mothers, the kibbles must be sufficiently "concentrated" in protein. To find out, we use a value called the protein-calorie ratio of kibbles (RPC) which makes it possible to evaluate the protein concentration of a food in relation to the calories it provides.
Don't confuse!
The protein-calorie ratio is different from the protein percentage of the food which appears on the analytical components!
The RPC can:
- or be supplied directly by the kibble manufacturer. This is the case for kibbles sold in veterinary practices but very rarely for kibbles sold in pet stores or supermarkets,
- or be estimated by calculation from the information on the kibble label, in the “analytical components” section. Our RPC calculator available here allows you to easily do this calculation.
Thus, the RPC of puppy kibbles used to feed a lactating bitch should always be at least greater than 75g of protein per 1000Kcal.
Note carefully!
The protein-calorie ratio is only a theoretical value that provides information on the amount of protein present in the croquettes, but it does not provide information on the quality and digestibility of these proteins. This is just an indicator, no more, no less.
- Croquettes relatively low in starch
Normally, you will have already selected "low carb" croquettes (poor in assimilable carbohydrates such as starch) by choosing croquettes sufficiently rich in protein. Yes, it's mathematical the more a kibble is rich in protein the less it is rich in other nutrients and therefore in starch.
It's important for the mother as well as for the little ones not to ingest too much starch so as not to cause digestive disorders. By consuming large amounts of kibble and therefore starch, the mother (like the little ones) may not be able to digest it well. This starch is then a source of digestive discomfort or even diarrhea. It is therefore important to limit this risk by choosing croquettes with less than 35% of assimilable carbohydrates. As this information is not always present on the kibble label, it is up to you to calculate it from the information you have in the analytical components of the kibble.But, don't worry, we've made it easy for you by allowing you to calculate this carbohydrate level in our online calculator!
- Croquettes that provide calcium but not too much!
If there is one element that plays a particularly important role in the growth of puppies and the lactation of the mother: it is calcium.
A lack of calcium in the diet of a nursing dog is a risk factor for eclampsia. But, as often in nutrition, everything is therefore a question of balance: you need calcium but neither too much nor too little! It is therefore important that the dog's diet provides enough calcium but without excess.
Choose kibbles that will provide between 0.9 and 1.4% calcium.
- Croquettes with essential fatty acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids for the proper functioning of the dog's body.These fats participate in the modulation of inflammatory reactions in the body, in the regulation of blood coagulation as well as in the maintenance of a beautiful quality of the skin and the hair They are also important components very useful for brain development puppies.
Choose kibbles that contain more than 0.7% omega 3 or at least 1% cold sea fish oil. These fish oils contain two long-chain omega 3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are very useful for the he althy brain development of nursing babies.
What household ration for the nursing dog?
If your nursing dog refuses her kibble or is usually fed with a household ration, it is obviously possible to (continue to) prepare homemade meals for her during her breastfeeding period.
It is therefore imperative to have her "special breastfeeding" ration calculated by a veterinarian to ensure that this ration provides her with the energy and all the nutrients and micronutrients your dog needs.
It will also be necessary during this period of:
- swap the lean meats or fish that the dog usually eats in her ration with fatty meats or fish or, failing that, enrich her ration with a source of fat such as emmental or butter, for example. These sources of fat make it possible to increase the energy density of the bowl, i.e. to concentrate the calories in the smallest volume of food distributed so as not to overload the bitch's digestive system,
- limit the distribution of vegetables, corn and rice to the nursing dog. These foods contain phytates, substances that reduce the absorption of calcium,
- do not give RAW meat, offal or fish to the nursing dog, in order to limit the he alth risk that this entails. It is best to steam meat or proteins or poach them in hot water to eliminate all parasitic and microbial risks,
- never forget to supplement the ration with an appropriate mineral-vitamin supplement (cf. should a food supplement be given to a nursing dog?)
The daily ration of the nursing dog
A nursing dog must eat well but also eat more to cover both her usual maintenance needs and to successfully produce her milk. All this requires a lot of energy and much larger quantities of food than usual, which must gradually increase until the peak of lactation and then decrease again until the babies are weaned.
A lactating dog fed with kibble must therefore receive her usual portion of kibble (that of the beginning of her gestation) to which will be added an additional quantity providing her with approximately 250Kcal per kg of litter. These energy needs correspond to the maximum needs of the bitch at her peak of lactation, between the 3thand the 4thweek of lactation.They then gradually decrease until the puppies are completely weaned, which occurs around the 7thor the 8th week after parturition.
An example to understand:
If a female dog breastfeeds 5 puppies that each weigh about 400g, she breastfeeds a litter whose total weight is 2kg (50.4). It will therefore be necessary to bring him an additional quantity of kibble capable of providing him with 500 Kcal (2250Kcal) in addition to his usual ration at the time of his lactation peak. If his kibbles bring him 380Kcal per 100g, he will therefore have to give him 131g of kibbles in addition to his usual ration to cover the energy needs of lactation.
The ration of kibble should ideally be offered to the bitch in 3 to 4 meals a day so as not to overload her digestive system with too much food ingested at one time.
The same goes for a household ration. The quantities of food offered to the female dog must be sufficient to cover the increased energy needs of the female dog during the lactation period. Ask your veterinarian for advice!
Should a nursing dog be given a food supplement?
It depends!
No, if the female dog is fed good kibble for growing puppies and if she manages to eat her daily ration without any problem.
Yes, if the dog does not manage to eat all of her kibble ration and/or if the excessive amounts of kibble cause her to have diarrhea or digestive discomfort. This can happen in bitches who have large litters and/or who usually have trouble digesting the starch in kibble. It is then necessary to supplement the female dog with meat or fatty fish and a mineral-vitamin supplement.
Yes systematically with a mineral-vitamin supplement Ca/P=3 if the female dog is fed exclusively with a household ration.
If in doubt about how to feed your nursing dog, consult a nutritionist veterinarian who will be able to advise and support you throughout this period.