Today's Breeder - Issue 107 - 18

Nutrition Matters
OPTIMAL NUTRITION
FOR PREGNANCY & PUPPIES
IS TIED TO ENERGY DEMANDS
M
any aspects of dog breeding cannot be controlled.
One of the most important facets - providing
optimal nutrition to the dam and growing puppies - is
controllable.
Purina nutritionist Raj Naik, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition),
a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, relates the energy
and nutrient requirements of the stages of pregnancy
and puppy development to optimal nutrition. Dr. Naik
recently shared these nutritional insights during a Good
Dog Good Breeder webinar.
" For optimal reproduction performance, it is vital for
the sire and dam to be in peak body condition, " Dr. Naik
says. " An underweight body condition in dams may cause
puppies to have reduced birth weight, hypoglycemia and
Energy Demand
Adult maintenance
Adult maintenance + 10 percent
Week 6 + 10 percent
Week 7 + 10 percent
Week 8 + 10 percent
even poor survival. Overweight dams may have a lower
ovulation rate, reduced litter size and poor lactation. "
Just as it is important for the breeding partners to have
an ideal, hourglass body condition, it behooves breeders
to gradually increase the food fed during pregnancy to
meet the dam's energy demands due to growing fetuses.
" Starting at week six through week nine, a pregnant bitch
should be fed 10 percent more food per week than her
adult maintenance level, as her fetal puppies gain 75 percent
of their birth weight during the last three weeks, " he says.
" The dam's total body weight should increase 15 to 25 percent
during pregnancy. "
The energy demands for a dam during the peak of lactation
are three times greater than adult maintenance. " It
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS* DURING PREGNANCY & LACTATION
Week of Pregnancy
Weeks 1 to 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week of Lactation
Weeks 1 to 2
Weeks 3 to 4
Weeks 5 to 6
Energy Demand
Adult maintenance x 2
Adult maintenance x 3
Adult maintenance x 2
*Pregnant and lactating bitches should be fed a complete and balanced all-life stages or puppy food to meet their increased nutrient
and energy requirements. A high-quality, highly digestible food that is energy- and nutrient-dense is recommended.
18 | ISSUE 107

Today's Breeder - Issue 107

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Today's Breeder - Issue 107