PASSIONATE BREEDERS
ARE ALWAYS LEARNING.

Nutrition for Breeding Dogs

Archive document IAMS COMPANY

Iams is since 1999 a registered trademark of The Procter & Gamble Company. This is an archive document used historically by the Iams Pet Food company or for Iams Pet Food products. Any and all mentions included herein needs to be replaced in context of the time and geography of its initial use as circumstances and products may have changed since then. Products and relative data are for US only. No assertion or further use of these documents can be made without P&G's authorization.

PROPER NUTRITION ESSENTIAL FOR HEALTH OF BREEDING DOGS AND OFFSPRING

By Dr. Martin Coffman,
The Iams Company

As breeders know, proper nutrition is necessary for the health and condition of the bitch and sire, as well as for the viability and growth of their offspring.

"Success in breeding begins with the correct feeding and management of reproducing animals and continues throughout mating, gestation, and lactation," said Dr. Dan Carey, a veterinarian with The Iams Company. "All these factors combined result in healthy offspring."

Pre-breeding nutrition and care

Prior to breeding, both the bitch and sire should be in excellent physical condition and well-exercised. Of particular importance is the dam's pre-breeding weight.

"The bitch should be at optimum weight and in prime condition for her breed," Dr. Carey said. "If she is underweight, she may be unable to consume enough food during gestation to provide for her own nutritional needs as well as the needs of her developing fetuses. Lack of proper nutrition in the bitch also may result in decreased birth weights and increased neonatal mortality."

Conversely, a bitch's overweight condition can result in difficulties during pregnancy.

"If a bitch begins a pregnancy with extra weight, her fetuses may be extremely large and may experience dystopia (slow or difficult labor and delivery)," Dr. Carey explained.

The bitch should be fed a high-quality, highly digestible food that provides adequate nutrition for upcoming gestation and lactation.

"A premium diet is recommended for the breeding bitch, as it provides increased nutritional density, which fulfills the nutrient requirements of reproduction," Dr. Carey said. "By feeding a premium diet, the bitch's needs can be met without excess food consumption."

Feeding during gestation, parturition
If the bitch is at an ideal weight at the time of breeding, no increase in food intake is necessary until the fifth or sixth week of gestation.

"Contrary to popular belief, a bitch should not receive a greater amount of food immediately after she has been bred," Dr. Carey explained. "An unnecessary increase in her diet at this time could lead to excessive weight gain during pregnancy."

After the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy, the gestational diet should be increased gradually so that at the time of whelping, her daily intake is approximately 25 percent to 50 percent higher than her nutritional maintenance needs (pending the size of the bitch and her litter). Ultimately, her body weight should increase by approximately 15 percent to 25 percent by the time of whelping.

Once the bitch has whelped the litter, she will begin eating within 24 hours. If she has been properly prepared for lactation, the bitch will have a post-whelping weight that is 5 percent to 10 percent above her pre-breeding maintenance weight.

Nutritional needs of the lactating bitch

Lactation is one of the greatest nutritional challenges to any animal. During lactation, the most important consideration is the provision of adequate calories. Ample energy and water intake allows for sufficient milk production and prevents a drastic weight loss in the bitch.

"A bitch requires ample water intake for the production of sufficient volume of milk," Dr. Carey said. "The stress she undergoes during lactation depends on her nutritional status and weight at parturition, her litter size, and her stage of lactation. Water plays an important role in maintaining her overall nutrition; so fresh, cool water should always be readily accessible to the lactating bitch."

Depending on litter size, a bitch will consume two to three times her maintenance energy requirement during lactation. This requires an increase in diet amount, as well.

"A general guideline is to feed 1.5 times maintenance during the first week of lactation, 2 times maintenance during the second week, and 2.5 to 3 times maintenance during the third to fourth week," Dr. Carey explained. "Peak lactation occurs at three to four weeks postpartum, and the bitch's dietary needs must be met to provide the necessary nutrition to her offspring before they increase their solid food intakes."

When a bitch is fed a premium-quality food during lactation, the quantity of food she requires may exceed the capacity of her gastrointestinal tract; therefore, the daily ration should be divided into several meals or fed free-choice.