Straight from the Whelping Box

Diet Recommendations for Breeding Bitch

By Susan Patterson

Good Dog is on a mission to educate the public, support dog breeders, and promote canine health so we can give our dogs the world they deserve.

Good Dog is on a mission to educate the public, support dog breeders, and promote canine health so we can give our dogs the world they deserve.

Good Dog is on a mission to educate the public, support dog breeders, and promote canine health so we can give our dogs the world they deserve.

Q: What are the best diet and supplements for a pregnant or a lactating bitch? Which brand of dog food do you feed your pregnant dogs and non-pregnant dogs and why? 

A: For my breeding girls, I do not switch to growth or puppy food. Instead, I feed a super-premium all-life stages food based on the ingredients and the calcium/phosphorus ratio. For my breeding dogs I prefer the first 4 ingredients to be from animals, including the animal and animal meal, and then I do want carbohydrates, such as rice and barley. I also want to have 15mg of DHA per pound of body weight, so I use Grizzly Salmon Oil, along with sufficient Folic Acid.

We are lucky to have three standards for nutritional adequacy from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). These standards are adult maintenance, growth and reproduction combined, and all-life stages (ALS), which meet both other standards. 

I’d recommend you read a great paper that Dr. Kara A. Kolster, DVM published in the journal for Clinical Theriogenology titled “Nutrition for Optimum Reproductive Performance” (Clinical Theriogenology, Volume 4, Number 4, December 2012, pgs 557-560).

Pregnant and lactating bitches should not be fed an adult maintenance diet because this can result in diseases and changes to the dog’s progeny. Studies have even linked a deficient diet in the canine dam with heart disease (Kolter, 2012). This is why we are very concerned about the nutrition that we feed the dogs in our breeding program. We want to make sure that we know how to read the labels of the food we purchase to make sure that we have enough protein, essential fatty acids (EFA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and carbohydrates in their diet.

Pregnant and lactating bitches should either be fed AAFCO all-life stages or growth/ reproduction (often called puppy) foods. Within those foods, breeders should select those that also meet the guidelines outlined by many theriogenologists:

  • 29% or higher protein (dry matter basis)
  • 18% or higher fat (dry matter basis)
  • 20% carbohydrates (% calories)
  • 1:1 to 1.3:1 calcium-phosphorus ratio - Too much calcium can trick the parathyroid gland into not responding to increased calcium needs beginning with whelping and can result in uterine dystocia or inertia.
  • If you feed raw or canned foods, you must convert the as-fed percentages to dry matter.

There are a limited number of foods on the market that meet all of these criteria so check labels carefully because foods change regularly. 

Supplements for pregnant and lactating bitches should include:

  • Omega 3 fatty acids that include docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Fish, krill or algae oils are good options for these Omega 3s. I use Grizzly Salmon Oil or Carlson’s DHA Super Gems for my dogs’ DHA requirements, feeding 15 mg/day of DHA.
  • Folic acid or folate are nutritional B-9 supplements that we should give pregnant bit ches because of the evidence showing the role that folic aAcid can play in reducing cleft palates in developing puppies (Kolster, 2012). I use a human grade B-50 pill daily as I like the B-vitamins impact on cell regeneration and energy. Then I also give any girl I am breeding an additional 800mcg of Folic Acid or Folate, 
  • Probiotics are supplements containing live microorganisms that are intended to have health benefits. Some also include prebiotics, which are indigestible fibers like fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) that support the probiotics. I use a sturdy probiotic daily too.
  • 1000mg of Vit C, the research on Vit C is minimal but it is generally considered a ‘do no harm’ water soluble supplement.
  • The other additional supplement that I have used is red raspberry leaves for the first 7-14 days after whelping but NOT before the puppies are born. The red raspberry promotes small uterine contractions that help the uterus clean out post whelp, and it also helps with milk production. 
  • I also watch behavior and administer oral calcium as needed post whelp.

At the moment, there are no studies showing that additional joint supplements are safe for pregnant or lactating bitches and these supplements are not recommended in women so I don’t use them once my bitches are bred. 

Remembering if a little is good, a lot is not always better, is my guide for any supplements for my dogs. Whatever I use, I want it to be appropriate, and I want to make sure that my Vet and I are working together to ensure my girls have optimum nutrition and care starting from the litter planning stages!

I have gone through a number of foods in my years as a breeder. I have ended up being a Purina ProPlan breeder. I personally like the research they do for their foods and the fact that I can call them up and talk to someone about their nutritional balances and food types and get recommendations based on nutrition. I also like that they have a variety of formulas so that I can switch protein sources as well. I feed this to all of my dogs, and I currently have a Dachshund, Gordon Setters, and Labradors. My dogs range in age from 6 weeks to 11 years old, so I have a wide cross section.

For my breeding girls I like the Purina ProPlan Sport with a 30% Protein and 20% Fat, with 1.1% calcium to 0.9% phosphorus for a 1.2:1 ratio. I like the balance of calcium/phosphorus to make sure that I am not tipping the scale with too much calcium during pregnancy and causing whelping issues.

I also add Folic Acid, or Folate, because of the evidence showing the role that Folic Acid can play in mitigating cleft palates in developing puppies (Kolster, 2012). I also add 500-1000mg of Vit. C and a small amount of Vit E because it works with the DHA and other oils. The only other thing that all of my girls get daily is a sturdy probiotic. Ten years ago it was Dr. Jane Barber, DVM who started me doing the probiotics with my girls when I bred them. I have found that using probiotics keeps the girls gut flora and fauna balanced during the stress of pregnancy and lactation.

Remembering if a little is good, a lot is not always better, is my guide for any supplements for my dogs. Whatever I use, I want it to be appropriate, and I want to make sure that my Vet and I are working together to ensure my girls have optimum nutrition and care starting from the litter planning stages! Good luck with your upcoming litters.

I found that this information from Female Nutritional Needs During Reproduction and Lactation, Published by Patricia Schenck, DVM, PhD Veterinary Nutritionist has helped me, so I will share some excerpts –

Because of the high calorie requirements, their diet should be highly palatable, energy dense, with high digestibility. During the early stages of pregnancy, fetal growth is slow, and the bitch does not require any additional calories over the maintenance level. It is important to avoid overfeeding during early gestation, since too many calories at this time can cause the bitch to become overweight and may contribute to whelping problems. 

Most fetal weight gain occurs during the last third of gestation, and the energy requirement of the bitch will increase during that time. During the fifth week of gestation, 15% more calories should be provided, and an extra 15%calories should be added each week until the end of gestation. Thus, by the time the puppies are born, the bitch should be eating 60% more calories than she did during the early stages of pregnancy. Meat source proteins are more digestible than are cereal proteins, such as soybean meal and corn gluten meal. Chicken by-product meal is more digestible than is meat and bone meal, since meat and bone meal contain more non digestible bone. Therefore, diets containing highly digestible chicken by-product meal as the major protein source will provide the highest amount of digestible protein. Different studies have shown that the protein requirement during pregnancy and lactation is between 25 and 30%. Thus, a high calorie puppy food or athletic-type food if fed in sufficient quantities, will provide the quantity of protein needed.

[Note: Supplement dose may vary with the size of the dog, high doses may not be advised. Please consult your veterinarian before adding supplements to your dog's diet.

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