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Best Dry Food


bridgie_cat
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Hello,

I am sure this has been done before, and even found one fairly short discussion on the topic on here... but not one that mentioned any specific foods.

So I am wondering what dry foods (brand and variety) people are feeding through pregnancy + lactation (and also something to feed pre breeding with an ideal omega fatty acid balance, good source of animal based protein, and all those other good things in it is what I am looking for).

Thanks in advance for sharing your preferences and ideas on the topic!

Bridget

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Personally, I don't change the type of food at all.

I largely feed raw and calcium rich foods like cottage cheese, yoghurt, eggs, sardines/pilchards are all part of a good diet.

I may increase quantities slightly as the bitch gets hungrier and definitely divide the meals and feed smaller meals more often as she gets larger, but that's about it. They also stay on the same diet afterwards, again with increased quantities due to the nutrients sucked out of the lactating bitch.

Research shows this is healthier and bitches fed normally on calcium enriched diets are far less likely to have issues with hypocalcemia (milk fever). My vet explained this as the levels of calcium being maintained at constant levels in the body so there is no fluctuation which is what can cause issues. And a good calcium rich diet can also help prevent issues during whelping.

I'm also not a major believer in switching bitches to puppy foods during pregnancy. Dog foods have come a long way overall since this was considered "necessary". If all you feed is a decent quality dry food, then check with your vet but there should be no problem adding the calcium rich foods mentioned.

Also worth noting is that the old practice of giving puppies liquid calcium is redundant if mum has been fed a decent diet and puppies are weaned onto the same diet. And feeding calcium carbonate powder really only provides white-powder encrusted poo, it isn't absorbed readily by the puppies or mum. (Calcium carbonate makes a great grooming and whitening product when grooming however! :laugh: )

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Same food during pregnancy although I did switch to puppy dry slowly during the last few weeks and adjusted amount for increase in calories. However she was crazy active up until whelping. More of it during lactation...as in 3-4 times as much.

So pregnancy - Artemis dry, chicken frames, lamb necks, lamb heart etc sardines, yoghurt, eggs. Usual diet.

Lactation - I fully switched to Artemis (puppy) and swapped quarter raw chicken for the frames with skin removed as the fat didn't agree with her. Added some quality beef/organ mince which pups were also weaned onto. Eggs, sardines, tinned salmon, green tripe, lambs heart. Lots of slushy meals to increase fluid intake - with yoghurt for added palatability. Although I needn't have worried as she devoured EVERYTHING. Em loves puppies for the amount of food she gets :laugh:

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