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  1. #1
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    how much should i be feeding bitch with 8 feeding puppies?

    Looking for some advice, my 3 year old labrador bitch whelped 8 puppies last monday, so they are tomorrow 1 week old. Normally, she is on an average-sized myg of chudleys complete dry food in the morning and the same again in the evening plus half a can of pedigree wet food. Shortly before her due date i purchased a dry complete puppy food and began working that into her diet (she has a delicate stomach with food changes and doesnt take to it easily), but shortly after she had birthed the puppies i telephoned the vet with an update and was told not to continue switching her onto the new puppy food as nutritionally it isnt one of the best and also she shouldnt be having changes made to her food right now and to put her on pedigree puppy food instead - same brand, but switching to the puppy version. She also said that i should let her free feed - eat as much as she wants basically, if shes at her bowl and appears hungry - feed her. Problem is, i have a lab and a greedy one at that. I tried this the evening after the puppies were bon. After sitting at her bowl licking her lips for another can 3 times over in the space of an hour or so (say 4 cans in 90mins) she was sick. Very much so. So ive not been free feeding. Instead ive been giving her a whole 400g can at 6am, a half can at 10am, a half can at 1pm, a whole can at 5pm and a whole can at 10pm. So 1600g a day in total. But she is still in permanent mooch mood and is back and fore to the bowl between feeds looking forelorn at the emptiness of it. I obviously dont want to be underfeeding her and having her starve, but at the same time, i dont want to be overfeeding her and making her ill either.

    Any advice on whether this is an appropriate quantity or not would be much appreciated,

    As would advice on how i am to alter intake over the next wee while and by how much. I know she will need more in weeks 2 to 4, but how much more? And do i gradually drop it or just once puppies weaned put her straight back to normal feeding?

    Would anyone recommend any supplements? (Calcium? Glucose)

    Thanks in advance

  2. #2
    Puppy
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    *average sized mug*

  3. #3
    Puppy
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    Ps her pre-pregnancy weight was around 30kg

  4. #4
    Senior Dog Shelley's Avatar
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    I would join a facebook breeding group for more information, this is primarily a pet owner board.

    Breeding is a loaded question around here too, like do both parents have all of the appropriate clearances for breeding, (passing scores on OFA of hip and elbows after age 2, annual eye exams, genetic testing for EIC and PRA, cardiac echoes etc....), the parents have done something to prove they should be bred, do you belong to a breed club and network with other reputable breeders and have a mentor etc etc etc... I could go on and on... OR was this an accidental breeding, foster litter, or are you a garden variety back yard breeder?

    That being said, with 8 puppies to feed, she should be eating a substantial amount of food to make enough milk for them to not only grow, but flourish, and enough for the dam to keep her condition as well. As they get closer to 3-4 weeks they will really drain her. One of my bitches had 12 puppies and I had a hard time feeding her enough to support herself and her babies, and her stool was pretty loose, so I started the puppies on a special mousse puppy weaning food early to help her out. Also the wet food you are feeding may not be enough for her, I would do dry, and at least 4-6 cups a day right now, depending on the calories per cup, and adding to that amount as needed. You will probably be feeding 8-10 cups a day right before you offer puppy gruel around 4 weeks of age.

    You also need guidance, so you know when to worm the puppies, and what to do if they get ill, or a parasite (like giardia or coccidia which is very common.

    This is the FB group I recommend for such questions and information, there are many very knowledgeable people there to help.

    Canine Fertility, Reproduction and Neonatal Issues

    Best of luck to you, feed your girl more in the meantime, she needs it.

    I forgot to add, make sure she gets plenty of fresh water a day, water in = milk out, so do whatever you have to to make sure she drinks enough.

  5. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Shelley For This Useful Post:

    Annette47 (11-01-2015), milo (12-13-2015), windycanyon (11-01-2015)

  6. #5
    Senior Dog
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shelley View Post
    I would join a facebook breeding group for more information, this is primarily a pet owner board.

    Breeding is a loaded question around here too, like do both parents have all of the appropriate clearances for breeding, (passing scores on OFA of hip and elbows after age 2, annual eye exams, genetic testing for EIC and PRA, cardiac echoes etc....), the parents have done something to prove they should be bred, do you belong to a breed club and network with other reputable breeders and have a mentor etc etc etc... I could go on and on... OR was this an accidental breeding, foster litter, or are you a garden variety back yard breeder?

    That being said, with 8 puppies to feed, she should be eating a substantial amount of food to make enough milk for them to not only grow, but flourish, and enough for the dam to keep her condition as well. As they get closer to 3-4 weeks they will really drain her. One of my bitches had 12 puppies and I had a hard time feeding her enough to support herself and her babies, and her stool was pretty loose, so I started the puppies on a special mousse puppy weaning food early to help her out. Also the wet food you are feeding may not be enough for her, I would do dry, and at least 4-6 cups a day right now, depending on the calories per cup, and adding to that amount as needed. You will probably be feeding 8-10 cups a day right before you offer puppy gruel around 4 weeks of age.

    You also need guidance, so you know when to worm the puppies, and what to do if they get ill, or a parasite (like giardia or coccidia which is very common.

    This is the FB group I recommend for such questions and information, there are many very knowledgeable people there to help.

    Canine Fertility, Reproduction and Neonatal Issues

    Best of luck to you, feed your girl more in the meantime, she needs it.

    I forgot to add, make sure she gets plenty of fresh water a day, water in = milk out, so do whatever you have to to make sure she drinks enough.
    Just to add to Shelley’s excellent advice, it may be easier on her when feeding such large amounts to the mother to break it into several smaller meals throughout the day, even if she would normally only be fed twice. With only two pups we didn’t have to up Chloe’s food to those levels, but even so we found she did best when the extra food was given as lunch (which she doesn’t usually get) instead of split over breakfast and dinner.
    Annette

    Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
    Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015

    Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009

    And remembering:

    Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
    Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015

    And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014

    Hidden Content

  7. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Annette47 For This Useful Post:

    milo (12-13-2015), windycanyon (11-01-2015)

 



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