How to Promote Safe Whelping for Overweight Dogs

Consult your dog’s vet about its dietary needs., Provide a balanced diet high in protein and carbohydrates., Take your dog on frequent gentle walks., Increase its food intake by 15% during the last three weeks of pregnancy.

4 Steps 2 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Consult your dog’s vet about its dietary needs.

    In order to create the best meal plan for your overweight pregnant dog, you’ll need to find out some specifics about its health.

    Bring your dog to the vet for a physical examination and blood count.Ask its vet, “Did the blood count show any signs of anemia or low protein?” If your dog has a low iron or protein count, you’ll most likely need to switch up its food during the pregnancy.

    You can keep to the brand it’s used to, but look for a variety marked for pregnant dogs or for puppies.
  2. Step 2: Provide a balanced diet high in protein and carbohydrates.

    Dogs generally don’t require any additional food intake during the first six weeks of pregnancy, which lasts nine weeks on average.

    While more food isn’t required, especially if your dog is already overweight, its diet should ideally be high in carbohydrates and be composed of about 25% protein.Ask the vet for guidance when planning your dog’s diet, since feeding a dog that’s overweight and pregnant is a delicate balance.

    Keeping with the brand your dog is used to will help prevent digestion issues, as long as its label notes that it contains enough protein and carbohydrates.

    If you’ve been feeding your dog as much as it wants prior to the pregnancy, you’ll need to develop a careful feeding plan based on your dog’s size, lifestyle, and blood counts.

    Regular small meals are preferable to keeping food out or feeding your dog one large meal. , You should avoid giving your dog strenuous exercise, and weight loss is not recommended during pregnancy, even in overweight dogs.

    However, regular easy walks are necessary to keep your dog active.While overall weight loss shouldn’t be a goal, reducing fat deposits along the abdomen and around the birth canal through consistent exercise can help reduce the risk of an abnormal delivery. , Puppies grow exponentially during the pregnancy’s final third.

    This places a nutritional strain on your dog, and dogs in the best of health will require at least 25% more food.

    Increasing food intake slightly less than normal, at around 15% more calories, will be best for your overweight dog.Remember that more frequent meals are better than offering one larger meal.

    Instead of increasing the size of each meal, try to add in an another feeding time to your dog’s routine.
  3. Step 3: Take your dog on frequent gentle walks.

  4. Step 4: Increase its food intake by 15% during the last three weeks of pregnancy.

Detailed Guide

In order to create the best meal plan for your overweight pregnant dog, you’ll need to find out some specifics about its health.

Bring your dog to the vet for a physical examination and blood count.Ask its vet, “Did the blood count show any signs of anemia or low protein?” If your dog has a low iron or protein count, you’ll most likely need to switch up its food during the pregnancy.

You can keep to the brand it’s used to, but look for a variety marked for pregnant dogs or for puppies.

Dogs generally don’t require any additional food intake during the first six weeks of pregnancy, which lasts nine weeks on average.

While more food isn’t required, especially if your dog is already overweight, its diet should ideally be high in carbohydrates and be composed of about 25% protein.Ask the vet for guidance when planning your dog’s diet, since feeding a dog that’s overweight and pregnant is a delicate balance.

Keeping with the brand your dog is used to will help prevent digestion issues, as long as its label notes that it contains enough protein and carbohydrates.

If you’ve been feeding your dog as much as it wants prior to the pregnancy, you’ll need to develop a careful feeding plan based on your dog’s size, lifestyle, and blood counts.

Regular small meals are preferable to keeping food out or feeding your dog one large meal. , You should avoid giving your dog strenuous exercise, and weight loss is not recommended during pregnancy, even in overweight dogs.

However, regular easy walks are necessary to keep your dog active.While overall weight loss shouldn’t be a goal, reducing fat deposits along the abdomen and around the birth canal through consistent exercise can help reduce the risk of an abnormal delivery. , Puppies grow exponentially during the pregnancy’s final third.

This places a nutritional strain on your dog, and dogs in the best of health will require at least 25% more food.

Increasing food intake slightly less than normal, at around 15% more calories, will be best for your overweight dog.Remember that more frequent meals are better than offering one larger meal.

Instead of increasing the size of each meal, try to add in an another feeding time to your dog’s routine.

About the Author

S

Sharon Ross

Creates helpful guides on pet care to inspire and educate readers.

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