Make sure your pit bull has proper nutrition when she is nursing her puppies.
Taking care of eight puppies can be very stressful and difficult for a pit bull mother. When a pit bull, or a dog belonging to any other dog breed, is lactating, she needs extra calories and nutrients. If the puppies' mother does not stay healthy, her milk will not be as nutritious to her puppies, and she will not have enough energy to care for all of her puppies. Take extra care of your pit bull when she is nursing her eight new puppies.
Amount of Food
A nursing pit bull will need to eat at least two times as much food as she was eating before she was pregnant. However, a pit bull with a large litter, like eight puppies, could eat up to four or five times as much as she ate before the pregnancy. Feed her three meals a day, but keep some dry kibble out that she has access to at all times so that she can get all of the food that she needs to provide sustenance for both her and her puppies.
Types of Food and Nutrients
Your nursing pit bull will need to receive certain nutrients while she is lactating. Choose a high-quality dog food that is labeled as balanced. That way, you can be certain that the dog food is not simply full of carbohydrates, but has meats, eggs and vegetables. Lactating dogs need extra fat in their diets, as well as more calcium. Therefore, consider supplementing her dry food with cooked eggs, cheese, plain yogurt and cooked meats. Talk with your veterinarian about the amounts of these foods that are proper for your pit bull's size, and in combination with the dry food she already eats.
Water
Water is essential for a pit bull who is nursing eight new puppies. Not only is food essential to keeping up a good milk supply, if she becomes dehydrated, she will not provide enough milk for her puppies. Keep clean, fresh water near the dog at all times so that she can drink as much as she wants. Do not let the water bowl go dry.
Assisting the Mother
Just like mothers of all species, your pit bull can become exhausted from taking care of all of her puppies. In order to take care of them properly, she needs to properly eat and drink. Keep careful track of how much she is eating, and entice her to her food and water with treats if she does not show an inclination to leave her puppies and take care of herself. If your pit bull is not eating enough and is having trouble producing enough milk, remove the puppies for a few minutes to allow her to eat. Be aware that mother dogs can fiercely protect their puppies, so make sure she is comfortable with your handling her puppies before you do so.
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