How Many Calories Do Pregnant Dogs Need?

There are many ways to contribute to a healthy canine pregnancy and one of the most important criteria is proper nutrition. Beside getting the correct nutritional requirements needed to ensure healthy pregnancy and strengthened her fetus, her puppies will also get the best possible start in life.

Having said, getting the correct nutrition for pregnant dogs can be very challenging due to the individual nature of different breed, energy output, metabolism, surrounding temperature, stress factors, litter size, and the different nutritional values in various commercial dog food. Most importantly, do not replace her existing food with new or untried diet during her pregnancy. You may want to experiment that a few months before mating.

What Is the Daily Maintenance Energy Requirement for Female Dogs In Heat?

Most literature (including medical texts) I read do not mention much about the special calories requirements needed for female dogs before gestation. Although the intake of food doesn’t vary greatly from her regular daily requirement still it is equally important she gets extra energy and nutrients and maintain good physical condition during preconception, gestation, and lactation periods. Actually, greater emphasis should be on the supplements (i.e. herbs) prior to mating to ensure the egg and sperm are fortified at the time of conception and the health of the future litters is maximized. I’ll cover canine pregnancy supplement issues on later dates as it requires a lengthy post. Nonetheless, she should have a high quality and well-balanced diet throughout.

Do take note that your dog is not overweight before mating and in her early pregnancy because she will have difficulty carrying her unborn puppies during the final trimester (when the unborn puppies begin to grow bigger). Furthermore obesity may make deliver more difficult if not complicate matters.

• Proestrus (day 1 to 9): Normal daily maintenance
• Estrus (day 10 to 21): 5 per cent increase, slightly higher in protein.

What Is The Daily Maintenance Energy Requirement During Gestation?

Although you won’t see much physical changes in your pregnant dog in the first four or five weeks after mating, you have to pay special attention to her nutrition especially her second and final trimester. This is not only important to her health but also her future puppies. The amount of calories a pregnant dog needs will vary between breeds, sizes, and activities (decrease the intensity of her exercise as the whelping date draws near) and it should be increased gradually. A good approach is to increase her calories intake by 10 per cent per week starting from week 5 and 10 to 12 per cent (12% only if she enjoys daily long walks without overexerting herself) in her final trimester.

There will be two short periods she won’t have hearty appetite, during the first trimester and a day or two before whelping, thus she will not get the required calories. In any event, keep regular feeding schedules. As the whelping date approaches, she should be getting about 60 to 70 per cent more calories before she was mated.

• 1st trimester (wk 1 to 3): normal daily maintenance
• 2nd trimester (wk 4 to 6): 10% increase from week 5, compounding, slightly higher in protein.
• Final trimester (wk 7 to 9): 10 ~ 12% increase, compounding, slightly higher in protein.

For example, a Japanese Chin weighing 2.7 kg (6 lbs)
[Dogs under 4.4 lbs, use this RMR formula here]

RMR = 70 + (2.7 x 30)
= 151 calories/day

Week 5: 151 x 10% = 166
Week 6: 166 x 10% = 183
Week 7: 183 x 10% ~ 12% = 201 ~ 205
Week 8: 201 ~ 205 x 10% ~ 12% = 221 ~ 230
Week 9: 221 ~ 230 x 10% ~ 12% = 243 ~ 258

Important: The figures above serve as an approximate guide only. Do not attempt to apply them rigidly. It is advisable to use sound judgment to monitor her weight gain weekly particularly her second and final trimester. Of course, you will do much better to consult your veterinarian if this is your first breeding.

In conclusion: While you are busying formulating your dog’s maintenance requirement needed during her pregnancy, do not forget to give her as much water as she needs. Best is distill or filtered water.

Daily Calories Requirement For Dogs Series:

• How Many Calories Does my Dog Need a Day?
• How Many Calories Do Pregnant Dogs Need?
• How Many Calories Do Nursing Dogs Need?
• How Many Calories Do Young Puppies Need a Day?