Nutritional supplements/additives for the pregnant bitch - Page 2

Robin, we bred Anni/"Foxy", she went to Germany for her renew her KKL and was bred while she was there. Kind of a long story.

I still have Cuervo at the top of my list for Boudica in the spring. It sure is hard to motivate a high school girl to finish their SchH1- those darn boys have to interfere with everything!

dogshome, I have heard that you should never give honey or bee pollen to a pregnant bitch?

Raw honey may contain Clostridium botulinum spores. It is prudent to never feed it to young humans or pups and it could kill them if the honey is contaminated.  I would err on the side of caution and not feed to any female who is pregnant or any older dog in a weakened state. In general, why would I feed this to begin with? I personally would not be feeding honey to dogs.

Thanks for that, didn't know. I will stop giving it.

Yes, Hodie is so right...I posted this on a thread a few months ago about the dog that was suddenly ill and nothing showed up....

CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS Type D  is a dangerous Intestinal spore  bacterial deadly  killer.   Had a client whose shepherd ate   PEACHES off the ground and pears in his pasture...

THe vet warned him after the dog was dead...It bled to death in a matter of several hours after diahrea showed up...


Cows get it but handle it differently and can get very sick...It is harboured in old wood piles, even along your flower beds in the wood that has been laying there for a long , long time...fruit decayed or on ground for days or weeks....and in uncooked meat ,   soil, water or dust....it is deadly..

Honey is gotten from bees who eat on   FRUIT>>FROM TREES AND ON GROUND>>>ROTTEN FRUIT ALSO>>>>>

HONEY TURNS TO SUGAR>>>>ALSO..

I had never heard of it until the mans dog died and he bought a dog from me....You learn something in this business every day of your life......HEADS UP....

Thanks for everyone that shares something...
But thanks to those who know the safety features of the health and well being...ALL of us , that have been doing this for many , many years have learned ,,,the less you feed a pregnant bitch the better...the essential    REAL FOOD like   cottage cheese , good balanced food, that is natural and not full of preservatives, red dye or   MEAL DERIVITIVES,  with just one vitamin source is better....I have never ever had unhealthy strong puppies..I used   Adult dog food for my adults and puppy food when I wean the pups with GOATS MILK to make the mush...then I do let the mom clean up the bowls...BUT I never feed puppy formula to a bitch before whelp...the amount of phosphorus and calcium and other essential is not in puppy formulas...Also  my vet told me to find Folic acid foods and also Choline in some foods to add to the diet of my bitch...nothing in pill forms...I have used RED CELL but very carefully as too much iron is dangerous also....I guess you have to KNOW by experience what to handle and if not , find a MENTOR>>>>I HAD THREE GOOD ONES>>>>so I learned many years by a good ole german breeder who was not very nice to me...HE threw words at me...like EITHER do it the right way or not at all..LISTEN to me...if I say RAW LIVER makes better milk I mean it...I proved it so do nt question me>>>>>I then read the same thing in an old German Vets book ...he uses Raw calf liver and raw pork LIVER....I always have   all the 34 years I have been breeding...

YES SIR>>>and IT WORKED>>>and IT WORKS>

Yellowrose of Texas
YR

Just to be clear, Clostridium perfrigans is a different bacteria than Clostridium botulinum. The are both potentially problematic, but work very differently in the body. They come from different sources, and cause very different illness. Perfrigans is essentially food poisoning with consequent GI signs while botulinum is a neurotoxin. 

The less artificial supplements and additives the better.
Adding natural ingredients for better nutrition should be a constant that you may well increase as the bitches needs increase.
Please throw the pills and miracle products away.

I would think things like dried kelp and goat's milk are natural.

Where and how would a dog find dried kelp or milk a goat?

LOL...   yeah those are natural ingredients no argument there.

BTW,
We had puppies during our boycott of the site,




Two Moons

Of course they wouldn't not find them, but we must somehow compensate for deficiencies. Even if you feed raw, that livestock is getting pumped full of who knows what and lived their life off grain grown in fields that are mineral deprived and dusted with pesticides. Nothing is natural anymore.

How about Nupro?  I know some breeders give that.  I also like Solid Gold Seameal as a general supplement, probiotics (I buy VetriScience probiotic pills) and fish oil for the Omega-3's which help the puppies brain development.

Taken for whatever it's worth- here is some info from Dr. Joni L. Freshman's lecture at the 140th American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Convention:

During the first three weeks of gestation, the well-conditioned bitch may undergo little or no weight gain. The consumption of a high quality adult dog food is sufficient unless the bitch is underweight. Bitches that enter pregnancy excessively thin should eat a growth or performance food to rapidly correct their condition.

Occasionally, bitches have poor appetites throughout pregnancy. During the last half of pregnancy, energy requirements increase, as does the need for protein and carbohydrates. This is usually provided by the increased intake of a feed for growth, pregnancy and lactation. Too rapid alteration of diet may lead to gastrointestinal distress.

The amount of food required by a pregnant bitch in later gestation increases in proportion with litter size and growth. A 40 percent average increase in food consumption accompanies the 20-55 percent increase in body weight. Because of increased intra-abdominal pressure from the enlarging uterus, multiple small meals are easier for the bitch to consume.

Bitches carrying large litters may have abdominal discomfort the last week of gestation and experience a decrease in appetite. Many, but not all, bitches will stop eating 24-48 hours before delivery.

The administration of supplemental vitamins and supplements to pregnant bitches is discouraged. Calcium supplementation is contraindicated.

Although calcium requirements increase in the pregnant bitch, they are met by the increased amount of food ingested. Excess calcium above the amount provided by a high quality diet suppresses parathyroid hormone production and increases the bitch's risk of puerperal hypocalcemia.

Excess vitamin A has been associated with congenital defects, including cleft palates. Folate deficiencies have been associated with fetal defects in humans. While premium dog foods should contain enough folate, supplementation of B vitamins is not harmful. Dogs produce sufficient vitamin C of their own and do not require supplementation. Excess vitamin D may complicate the calcium mobilization ability of the bitch. Supplementation of omega 3 fatty acids will maximize cerebral and retinal development in the fetuses.