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Farley

Anyone know what I could add to a doggie diet to up weight gain and skin/coat quality in a nursing momma?

- concerned foster home. She was a stray in canadian winter about to have pups. She's here and warm, but thin, with poor coat quality. I'd love tips on how to care for her nutritional needs on a budget. She had 6 healthy roly poly pups- but there's not much left for her.


Asked by Farley on Jan 27th 2012 Tagged nursingmom in Fostering a Pet
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Toto, CD, RN, CGC

I've always had good luck free feeding puppy kibble to nursing moms with big litters. It is amazing how much food they require to keep up milk production and by free feeding, they can keep their stools more normal by eating when they are hungry and need the food.
If she isn't eating well you can add cheaper ground beef to encourage her to eat better. Cheaper has more fat usually which is not a bad thing. I usually lightly brown it to enhance her appetite.
You don't say how old the pups are, but she WILL pretty much lose all her coat when they are around 8 to 10 weeks old... it will help if you can get weight on her before that happens!


Toto, CD, RN, CGC answered on 1/27/12. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 2 Report this answer


Tiara

We also gave dogs puppy food to help out when they had puppies. It gives them the extra protein and other things to help them out in high stress times like this.


Tiara answered on 2/2/12. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


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