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Puppies grow quickly and have special nutritional needs to keep their bodies strong. The most noticeable period of a pup’s growth phase is known as the rapid growth stage, which occurs between 2 and 6 months of age. From about 3 to 6 months, most pups will lose their puppy teeth. In fact, you might find a tooth near the feeding dish or on the floor, and this is quite normal. However, you may also be left wondering what to feed a teething puppy. This is a perfectly normal query that tends to concern a lot of pet parents.
During the teething phase, the young pup’s mouth and gums may be very sensitive, which could cause them to be a bit picky when it comes to eating. There's nothing you can do except to wait it out, even if their appetite is low for a couple of days.
While teething is painful for puppies, there are a few things you can do to make them feel better. Here is a quick guide for you on what to feed a teething puppy and how to choose toys for them.
Your puppy may seem uninterested in dry food during teething. But don't switch to a new formula to stimulate your puppy's appetite. Changing food at this time can cause additional stress and intestinal upset. The tips below could help your puppy make the change:
Encourage your young dog to chew on toys by choosing chew toys that are appropriate for their size. Also, pick a variety of textures to keep them interested in the toys. You can also try giving them frozen toys that are shaped like a bone. Always keep an eye on the puppies while they are busy chewing the toys, to ensure they don’t bite off chunks. If that happens, make sure to replace the toy immediately.
You can also give your puppy a clean and damp washcloth, chilled for a few hours. Chewing on this will also provide some much-needed relief. Ensure that you supervise the puppy while they are chewing on this cloth so that they don’t ingest any sections of it.
Teething is a painful process for the puppies and can cause just as much inconvenience to the owners. Your puppy may lose their appetite and may experience a lot of pain and discomfort. But it is essential to get them through it all while also maintaining their diet. You can consult your vet for any major decisions or choices you make for your puppy during this time - the choice of toys, food, and other soothing methods. You will also have to keep constant vigilance to prevent your little companion from chewing on anything that may harm them, like shoes or the couch. These six months of the teething period may be hard, but you will certainly enjoy seeing them grow through this phase.
In addition to teething, ensuring excellent dental care for your dogs or puppies is of utmost importance. Discover our captivating blog post on dog dental care, and unlock a world of techniques to keep those pearly whites shining bright!
If you're looking for the perfect dog for you, try our Dog Breed Selector today and enjoy a lifetime of tail-wagging joy.
The teething process for puppies may last for about six months.
There are several ways through which you can help your puppies with the process of teething. Firstly, you can get safe chew toys for them. Secondly, you can help them get through the appetite loss. For this, you can prepare suitable teething puppy food by mixing regular dry food with parts of canned food. You can also soak their dry food in warm water for a few minutes. Apart from these steps, you can give your little furry friend a chilled clean and damp washcloth to chew on.
When your puppy is teething, you may see the following symptoms: drooling, bad breath, gum inflammation, gums bleeding, increased chewing tendency, missing teeth, and a loss of appetite.
Teething is painful for puppies and can cause them a lot of discomfort. Due to this, they may not feel like eating and can get even more reluctant to eat dry food. You can try giving them a mixture of their regular dry food with canned food or soaking their dry food for a minutes before serving.
Two things that can soothe your puppy’s teething pain and discomfort are chew toys and a chilled clean and damp washcloth.
Nutrition and bodyweight management are crucial for the health of a pregnant dog and her puppies. While your dog may not require as many doctor visits as people do during pregnancy, you wi’ll still need to understand how to take care of a pregnant dog. This can be achieved by consulting your vet who can evaluate and treat her for both internal and external parasites that could pose a threat to her or her offspring. Pregnancy in a dog is one of the most exciting, but delicate' times in the life of a female dog. Hence, providing sufficient care during the early weeks of pregnancy is critical.
It can be difficult to notice anything unusual in your dog during the first few weeks of her pregnancy. However, you can watch out for subtle signs of pregnancy in dogs.
Your pregnant dog will get tired easily and spend more time napping. For dogs that usually have a high energy drive, this decrease in activity should be considered carefully. It may be difficult to spot a decline in energy in dogs who love resting all day. So, if this is the case, pay attention to how quickly she feels exhausted during walks.
You will observe certain changes in your dog's behavior if she is pregnant. For example, she may crave her owner's comfort more frequently. A pregnant dog will spend more time around you, seeking extra attention. At times, she will also prefer solitude and would not want to be bothered. And when given attention, she may appear depressed or even irritated.
Appetite fluctuations are another sign of pregnancy in dogs. She may eat less or perhaps even vomit sometimes, early or midway through the pregnancy. However, she may consume more than normal and be unhappy with her meals. These changes are caused by your dog's shifting hormones.
Your dog's abdomen will grow in size as the puppies grow. This can be one of the most obvious signs of a dog's pregnancy, particularly if your dog hasn't gained weight for any other reason. However, because enlargement of the abdomen happens late in a dog's pregnancy, and if you detect this sign, it’s time to take her to the clinic.
Proper nutrition for pregnant dogs is important in this period. Therefore, extra caution and care should be given while providing food for pregnant dogs and caring for them.
Pregnancy and nursing are not only responsible for many changes in a dog's body, but for changes in her lifestyle as well. If your dog is pregnant or nursing, pay special attention to her changing nutritional needs as she carries, delivers and nurses her puppies.
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Did you know? You must ensure that your female dog is up to date with vaccination before and during pregnancy. After all, it offers protection from rabies and other severe illnesses. So, let’s explore the vaccination needs of a female dog during this delicate, yet beautiful stage of its life.
Before dog pregnancy:
There are certain vaccines that you should consider giving your dog before she’s pregnant.
The Canine Task Force of the American Animal Hospital Association believes the following canine immunizations to be essential:
During dog pregnancy:
In general, normal pet owners will not need to vaccinate a pregnant female dog. If she is up to date with all her vaccinations, there is usually no need to give her an additional booster shot just because she is pregnant. Moreover, even veterinarians discourage vaccinating pregnant dogs.
The nutritional requirement for large-breed dogs differs from that of small-breed dogs. While you would want to shower your pregnant dog with endless foods and treats, it is best to refrain from it. Overfeeding could lead to obesity towards the end of pregnancy. This will increase the risk of difficult labor, which will thereby cause stress to the dog. Hence, during these delicate times, following the feeding guide provided by your vet is a must.
A small breed dog needs more calories per pound than a large breed dog to sufficiently sustain her puppies during pregnancy as well as breastfeeding. The to-be mother dog’s food consumption should be increased by roughly 15% to 25% as she nears the date of delivery.
Small dog breeds should be fed a small breed puppy food. Therefore, choose a highly nutritious puppy diet for your dog based on the size of the breed.
If you're planning to breed your female dog, it’s important to assess her body condition well in advance due to the physical demands of pregnancy and nursing, a dog with less-than-ideal health can experience problems.
Be sure to feed the proper amounts of a complete and balanced diet. This will support the mother's healthy weight and body condition before breeding and help maintain her health and that of her babies throughout pregnancy and lactation.
The gestation period for dogs is nine weeks. Pregnant dogs gain weight only slightly until about the sixth week, and then gain weight rapidly.
The energy requirements of pregnant dogs are reflected in the pattern of weight gain. Pregnant dogs will need to consume 25% to 50% more than their normal food intake by the end of pregnancy, but energy requirements do not increase until about the sixth week.
The best diet for pregnant and nursing dogs is a high-quality, nutrient-dense pet food formulated for all life stages. Although puppy diets are generally recommended for pregnant or nursing dogs, large-breed puppy formulas may not be appropriate for this use due to their adjusted energy and mineral content.
Raw foods are not recommended for nursing or pregnant dogs. Most dogs can get by on high-quality dog food alone, so unless your veterinarian suggests otherwise, you should avoid giving your dog any additional vitamins or supplements.
A good option is to give your pregnant dog IAMS™ PROACTIVE HEALTH™ Mother and Baby dog food. It supports the mother’s gestation and milk production for healthy puppy development while also boosting your puppy's training capacity with vital DHA for healthy brain development, making its first year of life a pleasant one.
Pregnant dogs lose weight after giving birth, but their nutritional needs increase dramatically. Depending on litter size, nursing dogs might need two to three times their normal food requirement to nourish their pups. Be sure your nursing mom has plenty of water, so she can generate the milk volume she needs to feed the litter.
To help your nursing dog get enough nutrition, you can try several tactics:
By four to five weeks after birth, most puppies start showing an interest in their mother’s food. Gradually, the puppies will begin eating more solid food and nursing less. At the same time, the nursing mother will usually begin eating less. Most puppies are completely weaned around age 7 to 8 weeks. By this time, the mother's energy requirement is back to normal, and she should be eating her normal pre-pregnancy diet.
Similar to the nutritional requirements of pregnant and nursing dogs, senior dogs also have specific nutritional needs. Explore our blog where we discuss the nutritional needs of senior dogs.
If you're looking for the perfect dog for you, try our Dog Breed Selector today and enjoy a lifetime of tail-wagging joy.
