Diet for a Dog Nursing Pups
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My three-year-old husky just lost a lot of weight after giving birth. Do you know of any recipes that I can make at home to help her gain the weight back? She doesn`t like dog food very much.
- Carol
Since your dog is nursing her puppies and has extra nutritional requirements, Carol, we recommend feeding her a diet that is intended for pets with high-energy needs—this can even be a high-quality puppy food. Finicky pets generally find wet food more appetizing than dry, so you may consider purchasing a high-quality wet food for her. In addition, there are gravy-like products that you can add to your pet's food to make it more appetizing.
Although making homemade food is a lovely way to express affection for your pet, we generally recommend feeding a high-quality commercial diet because it provides excellent nutrition in a convenient way. And because your dog is nursing, creating a homemade diet that satisfies her needs may be more challenging. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can occur, compromising your dog's health, as well as the health of her puppies.
That isn’t to say that serving a homemade diet is impossible. However, to feed your husky homemade food without compromising her health, it's best to work with a qualified veterinary nutritionist who will be able to formulate a diet to meet your dog's unique nutritional needs.