Hi

I have been trying to follow instructions out of Book of the Bitch and read the posts etc. We have a bitch 7 weeks in. In the last 2 weeks the weight gain has been huge and we are feeding her extra but after reading peoples comments struggling to make sure she isnt overfed.

She has always been a fussy eater but in the later stages has eaten well. She used to weigh 14.5kg's- last weigh in at 18.8kg's most of this weight has been in the past couple of weeks is that normal?

I want her well fed but not in fit. she is still having a daily walk although she is heavier she is still keen and trots rather than runs/sprints understandably?

We had her scanned at 4 weeks and looked like 4 - 5 Pups. However she has one huge belly!

Is their a guideline on healthy weight gain ready for whelp?

One other thing is she takes shorter breaths not all the time but I aaume this is to her being full and possibly diaphram having less room? she doesnt get out of breath on walks but she just seems a little awkward or uncomfertable at times and can pant a little? I took her to the vets a week ago and he thinks shes fine just pregnanat and full of pups :)

Is this all normal??

Just another worrier :) any tips would be appreciated.

> One other thing is she takes shorter breaths not all the time but I aaume this is to her being full and possibly diaphram having less room? she doesnt get out of breath on walks but she just seems a little awkward or uncomfertable at times and can pant a little? I took her to the vets a week ago and he thinks shes fine just pregnanat and full of pups :-)
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Hi  Can't really help on the food side apart from the books say just increase by 25% and spread the amount over deveral meals as the stomoch is being sqashed, I assume it might cover anyamount.  Someone will be able to help better.

My girls doing this, she's the same way in as you.  She also keeps getting hicups and this morning i saw why, a right little kick just under the rib cage, it ruffled her fur.  I think it all get sqashed up there, including round the lungs.

She probably needs to slow down on her walk and not go as far, it gets tiring for her and she's got a big lump to carry round.

Personally, I wouldn't restrict the amount of food she gets.  You say she was fussy before so that tells me she is not a greedy bitch so whatever extra she is eating, she probably needs.  My bitch is very greedy but I fed her 3/4 times a day after about 5 weeks and she got as much as she wanted as she was so stuffed with her puppies, she couldn't really over-eat!!  I don't know anyone who measures out a bitch in whelps food (or the bitch for that matter!)
With the walking, my girl did the same walks as before.  She slowed herself down naturally so I wasn't worried and it's good to keep them fit, gets them through the labour easier if they are fit and healthy.

All sounds good and 'normal' to me too.  I'm feeding 'a bit' more but not masses, and my bitch is large and hungry!  She is also getting walks/exercise.  She tries to run around, but has a rather awkward gait now!!!  And sometimes I think she forgets she is carrying the extra with her as she will jump over a ditch or something.  I just keep a watchful eye, and let her do what she feels comfortable with.  I want to keep her fit as she is a working dog, and will go back into training again after the pups have gone.

Hi My bitch is 7 weeks in also and she is looking HUGE I daren't weigh her - LOL !!!!! I am letting her eat as much as she wants . . . she is carrying 8 puppies (according to scan) so she needs the extra food,plus certain times of day she's not hungry then others she's ravenous :-) . I think at this point it is important that they eat what they need as I am sure their tummies don't have a lot of room now to overeat as such.  Good Luck.

Valerie

Hi

Thank you everyone sounds good to me. I thought that might be the case as since shes been growing she naturaly seems to see the importance of eating more than before and is less fussy.

Cant beleive the weight gain though wandering how big the pups are :)

Not long now just under two weeks till shes due :)

Two points to consider; firstly it's not unusual for the odd "extra" pup to arrive which hasnt been seen on a scan.  My bitch was scanned with 9 on her last litter and had 11 :-) secondly when the bitch is lactating and having to deliver all the pups nutrition in the first few weeks she will be burning off lots of calories.  If she was a fussy eater before and quite fit I dont think you will have a problem with her putting on too much weight.  Would be more worried if she was still fussy!

Cool thank you. Yes she was fit before a lean girl that does flyball (The team has been struggling without her).

I had read that they use loads of cals when lactating.

I havent felt or seen andy kicks from the pups yet and shes entering week 8

you will very soon! we have a large breed our girl had 9 pups 81/2 weeks ago i didnt feel pups till she was on her last week never saw them only felt them when she was asleep but she has a thick coat on her :) all the best....the last 2 weeks before she had her pups she eat what ever she wanted the last 3days before she had pups she didnt eat much at all ...i was worried about her not being fit enough to whelp as she didnt go out alot when we had the bad snow plus she put on 10kg but she had her pups fine (we had alot of problems after but nothing to do with not being fit) all the best with a safe arrival :)
xxxx

I have a medium size breed with an average litter size of 6, mine have generally had 4 - 7 puppies.

I never weigh my pregnant bitches as I avoid the vets at this time as that is the most likely place to pick something up.

I don't increase the food at all until the 6th week, but will have them on the more calorie dense puppy food as soon as pregnancy confirmed.  By whelping by gradual increase they will be on 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 times their normal volume of food.

After whelping they get as much as they want but the dry food is absolutely full of water.  by a few days after whelping they can be eating 4 - 6 times the amount they do for maintenance depending on litter size.

As weaning progresses by 4 - 5 weeks they are down to three times their normal ration and then just twice by 6 weeks.

I keep my girls on about 1 1/2 times normal rations (unless obviously fat) after pups leave, and on puppy food until their coats start to come back and will have them on normal rations by the time pups are 4 months old.