Gestation and Lactation diets for dogs
AFFCO minimums growth
Glucose is a major energy source for the fetus[1]. Though dogs normally do not have a requirement for carbohydrate, as energy can be produced by fat and protein, bitches close to whelping should be given some carbohydrates[1]. When a diet that did not contain carbohydrates (but contained the same amount of energy) was compared to a diet with 44% of it's energy derived from carbohydrates, the bitches whelped earlier and had fewer puppies survive to three days of age. Only 36% of the puppies survived when their mothers had not been given carbohydrates compared to 93% in the control group.[1] Blood glucose in these females deceased right before whelping and free fatty acids were elevated throughout gestationa and lactation[1].
EPA and DHA (Linked) are used for brain and retina development[2]. When pregnant bitches and their puppies were fed diets high in long chain omega 3 fatty acids (link) the puppies had better retinal health compared to puppies who were fed diets low in long chain omega 3 fatty acids [2]. Bitches and puppies fed diets high in alpha linolenic acid (ALA)(link) did not have as great an increase in retinal health because ALA is too slowly metabolized into DHA[2]. The fatty acid content of milk is directly affected by the mother's diet [3]. Lactating females had a decrease in plasma aracadonic acid (link), likely because the demand for aracadonic acid in milk[2].
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- ^ a b c d Romsos, Dale; Palmer, Helen; Muiruri, Kathleen; Bennink, Maurice. "Influence of a low carbohydrate diet on performance of pregnant and lactating dogs". Journal of Nutrition. 111: 678–689.
- ^ a b c d Bauer, John; Heinemann, Kimberly; Lees, George; Waldron, Mark (2006). "Retinal Functions of Young Dogs Are Improved and Maternal Plasma Phospholipids Are Altered with Diets Containing Long-Chain n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids during Gestation, Lactation, and after Weaning". J. Nutr. 136: 1991S–1994S.
- ^ Heinemann, Kimberly M.; Waldron, Mark K.; Bigley, Karen E.; Lees, George E.; Bauer, John E. (2005-08-01). "Long-chain (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids are more efficient than alpha-linolenic acid in improving electroretinogram responses of puppies exposed during gestation, lactation, and weaning". The Journal of Nutrition. 135 (8): 1960–1966. ISSN 0022-3166. PMID 16046723.