What You Need to Know About Dog and Cat Nutrition

Commercial formulas are available or one may choose to follow a homemade version such as the following one by Dr. Richard Pitcairn, D.V.M., and PH.D.:1 cup half-and-half, 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon protein powder, ¾ teaspoon bone meal, and 1-2 days worth of dog vitamin/mineral supplement.Some breeders use supplemented goat’s milk.Generally, cow’s milk is not recommended.All formula should be given at body temperature and fed via bottle or stomach tube.Amount depends on age and size of the animal. After each feeding it is important to gently massage the young’s belly, genital and anal area with a warm moistened cloth to stimulate urination and defecation.Newborns need to be fed approximately every 2 hours.

Weaning

Ideally, puppies and kittens should be allowed to nurse until their mother chooses to wean them.Orphans can usually start the weaning process at about 3 weeks of age.The new food should be made soft and easy for them to lap, but not so mushy that it is inhaled through the nostrils.Weanlings can be fed 4 times a day until they are 2 months old, then 3 times daily until 4 to 6 months old, then 2 times daily until 1 year, either staying on twice daily feedings or reducing to once daily.Growing youngster may eat nearly double the amount of food as an adult, proportionately.But, it is important not to over-feed growing puppies and kittens as it places unwanted stress and weight on growing bodies.

Pregnancy and Lactation

Obviously, it is extremely important that a female receive excellent nutrition during the time that she is developing and nourishing her young.Actually, she needs proper nutrition before pregnancy, to help facilitate normal fertility.During the latter half of pregnancy, the female will need her food divided into smaller, more frequent meals as her stomach begins to compete for the space occupied by her rapidly growing young. The amount of increase in her food intake will depend greatly on the type of food being fed.The greater the nutrient value, the less she will need to increase the volume of it.As her due date draws near, many females will experience a decrease in appetite.A female in good health and condition should be able to deliver and care for her young quite easily.

During labor, many females choose to consume the placentas, which are a rich source of nutrients and hormones.And since many new mothers are reluctant to eat their regular food immediately after delivery, eating the placentas may provide her with a readily available and desirable source of nutrition. Lactation greatly increases the nutritional needs of the female.As the pups and kittens grow, so do their nutritional demands for mother’s milk.She should be fed multiple daily meals of nutrient-rich food.As the young are weaned onto solid food, their need for her milk will decrease and her intake can be very gradually lowered to her normal ration.

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